The Law Office of J. Patrick Sutton in Austin, Texas is a civil litigation and appellate practice:
1. My real estate litigation has three major components:
- representing homeowners in cases involving HOA abuse or in cases involving deed restrictions generally, and acting as a court-appointed receiver to manage HOA's or HOA property
- fraud and deception (deceptive trade practices) in land deals
- fighting banks over foreclosures and mortgage loan abuse.
But I do other sorts of real-estate work as well, such as partition suits to either divide land or force its sale. I discuss my practice and philosophy in real estate matters in more detail HERE.
2. I also handle state and federal civil appeals, including briefing and oral argument. My current appeals list is here. I have argued before the Texas Supreme Court, the Texas Third Court of Appeals in Austin, and the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans. I have also represented clients seeking review in the U.S. Supreme Court. My appeals practice is unusual in that I try very hard to write readable briefs as free from legal jargon as possible. I also write amicus (friend-of-the-court) briefs on behalf of people and organizations that wish to give appeals courts additional insight into a given case apart from the legal analysis offered by the parties themselves.
3. I handle all aspects of residential real estate transactions for buyers and sellers, whether brokers are involved or not. Many people hire me in cases where they haven't hired a broker because they have already found the property they want to buy, or else they already have a buyer for their property. I handle FSBO's as well.
4. My collections practice is chiefly service as a Texas turnover statute receiver appointed by courts to collect on judgments.