Jody S. Sanders

BIOGRAPHY

Jody S. Sanders obtains his clients’ goals by telling their stories and legal arguments through concise, well-written legal briefing and informative and persuasive oral presentations. His effective legal writing has been recognized by his clients, colleagues, co-counsel, and opposing counsel. But, successful presentations are only part of the process. He also ensures the best outcome by preparing strategies that bring success in litigation and throughout the appellate process—whether in state or federal court. His approach focuses on identifying key legal issues that streamline the litigation process to achieve clients’ goals while avoiding unnecessary expense.

Mr. Sanders’s experience includes all stages of litigation in trial courts throughout the state, as well as appeals and original proceedings in Texas’s intermediate courts of appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and federal appellate courts. Mr. Sanders is called frequently to assist other litigators in drafting dispositive motions, ensuring error preservation, and handling trial and post-trial proceedings to prepare for a potential appeal.

Mr. Sanders also represents clients in a variety of administrative and arbitration proceedings. His experience includes frequent representations of clients appealing property tax determinations before county appraisal districts, representing clients in state-level administrative proceedings, and representing clients in both the attorney and judicial disciplinary systems. He also has represented clients in a variety of arbitration forums.

Mr. Sanders’s practice is wide-ranging and has included cases involving commercial disputes and litigation, energy law, personal injury matters, family law, probate litigation, government contract disputes, products liability actions, securities arbitrations, administrative tax proceedings and litigation, bankruptcy litigation, and appeals, property disputes, and a wide variety of declaratory and injunctive actions.

In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Sanders co-hosts the Texas Appellate Law Podcast, sharing insights and expertise with fellow legal professionals and enthusiasts.

EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS
  • In re Channelview Flooding Litig., No. 01-22-00946-CV, 2024 WL 5249085 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Dec. 31, 2024, pet. denied) (mem. op.)
  • Kansas City S. Ry. Co. v. Sasol Chemicals (USA), L.L.C., 113 F.4th 446 (5th Cir. 2024)
  • Goesling v. Am. Airlines, Inc., No. 02-22-00338-CV, 2023 WL 7037650 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Oct. 26, 2023, pet. denied) (mem. op.)
  • In re Breviloba, LLC, No. 21-0541, 2022 WL 2282598 (Tex. June 24, 2022) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam)
  • Payne v. BNSF Railway Company, No. 02-21-00425-CV, 2022 WL 2753626 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth July 14, 2022, no pet.)    
  • Fisher v. BNSF Railway Company, No. 02-21-00369-CV, 2022 WL 2753398 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth July 14, 2022, no pet.)
  • RKI Expl. & Prod., LLC v. Ameriflow Energy Servs., LLC,  No. 02-20-00384-CV, 2022 WL 2252895 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth June 23, 2022, no pet.) (mem. op.)
  • Great W. Drilling, Ltd. v. Pathfinder Oil & Gas, Inc., No. 11-14-00206-CV, 2020 WL 373096 (Tex. App.—Eastland Jan. 23, 2020, pet. dism’d) (mem. op. on remand)
  • Malinski v. BNSF Ry. Co., 805 F. App’x 579 (10th Cir. 2020)
  • Stallion Oilfield Servs. Ltd. v. Gravity Oilfield Servs., LLC, 592 S.W.3d 205 (Tex. App.—Eastland 2019, pet. denied)
  • CLC Roofing, Inc. v. Helzer, 594 S.W.3d 414 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2019, no pet.
  • Pathfinder Oil & Gas, Inc. v. Great W. Drilling, Ltd., 574 S.W.3d 882 (Tex. 2019) 
  • BNSF Ry. Co. v. Baca, No. 02-17-00168-CV, 2018 WL 1528573 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth March 29, 2018, no pet.)(mem. op.)
  • BNSF Ry Co. v. Epple, No. 07-15-00355-CV, 2016 WL 7010581 (Tex. App.—Amarillo June 2, 2017, pet. denied)
  • BNSF Ry. Co v. Phillips, 485 S.W.3d 908 (Tex. 2015)
  • Sinclair v. Estate of Ramirez, No. 10-14-00157-CV, 2015 WL 3534156 (Tex. App. Waco—June 4, 2015, no pet.) (mem. op.)
  • BNSF Railway Co. v. Wipff, 408 S.W.3d 662 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2013, no pet.)
  • Mitchell v. Ballard, 420 S.W.3d 122 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2012, no pet.)
  • In re Woo Young Med. Co., No 02-12-00263-CV, 2012 WL 30262769 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth July 27, 2012, orig. proceeding [mand. denied]) (mem. op.)
  • Parks v. AT&T Mobility, LLC, et al., No. Civ-09-202-D, 2012 WL 4382194 (W.D. Okla. Sept. 25, 2012), reconsideration denied, 2013 WL 952214 (W.D. Okla. Mar. 11, 2013)
  • IASIS Healthcare Corp. v. Apollo Physicians of Tex., P.A., No. 13-10-00173-CV, 2011 WL 4998644 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi Oct. 20, 2011, no pet.)
  • Martin v. Martin, No. 02-08-490-CV, 2010 WL 2331448 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2010, pet. denied)
  • French v. Law Offices of Windle Turley, P.C., No. 02-08-273-CV, 2010 WL 744794 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth March 4, 2010, no pet.)
  • Winegar v. Martin, 304 S.W.3d 661 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2010, no pet.)
  • In Rosenbaum, Adversary No. 09-4023, 2010 WL 1856344 (Bankr E.D. Tex. May 7, 2010), aff’d, 2011 WL 4553440 (ED. TX Sept. 29, 2011)
  • Defended client in a jury trial seeking to foreclose an aircraft lien
  • Obtained a $1.3 million award in a securities arbitration proceeding
  • Obtained $740,000 summary judgment for client in breach-of-contract case
  • Represented local university in a property tax dispute with Appraisal District; case settled with no tax liability to client
  • Successfully represented local non-profit in administrative appeal of tax dispute
  • Overturned $13 million summary judgment against client
  • Successfully obtained dismissal of all grievance charges against Texas attorney after evidentiary hearing and obtained affirmance by Texas Board of Disciplinary Appeals
AFFILIATIONS
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Tarrant County Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court, Member
  • State Bar of Texas Appellate Section Council, 2021-2025
  • Reading Partners North Texas, Board, 2022-2025
  • TCU AddRan College of Liberal Arts Board of Visitors
    • Board of Directors, 2025-2028
  • Tarrant County Bar Association, Member
    • Appellate Section, Chair, 2016-2017
  • Board of Directors for Community Hospice of Texas, Member
  • The Appellate Advocate, State Bar of Texas Appellate Section
    • Managing Editor, 2017-2018
  • Leadership ISD’s Tarrant County Civic Voices, Fellow, 2017-2018
HONORS
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Best Lawyers®, 2024-2026
  • Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2022-2025
  • Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, 2013-2020, 2022-2025
  • Top Attorney, 360 West magazine, 2017-2025
  • Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters, 2013-2020
  • Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters, 2019-2020
EDUCATION
  • University of Houston Law Center, J.D., magna cum laude, 2005
    • Order of the Barons
  • Texas Christian University, B.A., cum laude, 2001
ADMISSIONS
  • State Bar of Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

Jody S. Sanders

Partner

jody.sanders@kellyhart.com
P: (817) 878-3523
F: (817) 878-9280

V-Card

Licenses

  • State Bar of Texas

Practice Areas

Mr. Sanders Co-Hosts the Texas Appellate Law Podcast