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UCAD, ousted tax attorney settle lawsuits


The Uvalde County Appraisal District has settled the 2017 lawsuit against tax attorney Albert M. Walker Jr. and William A. Kessler Jr., with the only cost to the appraisal district being $50,000 in attorney’s fees, said UCAD chief appraiser Roberto Valdez.

According to the Agreed Order of Dismissal with Prejudice filed June 18 in Travis County, each party was ordered to bear all costs and attorneys’ fees incurred by that party.

As part of the settlement, Valdez said, the appraisal district has proportionally redistributed approximately $87K to the 13 taxing entities in Uvalde County. Additonally, Valdez said, the amount distributed stems from the 2011 budget, however further settlement details were not available.

“As you are aware,” Valdez said, “both parties agreed to not make any public statements concerning the lawsuit.”

He added that the distputes were amicably resolved to the satisfaction of the parties.

The $87K was being held in the tax collection fund, and was approved by the board of directors in May to be transferred to the operating fund.

The UCAD suit had originally sought relief of over $1 million for breach of contract and negligence. Walker countersued the appraisal district, also claiming there was a breach of contract.

Kessler, of the Uvalde law firm Kessler and Kessler, was named in the lawsuit only because he was a necessary party to terminate the contract for tax collection. UCAD was not accusing Kessler of wrongdoing.

In December of 2018, an Austin judge dismissed negligence, malpractice and fiduciary duty breach claims made by UCAD and ruled that UCAD presented no evidence of negligence, malpractice or breach of fiduciary duties.

This ruling left only the breach of contract claim against Walker and Walker’s similar counterclaim.

mfederspill@ulnnow.com, 830-278-3335

Albert Walker

Albert Walker

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