Donald Cheatham

Law Offices of Donald Cheatham

San Antonio, Texas 78006

713-335-8945


Civil Rights, Commercial, Contract, Divorce, Employment, Family, Legal Malpractice, Negligence, Personal Injury, Transportation


Advise and consult on transportation issues with various clients, including communities, suppliers and operators of short-line   railroads and transit authorities.

Currently handling the following type of cases: Appeals of Civil and Criminal  Cases.

Bankruptcy:    Chapters    7,   11,    12    and    13,    including adversary proceedings.

Civil Rights.

Consumer law: “lemon law”, as well as, deceptive trade practices.

Contract disputes: real estate, insurance and business  law.

Employment law: discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation.

Equity: Corporations, Partnerships, Estates, Trade Associations, as well as, Temporary Restraining Orders and Injunctions. Breach of fiduciary duties.

Family law: Separation and Divorce, Child and Spousal Abuse, Family Violence, Child Custody and Visitation, Adoption, Pre and Post Marital Agreements, Property Division and Partition, Equitable Distribution, Parental Rights Defense, Interim and Final  Spousal  Support,  Child Support and Related Enforcement, as well as, Attorneys Fees and Litigation Issues. I always encourage people in these unhappiest of life’s circumstances and moments to attempt to resolve these issues without litigation, as I hope to assist in minimizing disruption, as well as, litigation expenses, attorney’s fees and costs, on all sides.

Insurance: Disputes with Carriers, Reservation of Rights. Personal injury: Negligence and Gross Negligence.

Professional Employment: In house and Outside Legal Counsel, Professional Consulting Issues.

Professional Malpractice: Legal, Real Estate Broker, Insurance Broker, Home Builder and Improvements, Accountant Malpractice. Have acted as an expert witness in legal malpractice matters.

Transportation: Federal and State Safety and Licensing Regulations,1 Workplace and Facility  Safety  Plans, Surface Transportation Board, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Railroad Retirement Board, Railroad Crossing Disputes, Safety Issues, Right of Way and Real Property Issues, On the Job Injuries, Federal Employee Liability Act, Automobile and Train Related Accidents, Interurban and Public  Transportation, Railroad Business Development, Planning, Equipment Leasing and Failure, Obtaining, as  well  as, Contracting for Governmental Grants and Contracts, as well as, All Related Contracts and Leases.

Education:

University of Houston Law School Houston, Texas

Juris Doctorate, 1974

University of Texas Austin, Texas

Bachelor of Arts -- Classics, English, History, 1970

University of The Americas Puebla, Mexico

Summer of 1965

Columbia University New York, New York Summer of 1964

Liberal Arts College Night School

Georgetown Preparatory School Garret  Park, Maryland

High School Diploma, 1964


Professional Affiliations and Memberships:

-- State  Bar  of  Texas  2001  through  Present

--    Virginia State Bar 1974 through Present

--   District of Columbia Bar 1974 through Present

-- United States District Courts: Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia (1974 through Present); Districts of Columbia (1975 through Present); Western District of Texas (2001 through Present); Southern District of Texas (2002 through Present); Northern District of Texas (2003 through Present); and United States Bankruptcy Courts for two Virginia Districts and District of Columbia, as well as, Western District of Texas and Southern District of Texas. Admitted Pro Hac Vice multiple times in Maryland in District and Bankruptcy Courts, as well as, the Southern District of New York and  the Central  District  of California.

-- United States Courts of Appeal: Circuit for The District of Columbia (1975 through Present); Fourth Circuit (1975 through Present); and Fifth Circuit (2001 through Present); and, have been admitted Pro Hac Vice, Second, Eleventh and Ninth Circuits.

-- State Appellate Courts: Have been involved in appeals in the following Courts: Virginia Supreme Court; District of Columbia Court of Appeals; Virginia Court of Appeals; Supreme Court of Texas; and, Texas Court of Appeals --  First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and  Fourteenth.

-- American Bar Association: 1974 through Present.

-- Alexandria Bar: 1974 through 1990.

-- Fairfax County Bar: 1974 through 1990.

-- Austin-Travis County Bar: 2001 thorough 2011.

-- Houston Bar Association 2011 through present.

-- American Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

-- American Trial Lawyers Association.

-- American Judicature Society.

-- The Ripon Society.

-- The Federalist Society.

-- The American Civil Liberties Union.

-- National Rifle Association.

--  American  Shortline  and  Regional  Railroad  Association.

-- Alexandria Virginia Chamber of Commerce - Political Action Committee 1974 through 1990.

-- Nashville Tennessee Chamber of Commerce: 1990  through 2001.

-- Austin Texas Chamber of Commerce – Transportation   Committee  1996-1999.

-- Austin Steam Train Association, Former Director and Executive Committee Member.

-- March of Dimes - Alexandria, Virginia - Past Chairman.

-- Austin Rotary Club, past Officer—Vice President, Member of Board of Directors.

--  University  of  Houston  –  “Editor  of  the  Advance  Sheet”.

--  University of Texas  Law School -- Judge for Moot Court.

Competition, Appellate Practice Court Competition -- 2005 through Present.

-- TEXAS EXES, Life Member, University of Texas Alumni.

-- U.S. Registry, Who's Who, 1995.

7500 San Felipe Road, Suite 600
Houston, TX 77063

P: 713-335-8945
F: 713-335-8946
E: [email protected]