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Client Resources: Writer’s Guild of America Strike Rules and FAQ

The McCathern Media & Entertainment practice, led by Partner Adam Mehr, represents clients in the entertainment industry who could soon be affected by a possible strike by the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA). The WGA Negotiating Committee is bargaining with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) with a goal of reaching a […]

Client Michael Irvin Holds Press Conference and Releases Video

On the morning of Tuesday, March 14th client Michael Irvin held a second press conference in Dallas with his attorney, McCathern Partner Levi McCathern, and his agent Steve Mandell. This follow up press conference updated the media on the current status of a lawsuit filed by the firm on behalf of Mr. Irvin and reviewed […]

Client Michael Irvin Holds Press Conference with Partner Levi McCathern

On the morning of Wednesday, March 8th client Michael Irvin held a press conference in Dallas along with his attorney, Partner Levi McCathern, and his agent, Steve Mandell. The press conference was held so as to update the media on the status of a lawsuit filed by the firm on behalf of Mr. Irvin against […]

McCathern Welcomes Five Attorneys to its Dallas Office

McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans, Grinke is proud to announce the arrival of five new attorneys to its Dallas office. The five attorneys, led by new partner Jen Falk, are having an immediate impact for McCathern clients in several practice areas and form a substantial building block for the growing law firm. Jen Falk recently joined […]

Paul Grinke Joins Ben Crump to Speak About Shooting Victim Erik Cantu

McCathern Frisco Managing Partner Paul Grinke spoke to the media yesterday alongside esteemed civil rights attorney Ben Crump on behalf of the family of Erik Cantu. Mr. Cantu’s parents also addressed the media, a first since their son was shot multiple times by a San Antonio police officer on October 2nd outside of an area […]

Family Law Attorney Erin Clegg Named a Partner at McCathern

McCathern is excited to announce that Family Law attorney Erin R. Clegg of the law firm’s Frisco, Texas office has been named a partner. The two North Texas offices gathered on the afternoon of Thursday, September 22nd at the Frisco office for the announcement of Erin’s elevation to Partner five years after she joined McCathern. […]

Ty Sheaks “Fear” Majeure Article Published in Dallas Bar Association Publication

An article written by McCathern Frisco Partner Ty Sheaks was recently published in the August edition of “Headnotes”, the official publication of the Dallas Bar Association. The article, “Can “Fear” Majeure be Used to Cancel an Event or Contract?” (page 18), takes a look at the implications of events or contracts being cancelled when there […]

Attorneys Recognized for Top 10 Personal Injury Settlement in Texas

Three McCathern attorneys were recently recognized by Top Verdict as having one of the top 10 personal injury settlements obtained from a state or federal court Texas in 2021. The $17,000,000 settlement for a client of Dallas and Frisco Partners Levi McCathern and Paul Grinke and Dallas Associate Attorney Shane Eghbal is listed #2 for […]

Laura Roach and Ty Sheaks Named to 2022 Best Lawyers in Dallas List

McCathern is again proud to announce that Partners Laura B. Roach and Ty M. Sheaks were named to D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas list. 2022 marks Laura’s eighth year to be named to the prestigious list and it is Ty’s fourth year to be receive the honor. Laura was listed among the best Family […]

Texas Law Update: What Every Business Needs to Know

Now that the dust has settled from the 87th legislative session in Texas there are several key laws from the 666 new laws that went into effect on Sept. 1 that every business operator in Texas should understand. While the highly publicized and politicized “constitutional carry” (HB 1927) or “election integrity law” (SB 1) may […]

PROSPER ISD PARENTS QUESTION DISTRICT RESPONSE TO BUS DRIVER ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING STUDENTS

December 15, 2025

Author: Rebecca Lopez with WFAA Watch the interview here. PROSPER, Texas — Parents of two young girls who say they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by a Prosper ISD school bus driver are speaking out about what they describe as serious failures by the district — including delayed notification to families and promised safety changes they say were never fully implemented. The parents asked that they not be identified to protect their children, who were just elementary school age at the time of the abuse. In a lawsuit filed in 2023, the girls — identified only as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 — allege former bus driver Frank Paniagua assaulted them repeatedly during the 2021–2022 school year. According to the lawsuit, Paniagua would wait until other students exited the bus, then assault the girls, sometimes holding one child back so he could take her to the rear of the bus. Attorneys say the abuse occurred over several months and was captured on bus surveillance video. How the abuse was discovered The girls’ mother said the abuse came to light after their grandmother noticed troubling comments about gift cards offered by the bus driver. When the mother later questioned the girls again, they disclosed what had been happening. Prosper ISD police reviewed surveillance video from the bus in May 2022. Paniagua was arrested two days later and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and indecency with a child. Paniagua later died after jumping from the second floor of the Collin County Jail while awaiting trial. Concerns about delayed notifications Attorneys for the family say more than 100 days passed after Paniagua’s arrest before Prosper ISD publicly acknowledged the allegations — a delay parents say may have prevented other potential victims from being identified. At a packed school board meeting, Prosper ISD parent Morgan Grahovec, a child psychologist whose daughter attended the same school as the victims, told trustees that delays in notifying parents can have serious consequences. “Children who are victims of abuse need to be identified and interviewed as soon as possible because memory fades over time,” Grahovec said. “The longer you wait, it’s harder to get a child to report abuse accurately.” Parents at those meetings called for Superintendent Holly Ferguson’s resignation, arguing district leaders should have acted sooner and communicated more transparently. Ferguson did not step down, instead promising changes to safety protocols. District response and former statement In an earlier written statement to WFAA, Prosper ISD said it took appropriate action once allegations surfaced: “We are horrified that an employee violated the trust of our families and students, as Prosper ISD’s foremost priority is to protect our students’ safety and well-being at all times. We strongly condemn the actions of any adult who would cause mental or physical harm to a child, and we do not tolerate such behavior.” The district has declined additional comment, citing pending litigation. Disputed claims about safety changes Prosper ISD previously told parents it would implement additional safeguards, including increased supervision during bus drop-offs, a volunteer “bus buddy” program, and improved monitoring of bus surveillance video. But the parents and their attorneys say those changes were not consistently put in place. Attorney Levi McCathern says the district does not regularly review bus surveillance footage — even though video captured the alleged abuse in this case. “You would think the first thing you would do after this happens is change your monitoring program,” McCathern said. “They don’t monitor them at all.” McCathern and co-counsel Kristin Hecker say the lawsuit is aimed at forcing policy changes rather than seeking financial gain. Questions about oversight and leadership The case has also raised broader concerns about district leadership and oversight. Prosper ISD’s school board president later resigned in an unrelated child abuse case, further shaking confidence among some parents. Families have also questioned the independence of the district’s internal review, noting that the law firm hired to investigate the district’s response is also defending Prosper ISD in the lawsuit. “All we want is an independent investigation,” McCathern said. Parents push for accountability and change The parents say their children remain enrolled in Prosper ISD, but they continue to press for reforms they believe could prevent similar abuse. “We want justice for our kids,” the girls’ mother said. “But we also want changes to happen at the district so that this doesn’t happen to other children.”

Author: McCathern Law