FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

PHH Wins Bexar County Jury Trial, Overcoming Appraisal District’s Hail Mary to Court of Appeals.

Despite Bexar CAD’s refusal to negotiate, PPG Tax and McDonald Law Firm secure victory by rendering purchase price evidence irrelevant to the verdict.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – June 5, 2025 – In a high-stakes property tax trial, PHH, represented by PPG Tax and McDonald Law Firm, notched another major jury trial victory this year against Bexar Appraisal District (Bexar CAD) for the Oro Stone Oak multifamily property in San Antonio.

With a recent purchase closing statement in hand, Bexar CAD refused to negotiate off the purchase price—disregarding its obligation to ensure Equal & Uniform valuation and leaving PHH with no choice but to proceed to trial. Their best pre-trial settlement offers amounted to less than a 1% reduction off the ARB-certified value. The jury ultimately delivered a verdict setting the property’s Equal & Uniform value at $61,640,718, a reduction of more than $10 million from the appraisal district’s noticed value.

PHH was represented by Dan McDonald and Haillie Bowles of McDonald Law Firm, who implemented an aggressive courtroom strategy supported by PPG Tax’s expert valuation modeling and preparation of cross examination for Bexar CAD’s appraiser, Franklin Flato. On cross-examination, Dan McDonald effectively discredited Flato of Flato Realty Advisors, exposing again in a jury trial that market value evidence is irrelevant in an equal and uniform case.

This marks the third jury victory for PPG Tax and McDonald Law Firm since the Supreme Court of Texas’ landmark 2024 Texas Disposal decision, which opened the door for appraisal districts to introduce market value evidence, including purchase prices, in E&U disputes. This latest win demonstrates that even when appraisal districts base appraised value on purchase price—99% of purchase price in this case—PPG Tax and McDonald Law Firm have the strategy, expertise and tenacity to render market value irrelevant to juries.

Key Legal Strategy: Protecting Clients’ Right to Fair E&U Valuations.

An important component of this victory was PPG Tax and McDonald Law Firm’s success in keeping the trial focused on E&U valuation, despite Bexar CAD’s attempt to drag the case into market value territory. When Bexar CAD filed a late counterclaim on market value, the team moved to have it thrown out as untimely—and the trial court agreed.

Bexar CAD then sought to resurrect the claim through an emergency mandamus petition to the Fourth Court of Appeals. The appellate court rejected Bexar CAD’s bid, allowing the case to proceed to the jury focused solely on the issue of E&U. Although Bexar CAD was permitted to present evidence of the purchase price at trial, they were denied a market value jury question—meaning the jury was not asked to render a market value verdict. Ultimately, the jury was asked only one question: “What was the E&U value on Jan. 1?”

This strategic legal win reinforced the team’s commitment to building a wall around market value evidence—an approach that consistently protects taxpayers from unfair valuation tactics.

“This case proves that even when appraisal districts try to weaponize purchase price and market value, we can hold them accountable,” said Dan McDonald of McDonald Law Firm. “Our courtroom strategy delivered the outcome our client deserved, showing that a fair E&U trial can lead to substantial tax savings.”

The verdict underscores PPG Tax and McDonald Law Firm’s unwavering dedication to fighting for taxpayers’ rights and holding appraisal districts accountable—no matter how aggressive their stance.