Travis County Property Tax Lawsuits Save Taxpayers $145 Million
1907 successful lawsuits were filed against the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) in 2024, bringing $144.89 million in tax savings back to residents of Austin and the surrounding areas. $6.90 billion in appraised value was likewise reduced by these judicial appeals. Approximately 90% of the lawsuits concluded in a settlement instead of proceeding to trial. Enroll in O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and prepare for your property tax protest and possible legal action. No hidden or upfront fees, and you only pay from your reduced taxes if you win. Enroll, relax, and save.
How the Judicial Appeals Were ResolvedSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Judicial Appeals | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Number of Judicial Appeals Resolved | 195.00 | 193.00 | 650.00 | 754.00 | 647.00 | 782.00 | 852.00 | 912.00 | 954.00 | 1,974.00 | 1,907.00 |
| By Agreed Judgment | 178.00 | 189.00 | 649.00 | 676.00 | 588.00 | 731.00 | 822.00 | 882.00 | 909.00 | 1,626.00 | 1,709.00 |
| By Court Judgment or Other | 17.00 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 78.00 | 59.00 | 51.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | 45.00 | 348.00 | 198.00 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since An annual appeal is an insurance policy to avoid major increases.
TCAD Judicial Appeal Resolutions
Pursuing a lawsuit against the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD)(TCAD) can sound intimidating, but it is a necessary step to protect your most precious assets. Thankfully, you do not have to do this alone, as O’Connor is here to assist you. Judicial appeals can be coordinated by O’Connor, one of the largest property tax consulting firms in the United States. O’Connor has been fighting for the rights of Texas taxpayers for over 50 years and are experts when it comes to taxes across the state
TCAD Judicial Appeal Resolution Summary
Rather than thrilling courtroom battles, the vast majority of lawsuits are simply settled out of court. In 2024, 90% of all judicial appeals were settled without trial. 1,907 lawsuits were filed in 2024, with 1,709 settling. Property values have tripled in the past decade and are climbing at record rates. Many Travis County taxpayers reject what they consider to be substandard settlements and take them to trial to get the best possible judgement.
Appraised Value (ARB) of Resolved Judicial AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Appraised Value (ARB) | 0.83 | 7.05 | 12.69 | 22.71 | 20.98 | 27.31 | 31.28 | 31.28 | 51.81 | 75.57 | 86.71 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since To maintain their rights to appeal to or through the judicial appeal process. Owners must exhaust administrative options to pursue binding arbitration or a judicial appeal
Appraised Value of Resolved Judicial Appeals
Each district court lawsuit sees a fight over some of the most expensive properties in Texas, and the Austin area is the most dangerous battlefield. $86.71 billion in appraised property value was contested in 2024 actions. Considering there were only 1,907 cases, that translates into an average of $45.47 million for every appeal. $539.61 billion in appraised value was challenged across Texas in these lawsuits, meaning Travis County accounted for 16.07% of the total.
Value Reduction from Judicial AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Total Reduction from Judicial Appeals | 0.67 | 0.92 | 1.17 | 1.76 | 1.48 | 1.34 | 2.21 | 2.21 | 3.05 | 5.19 | 6.90 |
| Single Family | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.05 | 0.07 |
| Multi-Family | 0.16 | 0.17 | 0.18 | 0.35 | 0.43 | 0.39 | 0.43 | 0.43 | 0.97 | 1.89 | 2.50 |
| Commercial | 0.26 | 0.55 | 0.85 | 1.39 | 0.99 | 0.87 | 1.03 | 1.03 | 1.90 | 2.93 | 4.06 |
| All Other | 0.21 | 0.18 | 0.14 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.06 | 0.69 | 0.69 | 0.17 | 0.32 | 0.27 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is a responsibility of ownership. Large commercial owners generally appeal annually and obtain a reduction. Why should homeowners be excluded?
TCAD Value Reduction from Judicial Appeal
Travis County property tax protests are generally predicated on formal appeals to reduce appraised value and taxes, far more than any county in Texas. If the formal hearings are seen to be inadequate, then going to the judicial appeal process is the only way forward. This means that these lawsuits are key to Travis County reductions. In 2024, of the $6.90 billion in reductions, $4.06 billion was for commercial properties, while $2.50 billion was for multi family homes. Single family homes saw a value reduction of $70 million.
Tax Savings From Judicial AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Millions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Total Tax Reduction | 14.17 | 19.41 | 24.65 | 36.99 | 31.16 | 28.20 | 46.47 | 46.47 | 64.06 | 109.03 | 144.89 |
| Single Family | 0.82 | 0.47 | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.82 | 0.61 | 1.32 | 1.32 | 0.22 | 1.05 | 1.38 |
| Multi-Family | 3.43 | 3.58 | 3.73 | 7.29 | 9.08 | 8.16 | 8.99 | 8.99 | 20.40 | 39.73 | 52.55 |
| Commercial | 5.48 | 11.64 | 17.79 | 29.15 | 20.84 | 18.27 | 21.72 | 21.72 | 39.90 | 61.57 | 85.19 |
| All Other | 4.43 | 3.72 | 3.01 | 0.42 | 0.42 | 1.17 | 14.44 | 14.44 | 3.54 | 6.69 | 5.77 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since The appraisal district uses inaccurate data, factors and an inaccurate model to estimate values. Half are too high and half too low; very few are just right. Even if you are under-valued on market value, you can appeal on unequal appraisal.
TCAD Property Tax Reduction from Judicial Appeals
The combination of the Austin area’s bank-busting real estate prices and TCAD’s overzealous taxation has put taxpayers in a real bind, especially legacy owners that have owned their property for decades. Something that was once seen as a safe investment has now become unaffordable. These factors have led to TCAD being perhaps the most unfair of all Texas appraisal districts.
Thankfully, property owners are standing up for their constitutional right to protest their taxes. Judicial appeals produced a total of $144.89 million in savings in 2024. $85.15 million was saved for commercial properties, while multi family homes saved $52.55 million. Even single family homes saved $1.38 million.