2 Tarrant County school districts sue AG Ken Paxton to block records release
The Keller and Grapevine-Colleyville school districts have each sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Travis County District Court, challenging open records rulings requiring the release of unredacted invoices from law firms representing the school boards.
In June 2022, Keller’s board of trustees hired attorney Tim Davis as its legal representation. Over the three years that followed, the school district paid more than $500,000 to Jackson Walker, the firm Davis works for, and Cantey Hanger, his previous firm, raising questions among taxpayers.
Davis and Jackson Walker also represent Grapevine-Colleyville’s school board.
After reporting that Keller had paid $172,000 to Jackson Walker between December 2024 and May 2025, the Star-Telegram requested the unredacted invoices for those charges as well as unredacted invoices for checks written to Cantey Hanger. Two other unnamed individuals, believed to be Keller district residents, also requested unredacted invoices. The Star-Telegram made an identical request for invoices submitted to Grapevine-Colleyville.
In Keller’s case, the public records office possessed the documents, but Jackson Walker attorney Ali Williams sought an attorney general’s ruling to block their release under statutes related to certain legal matters, payment method confidentiality and ongoing litigation.
After news broke in January that Keller trustees were considering splitting the school district in half, a Fort Worth resident sued the school board. Other residents joined that suit as intervenors, then moved forward with a separate suit in July.
The attorney general’s office, however, ruled in the Keller and Grapevine-Colleyville cases that the unredacted invoices were subject to release under the Texas Public Information Act, saying fee details are not protected by attorney-client privilege.
Davis declined to comment on the lawsuit against Paxton. Keller spokesman Bryce Nieman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In July, Grapevine-Colleyville, represented by Davis, sued Paxton to block the release of Jackson Walker invoices that were requested by Rachel Wall, a district parent.
This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 5:42 PM.