Hays Judicial Appeals Save $3 MM / Year
Post-administrative appeals are the last resort for taxpayers in Hays County that want to reduce their property values and taxes. Binding arbitration handles single family homes, State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) deals with expensive residential properties, and the costliest real estate is decided by judicial appeals. No matter the name or type, these lawsuits against the Hays County Central Appraisal District require excellent legal representation to achieve a taxpayer’s goals. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and get set for your entire property tax protest journey. O’Connor will build your legal team for you, while you will never pay a single legal fee. In fact, you will only pay if your lawsuit is successful. 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 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 15 | 52 | 53 | 61 | 113 | 121 | 106 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas has one of the best systems for appeals for property owners.
Hays CAD Protests after ARB Hearing
Post-administrative protests are the final option a Texas taxpayer has to lower their taxes. If informal appeals and formal hearings are not enough to get an acceptable settlement, then the only option is a lawsuit against the Hays County Central Appraisal District (Hays CAD). Join with O’Connor and let them handle your post-administrative appeal for you. From hiring lawyers to expert witnesses, O’Connor will take care of everything. As one of the largest property tax consulting companies in America, O’Connor has the people and experience you can trust.
Hays CAD Binding Arbitration Cases
Binding arbitration is the simplest of the post-administrative appeals, as it is focused exclusively on single family homes. As long as a home is below $5 million in value, it can be disputed through binding arbitration, though a homestead property removes this limitation. The appellant must put up a bond, which they will get back if they win or turn over if they lose. There were 106 binding arbitration cases in 2024.
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 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
Hays CAD State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH)
Both the newest and rarest of post-administrative lawsuits, the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) has a very narrow scope. Meant to sit between binding arbitration and judicial appeals, SOAH cases are solely for single family homes that are worth $1 million or more. Because of their specific nature, these cases are rarely held, and many counties will never see one. The county has only had three SOAH cases in the past decade.
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 | 5.00 | 11.00 | 14.00 | 28.00 | 42.00 | 104.00 | 88.00 | 81.00 | 296.00 | 363.00 | 511.00 | |
Hays CAD Judicial Lawsuits
Judicial appeals are the most notorious of all post-administrative appeals and are used for the most high dollar of properties. The two most common property types disputed in these cases are commercial properties and industrial facilities. These lawsuits against Hays CAD are always for properties that are valued in the millions of dollars. The cost and complexity of pursuing a judicial appeal limit it to only the most expensive properties.
511judicial appeals were filed in 2024, the most yet seen in the county. It makes sense that there were more of these lawsuits in 2024 than any other time, as administrative protests are currently waning from previous highs. This means that more owners of high-value real estate must risk taking things to court. As homes become more valuable, it is likely that more of these district lawsuits will be seen in the near future, especially as the appraisal district tightens its grasp.