The Texas Business Court opened for cases on September 1, 2024, and logged 185 filings in its first fiscal year. By April 30, 2026, its cumulative filings had reached 409. But “statewide” describes the court’s geographic reach under its eleven-division framework—not eleven divisions already operating: the latest official report counted five active divisions.
How the court got off to a fast start
Established by H.B. 19, the Business Court began receiving cases on September 1, 2024. Its first annual reporting period, fiscal year 2025, ran from September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2025. The court’s annual report counted 185 filings during that period, including original petitions and cases removed from state district courts. The Texas Legislature’s 2025 H.B. 40 analysis separately said that in its first six months the court had handled more than 80 cases, spanning a range of civil business matters.
The court is a specialized trial court, not a general-purpose forum for every business disagreement. Its jurisdiction is limited to categories of civil business disputes specified in Texas Government Code Chapter 25A. The court’s annual report said most first-year actions involved the energy, real estate, technology, or financial industries.
What the filing totals show—and when they were counted
| Measure | Count | Reporting period or cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| Filings in first full fiscal year | 185 | FY2025: September 1, 2024–August 31, 2025 |
| Cumulative filings since launch | 409 | Through April 30, 2026 |
| Cases active and pending | 221 | On April 30, 2026 |
| Average monthly filings | 16 | FY2025 |
| Average monthly filings | 27 | FY2026 through April 2026 |
The April 2026 Mid-Year Report compared the monthly averages for FY2025 and FY2026 through April. The latter figure is a partial-year rate through that report’s cutoff, not a forecast or a full-year FY2026 total. The reports use different time windows: the 185 figure is a first-year total, while 409 is cumulative through April 2026.
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The mid-year report also recorded 82 written opinions through April 2026, along with more than 2,200 orders and more than 700 hearings and conferences during the report’s period. Those measures describe judicial activity, not additional case filings.
Which kinds of disputes appeared most often
The FY2025 annual report grouped filings by pleaded jurisdictional basis. Corporate-governance jurisdiction was invoked in 145 filings, qualified-transaction jurisdiction in 75, and specified statutory or regulatory jurisdiction in 10. Those categories overlap: one filing can invoke more than one basis, so the figures should not be added as if they represent separate cases.
The April 2026 report also warned that its case-type percentages count suits with multiple pleaded jurisdictional bases more than once. A category’s share therefore is not necessarily the share of unique cases, and a change in category counts does not by itself establish a shift in the court’s overall caseload.
Is the Texas Business Court statewide yet?
Yes, in the sense that it is a statewide specialized trial court with a geographic framework of eleven divisions. No, if “statewide” means all eleven divisions are already open and operating. The court’s April 2026 Mid-Year Report identified five operating divisions, and the Texas Judicial Branch’s current court pages list locations in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Houston.
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The distinction matters: the number of divisions in the geographic framework is not the same as the number currently operational. The Texas Judicial Branch describes it this way: “The Texas Business Court is a statewide, specialized trial court created to resolve certain complex business disputes.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the 2025 expansion push changed
H.B. 40 revised the Business Court’s jurisdiction and made provisions for appointments to the remaining six divisions, as well as additional judges for the First and Eleventh divisions. Its legislative analysis connected the revisions to early operating experience, including jurisdictional, procedural, and operational refinements. That legislative plan did not mean all eleven divisions were already functioning: the later April 2026 court report still counted five operational divisions.
For the current jurisdictional categories and reporting requirements, consult the operative text of Texas Government Code Chapter 25A. The statute requires annual reporting on caseload, assignments among divisions, projections, and recommendations; jurisdiction details can change through amendments, so older summaries should not be treated as current law without checking the text.
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Official reports and court information
- Business Court of Texas FY2025 annual report
- Business Court of Texas Mid-Year Report through April 2026
- Texas Senate Research Center analysis of H.B. 40
- Texas Judicial Branch Business Court page
- Texas Judicial Branch About the Business Court page
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