Travis County Lawsuits Produce Property Tax Savings Over $6.90 billion in 2024
If you wish to protect your commercial property, multi family home, or even your family homestead from aggressive taxation, then the last option you have is the judicial appeal. Lawsuits to the district courts that are launched against the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD), these protests contested property worth $86.71 billion in 2024. $144.89 million in tax reductions were handed out thanks to these lawsuits in the same timeframe. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and get the help you need to pursue your lawsuit in 2025 and beyond. No upfront fees, hidden fees, or court fees. O’Connor will even field your legal team and find expert witnesses. You only pay from your tax savings if we win. Enroll, relax, and save.
Number Appealed to Binding ArbitrationSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Appeals | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Number Determinations appealed | 61 | 118 | 204 | 235 | 417 | 420 | 423 | 558 | 682 | 806 | 849 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas has one of the best systems for appeals for property owners.
TCAD Judicial Appeals of ARB Hearing
If informal hearings and ARB appeals do not yield proper results, then the last alternative left for a Travis County taxpayer is judicial appeal. Meant for high-value properties like commercial facilities or multi family homes, these protests are lawsuits against the Travis Central Appraisal District(TCAD) that goes to a district court. While there was a lot of pressure on property tax protesters earlier in the protest process, this is where an expert team is needed.
O’Connor is well-equipped to be your partner and guide in your lawsuit. One of the largest property tax consulting firms in the country, O’Connor has the expertise and personnel needed to get you the best outcome out of your lawsuit. Judicial appeals can be coordinated by O’Connor, where they will assemble and pay attorneys, recruit expert witnesses, and pay all court fees. You only pay if O’Connor wins, and only out of your tax savings.
Appealed to State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH)Source: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Appeals | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Appealed to SOAH | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 12 | |
TCAD Judicial Appeals Filed by Property Type
These appeals are typically the purview of commercial property protests, as the costs involved make other properties undervalued for the process. Of the 2525 judicial appeals in 2024, 1141 of them were Commercial properties, translating to 45.19% of the whole. Single family homes have become a bigger part of judicial appeals in the last few years, thanks to rising prices in Travis County for larger homes. 464 homes in 2024 went to district court, and with a higher reliance on ARB hearings, this number should increase in the next decade.
Judicial AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Appeals | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Judicial Appeals | 653.00 | 558.00 | 703.00 | 894.00 | 1,228.00 | 1,504.00 | 1,654.00 | 1,654.00 | 1,747.00 | 2,458.00 | 2,525.00 | |
TCAD Value Involved in Lawsuits
Cases that make it all the way to judicial review always involve millions or billions of dollars, and this is even more true for the smoldering hot Travis County property market. In 2024, $74.44 billion in property value was at stake in district court. 97.13% of that value was in commercial or multi family properties. Single family homes did make a relatively respectable showing of $2.17 billion in value.