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McCathern Sponsors Ryan Siddique Memorial Golf Tournament

Four members of the McCathern Law Firm, Jesse Cromwell, Jesse Hoffman, Brett Chisum, and Joey Sampson, enjoyed a day of golf at the Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine, Texas as McCathern sponsored the Ryan Siddique Scholarship Fund, which works to provide financial scholarships and support services to students diagnosed with epilepsy. Ryan Siddique, a talented […]

McCathern Partner Honors Dallas Judiciary at D Magazine Event

On Thursday, February 28, McCathern partner Ty Sheaks joined distinguished members of the Dallas legal community to celebrate the Dallas judiciary at Cityplace Tower. Dean Jennifer Collins of SMU’s Dedman School of Law and D Magazine‘s president, Christine Allison, were the featured speakers of the evening, giving insightful remarks to the local judges and attorneys […]

McCathern Attorneys Help Penta LLC Gain First Cannabis License In EU

Kris Swaffer, one of the principals of Penta LLC, has acquired the first license to cultivate, manufacture, and distribute cannabis in the European Union. This landmark achievement stems from months of working with Greek government officials with the assistance of McCathern partner Arnold Shokouhi. With this license, Penta LLC has great potential to revolutionize the […]

Case Update: Waco Rope Case Attracts Significant Media Attention

The widely publicized case of rope injuries to a 12-year-old girl’s neck while on a school sponsored camping trip is currently being heard by a Travis County jury. The jury is on track to determine if Live Oak Classical School is at fault for the severe rope burns suffered by KP, a black girl, allegedly […]

Accident or Attack: Waco Rope Case Goes to Trial October 22nd in Austin

AUSTIN, TX: The widely publicized case of rope injuries to a 12-year-old girl’s neck while on a school sponsored camping trip will be heard by a Travis County jury next week. The jury will determine if Live Oak Classical School is at fault for the severe rope burns suffered by KP, a black girl, allegedly […]

Case News: Disabled Weatherford Man Files Lawsuit Against Six Flags

ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) – Clint Bench looks through some pictures pointing out ones where he’s water skiing and firing a gun. He says he loves to be active, “Mountain biking I love,” says Bench. “My son is a Scout; I’m a Scout Master.” The father of two from Weatherford was born without hands and says he […]

Co-Parenting Tips for Surviving “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

The holidays are a time for happiness, family, good food, love, and togetherness. And as Andy Williams informed us back in 1963 – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! But for some families, whether you are newly separated or already divorced, the holidays have the potential to be an emotionally draining and difficult […]

Supreme Court Offers Clarity in the Ever-Evolving World of E-Discovery

The Supreme Court Offers Clarity in the Ever-Evolving World of E-Discovery in In re State Farm Lloyds by McCathern Attorney Chris Johnson May 31, 2017 As computers, smart phones, and other electronic devices have become commonplace, electronic discovery has become an extremely difficult and expensive part of litigation and has flummoxed even the most seasoned […]

Lawsuit: Bullies at Galveston school left “KKK origami” on child’s desk

Tuesday, May 16, 2017 02:10 PM GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) — A mother filed a lawsuit against a private school in Galveston, claiming her son was bullied and harassed for more than a year because of his race. The lawsuit names Trinity Episcopal School, its principal and the parents of three students who allegedly bullied the […]

McCathern Sponsors Charity at Construction Defect Seminar

McCathern conference sponsorship benefits charity, supports veterans Los Angeles, CA – Law firm McCathern, LLP is pleased to announce its charity sponsorship of West Coast Casualty’s 2017 Construction Defect Seminar. This is the 24th year of the seminar, which will be held May 18-19, 2017 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. The firm will […]

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