Allen v. Blackledge

Appellants, Terry Van Allen, Denise Van Allen, Adam C. Albarado, Janet Albarado, Ian F. Brimble, Audrey S. Brimble, Raymond W. Buchanan, Patricia A. Buchanan, Higinia Cantu, Jr. Angela M. Cantu, Paul Davidson, Rhonda K. Davidson, David W. Dockens, Brenda J. Dockens, Robert L. Ellison, Judy L. Ellison, Kathryn F. Franklin, AnthonyHarrison, Gloria Jean Harrison, Winford Holcomb, Jr., Mary Anne Holcomb, PattiJ. Blair,Glenda G. Johnson, Todd A. Leach, Robin Leach, Mark Legge, Debra Lynn Legge, Wen F. Loh, Leng Log, Peter G. Long, Mark Magee, Laura D. Magee, Richard Maple, Amber R. Maple, Hilario Montalvo, Jr., Cheryl L. Montalvo, Mary D. Proudy, Ronnie Pruitt, Jennifer L. Pruitt, Gregory L. Purvis, Shari L. Purvis, Phillip Roddy, Linda D. Rosenbaum, Johnathan Stricklan, Lisa E. Stricklan, Trung Y. Tran, Le-Thu Thi Le Tran, Barbara Wells, Shane Wollam, and Summer L. Grieg, all plaintiffs below, appeal from a take-nothing judgment entered against them following a jury finding in favor of the defendants and appellees herein, Ben Blackledge, Robert B. Taylor, Kemah Oaks, Ltd., and Royce Homes, Incorporated. Appellants contend that the trial court committed reversible error by denying the plaintiffs motion for a mistrialfollowing voir dire. We conclude that, during voir dire, the defendants were improperly giventwice as many peremptory challenges as the plaintiffs. Because the plaintiffs were harmed by this inequitable allocation, we reverse and remand this case for a new trial.