⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The Fifth Circuit hears Quadvest versus San Jacinto River Authority. To comply with groundwater limits in Montgomery County, Texas, the Authority signed contracts with about eighty utilities. Quadvest says the contracts unlawfully equalized water costs and allocated customers; the Authority says they financed a lawful shift to surface water. Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Law represents Quadvest and will argue that the agreements are horizontal price fixing and market allocation. Constance Pfeiffer and Luke Schamel of Yetter Coleman represent the Authority and will argue that Quadvest suffered no antitrust injury and that the contracts are vertical and lawful. After this argument, the Fifth Circuit affirmed. It held that the contract was vertical, not price fixing or market allocation, and that Quadvest failed to define the relevant market for its rule-of-reason claim.

Quadvest v. San Jacinto River Authority (No. 25-20415) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, argued August 5, 2026.