Midlothian ISD board approves contingent-fee legal contract to pursue youth social media litigation

The Midlothian ISD Board of Trustees voted 7–0 on June 16 to adopt a resolution approving a contingent-fee legal services agreement and to enter into contingent-fee contracts with Eiland & Bonnin, PC and O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, PC to represent the district in litigation related to youth social media usage.

Trustee Gary Vineyard moved “that the Board of Trustees adopt a resolution approving the contingent fee legal services contract, that includes the findings required by Texas Government Code 2254, Subchapter C, and that are needed for submission of a contingent fee legal services agreement and a request to the Texas Attorney General for expedited review.” Trustee Tami Tobey seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Board materials and the motion state the action included the findings necessary under state law to submit a contingent-fee agreement and a request for expedited review by the Texas Attorney General. The contracts named in the agenda are Eiland & Bonnin, PC and O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, PC; the Board approved entering into those agreements to represent the district in the identified litigation.

No attorney fee amounts or contingency-fee percentages appear in the meeting record. The record does not show any public opposing testimony on the contracts during the open session.

Next steps recorded in the agenda include submission of the adopted findings and the contingent-fee agreement to the Texas Attorney General for review as provided by state statute.