McCathern Law, Author at

Houston Case News

Property buyer accuses developer of fraud by Philip Gonzales | May 8, 2017, 1:55pm HOUSTON, TX — A Harris County woman is suing a developer, alleging fraud and inducement. She is represented by attorneys Isaac Villarreal and Veronica Montemayor of McCathern Houston. Susan Adams filed a complaint May 5 in Harris County District Court against Jalaluddin, […]

McCathern Attorneys Named Among Dallas’ Best

McCathern Partners Levi McCathern, Arnold Shokouhi, Paul Grinke, Carl Evans, and Jennette DePonte, as well as Of Counsel Attorney Eric Van Horn, were selected to D Magazine’s list of the 2017 Best Lawyers in Dallas. An elite group of top-notch lawyers in Dallas received D Magazine’s “Best Lawyer” honor this year. McCathern’s selected attorneys […]

Report: Texas Workers’ Comp System Performs Better Than Mandatory Systems

“We need to give other states the option because competition will improve the system.” – Levi McCathern, Texas Attorney Best’s News Service via Bestwire – March 23, 2017 03:03 PM Austin, Texas – A new report claiming the Texas workers’ compensation model performs better than mandatory systems will be used by proponents to tout alternative systems […]

THE OTHER ARNOLD

Arnold Shokouhi made the journey from revolutionary Iran to Cowboys Stadium Published in 2017 Texas Rising Stars — April 2017 by Alison Macor His name is Arnold; he immigrated to the U.S. at a young age; he was a winning bodybuilding competitor. Oh, he also got a J.D. So not that Arnold. Arnold Shokouhi, 35, a banking and mortgage […]

Landmark report on workers’ comp from TPPF issued

The Association for Responsible Alternatives to Workers’ Compensation (ARAWC) is excited to bring to your attention a landmark report from the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF). Key findings include: Texas’ voluntary (nonsubscription) system has benefitted employers and employees through shorter periods of disability after accidents, fewer claim disputes, lower costs, and faster claim payouts. Competition from private sector […]

Texas Court Affirms $1M Award In Drill Co.’s Oral Agreement

Texas Court Affirms $1M Award In Drill Co.’s Oral Agreement for Clients of McCathern attorneys Farbod Farnia and Isaac Villarreal By Michelle Casady Law360, Houston (February 16, 2017, 8:49 PM EST) — Texas’ Fourteenth Court of Appeals on Thursday sided with Dynomax Drilling Tools Inc. in its dispute with Duradril LLC over an oral asset purchase […]

Importance of Immediate Injury Reporting

Importance of Immediate Injury Reporting for Workplace Injuries Levi McCathern, recognized as one of the premier litigation lawyers in Texas, speaks out on the importance of immediate injury reporting. McCathern is Board Certified in both Civil Trial Law and Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization – a double certification held […]

Ty M. Sheaks Announced as Speaker for 2017 CLM Conference

Attorney Ty M. Sheaks Announced as Speaker for 2017 CLM & Business Insurance Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2017 McCathern Law Firm Partner & Practice Group Leader Ty M. Sheaks will present the legal duties for businesses and individuals to mitigate risk in an active shooter situation. The Claims and Litigation Management […]

McCathern Representing Shareholders against Jefferies & Co.

Jefferies Sues To Halt FINRA Arbitration Over Stock Drop By Sophia Morris Law360, New York (Feb. 6, 2017, 8:04 PM EST) “We believe Jefferies owed our investor clients a duty to investigate the investments when Jefferies prepared the offering materials our clients relied on.” –McCathern Attorney Justin N. Bryan The Jefferies Group investment bank is arguing that shareholders who bought […]

McCathern Welcomes Family Law Attorney to Dallas Office

Dallas lawyer, Kathryn L. Pruitt, has recently joined McCathern Dallas as Partner to lead the firm’s Family Law Section. Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) January 05, 2017 — Dallas-based law firm McCathern, PLLC is excited to announce the addition of Partner Kathryn L. Pruitt to lead the firm’s Family Law Section. Kathryn has practiced law since 1993 and has focused […]

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