Brazoria Judicial Appeals Save $2.4 Million
Whether due to rejections at the lower level or lowball settlements, post-administrative appeals are the final arrow in the quiver of a taxpayer looking to save. With binding arbitration for homes, State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) for expensive residential properties, and judicial appeals for businesses, huge homes, and other property matters, these lawsuits are a versatile weapon for a taxpayer that can navigate the court system. This is not a step that can be done on your own, and you need legal help to even consider going for one of these options. Thankfully, you can join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ and get full representation on your lawsuit. O’Connor will build the legal team, hire expert witnesses, and more, with no cost to you. You will only pay if your lawsuit is won and your taxes are lowered. 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 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 21 | 29 | 216 | 402 | 559 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas has one of the best systems for appeals for property owners.
Brazoria County Appeals after ARB Hearing
When an important, prestigious, or high-dollar property has gone through the property tax appeal process and has either been rejected for a settlement, or given an inadequate one, then the only option to make things right is a post-administrative appeal. These are various types of lawsuits that are filed against the Brazoria County Appraisal District (Brazoria CAD). While complex and relatively rare, many business owners are turning to post-administrative appeals to lock in the true value of their property.
No matter what type of lawsuit you are looking at, it takes a full legal team, witnesses, and other experts to achieve your goals. We at O’Connor are one of the largest property tax firms in the United States and can run your lawsuit for you. We will provide the attorneys, expert witnesses, and more, ensuring that you have the best team, evidence, and backing when it comes to landing the perfect tax reduction.
Brazoria CAD Binding Arbitration Cases
Binding arbitration is typically used exclusively for single family homes. These must be under $5 million, but this value cap is eliminated if the property is a homestead. Binding arbitration is relatively simple for a lawsuit. The evidence of the taxpayer and Brazoria CAD is taken before an expert, who then rules on which side was correct. The plaintiff is required to post a small fee, which Brazoria CAD pays if the arbitration sides with the taxpayer. Otherwise, the arbitrator will keep the fee. 16 cases applied for binding arbitration in 2023, which was lower than the previous few years.
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 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Brazoria CAD State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH)
State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) are the odd ducks of the post-administrative appeal class. Only around a decade old, these lawsuits are incredibly rare and are focused exclusively on residential properties worth over $1 million. Only a few dozen of these cases are held across Texas, with most counties never seeing one. Brazoria County has yet to try a single case, but with rising home costs, one is sure to occur soon.
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 | 29.00 | 27.00 | 19.00 | 19.00 | 19.00 | 20.00 | 153.00 | 163.00 | 173.00 | 446.00 | 421.00 | |
Brazoria County Judicial Appeals
Judicial appeals are the closest to a traditional lawsuit. These see the legal team of the taxpayer and the legal representation of Brazoria CAD duke it out in district court. It functions similar to any other civil suit, requiring an attorney, witnesses, and more. Generally focused on businesses and expensive homes, these appeals are also the most common out of all post-administrative protests.
There were 83 judicial appeals filed in 2023 for Brazoria County, the most seen so far in the county. This is usually for massive industrial, oil, and utility properties, but a few large homes are mixed in as well. One good thing about judicial appeals is that they are usually settled before going to court. This means that most taxpayers that can get this far in the journey will see a victory without ever going inside a courtroom. This makes organizing and affording a judicial appeal a bigger issue than the court case itself.
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