Dhillon Law Group Secures Texas Appellate Dismissal in Wallace Dunn Defamation Case
Texas Appellate Court Rejects Coday and OGWA Appeal, Upholding TCPA Dismissal in Wallace Dunn Defamation Case
ECTOR COUNTY, Texas —The Dhillon Law Group announced another decisive win for Wallace Dunn after the Eleventh Court of Appeals of Texas dismissed an appeal brought by Matthew Coday and Oil and Gas Workers Association, Inc., leaving in place the trial court’s dismissal of their defamation-related claims under the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA) on January 22, 2026.
The appellate court dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction, confirming that the trial court’s TCPA dismissal orders are not subject to interlocutory appeal. The Court determined that Coday and OGWA had no right to appeal.
“This was a straightforward application of the law,” said Karin Sweigart of The Dhillon Law Group. “The Texas Citizens Participation Act is meant to end cases early when claims target protected speech. Once those claims are dismissed, parties cannot keep the litigation alive through appeals the courts have no authority to hear.”
“The Texas Citizens Participation Act worked exactly as intended here,” Sweigart added.
The case began when Dunn filed a defamation lawsuit against Coday and his organization, the Oil and Gas Workers Association. Coday responded with counterclaims and later added third-party claims alleging defamation, retaliation, and related causes of action. The trial court dismissed those claims under the TCPA, finding they targeted protected speech and failed to meet the statute’s evidentiary requirements.
Rather than accept that ruling, Coday and OGWA attempted to appeal despite the absence of a final judgment and the clear limits on appellate jurisdiction. The Eleventh Court of Appeals rejected the attempt and dismissed the appeal in its entirety.
Dunn’s defamation suit against Coday and OGWA continues. Coday and OGWA are currently facing a motion to compel discovery production after they failed to produce any documents in response to discovery requests.
The Dhillon Law Group represents clients nationwide in defamation, First Amendment, and anti-SLAPP matters, including trial and appellate litigation involving the Texas Citizens Participation Act and similar statutes.