Texas contractor celebrates legal victory as court affirms his right to jury trial

Texas City, Texas; September 4, 2026: A Texas contractor celebrated a legal victory yesterday after a federal court ruled that he was wrongfully denied a jury trial when the local government destroyed a house without notice. Michael Ramirez sued the City of Texas City over the demolition, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in his favor, ordering that a jury—not the government—must decide his compensation.

“We are pleased with this victory for our client,” said J. David Breemer, a senior attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation. “When the government takes your property without respect for your rights, the Constitution requires a jury of your peers to decide how much the government pays for your losses. Today’s ruling upholds that protection and strengthens Texans’ rights.”

Michael Ramirez filed a federal lawsuit to defend his due process rights after the City of Texas City demolished a house he owned—which it deemed “substandard” after it was damaged in a fire—without warning or an opportunity to appeal. At the time of demolition, the property was worth over $167,000 and contained an additional $15,000 in tools and construction materials. Although a Texas court agreed that the City had violated Ramirez’s right to due process, the court initially denied him a jury trial and issued a mere $1 for the loss of his property.

Represented at no cost by Pacific Legal Foundation, Ramirez appealed the lower court’s decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The court issued a ruling in his favor yesterday, finding that the lower court erred in denying him a jury trial and rejecting his claim to compensatory damages. The court then remanded the case to continue litigation.

The case is Michael Ramirez v. City of Texas City, Texas.