Waste Management of Texas, Inc.

In 1997, following Waste Management’s publication of false statements about TDS and its landfill, TDS sued Waste Management for defamation and other claims. In 2010, a jury found in favor of TDS and awarded $5.45 million in actual damages and $20 million in exemplary damages, finding that Waste Management had knowingly published false and defamatory statements about TDS and its Creedmoor, Texas landfill in 1997 after TDS received approval from the San Antonio City Council, but before the contract was signed for a 30-year landfill disposal and transfer station contract, and during the decision making process for a City of Austin 30 year disposal and recycling services contract. The trial court judge reformed the award to $10.7 million including pre and post judgment interest and both WMI and TDS appealed. The Third Court of Appeals upheld the State District Court judge’s decision and both parties appealed to the State Supreme Court. On May 9, 2014, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of TDS, finding that Waste Management published defamatory statements with malice and caused injury to TDS’s reputation. TDS was awarded $2,025,514.49 on December 19, 2014.

Downloadable Materials

• Waste Management Payment for Judgment
• Plaintiff’s Motion to Retax Costs
• Judgment Rendered November 14, 2014
• Memorandum Opinion
• TDSL Brief on Remand with Appendices
• TX Supreme Court Mandate
• WMI v TDSL – TX Supreme Court Bill of Costs
• TDSL’s Motion for Rehearing
• TDS Statement on WMI Supreme Court Ruling
• Judgment
• TDSL – WMI – Opinion
• TDSL Response to WMI Post-Submission Brief
• WMI Post-Submission Brief
• Transcript from Oral Arguments at Texas Supreme Court
• Brief of Amici Curiae Media Organizations in Support of WMI
• WMI Reply Brief on the Mertis
• TDSL Reply in Support of its Brief on the Mertis
• TDSL Response to the WM Brief on the Mertis
• WMI Response to the TDSL Brief on the Mertis
• WMI Brief on the Mertis
• TDSL Brief on the Mertis

• Third Court of Appeals Decision TDSL II 2012

• TDS Verdict Release
• Final Judgment Trial Court 2010
• Jury Charge and Verdict
• Third Court of Appeals Decision TDSL I 2007

• Plaintiffs Third Supplement to Plaintiffs Third Amended Petition
• Plaintiffs Second Supplement to Plaintiffs Third Amended Petition
• Plaintiffs First Supplement to Plaintiffs Third Amended Petition
• Plaintiffs Third Amended Petition