Dallas Judicial Appeals Save $223 MM / Year
The last ditch to protest Dallas County property taxes is post-administrative appeals, which are lawsuits against the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD). 3510 judicial appeals were launched against DCAD in 2024, resulting in $223.05 million coming back to Dallas County taxpayers. Whether it is binding arbitration, SOAH, or judicial lawsuits, you need a good firm behind you. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ and get the support you need to take your lawsuit to DCAD. O’Connor supplies attorneys, witnesses, and the other experts needed to win your case, and you pay nothing unless you win. No legal fees, filing fees, or attorney fees. 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 | 145 | 143 | 218 | 276 | 334 | 400 | 515 | 508 | 509 | 801 | 1393 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas has one of the best systems for appeals for property owners.
Dallas County Protests after ARB Hearing
Informal and formal tax protests are known as administrative appeals and are typically the way to resolve issues with the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD). However, if an informal appeal and an ARB hearing are insufficient, then the only option are administrative protests. These are various types of lawsuits against DCAD and represent going nuclear on DCAD.
Post-administrative appeals are a complex affair, requiring resources, experience, and a skilled team of attorneys and witnesses. Thankfully, O’Connor is here to help. Besides being one of the biggest property tax consulting firms in America, O’Connor is also in possession of an elite squad of attorneys. Post-administrative appeals can be coordinated by O’Connor, where attorneys and expert witnesses are assembled. You pay no legal fees, no witness fees, and will only pay out of your tax savings if you win.
DCAD Binding Arbitration Cases
For Dallas County properties under $5 million in value, binding arbitration is usually the post-administrative appeal of choice. Unequal appraisal arguments are usually not seen as relevant, but disputing the actual market value of a residence is seen as fair game. The taxpayer must put up a deposit in order to begin binding arbitration, which they will reclaim if victorious, and will lose if not. 1393 cases went to binding arbitration 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 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH)
The State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) is the rarest type of property tax protest there is. Years can go by in a county before one is even seen, and if there are any SOAH cases, they are just a handful. Dallas County has seen one SOAH case since 2019, with a total of 19 in the last decade. To qualify for this rare event, a property must be a home at least $1 million in value.
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 | 1,182.00 | 1,355.00 | 1,608.00 | 1,437.00 | 1,938.00 | 1,826.00 | 2,162.00 | 2,027.00 | 2,643.00 | 3,131.00 | 3,501.00 | |
DCAD Judicial Appeals
The most common and well documented of post-administrative appeals are called judicial appeals. These lawsuits against DCAD are based around gargantuan properties, such as large businesses or apartment buildings. Anything less is not considered worth it due to the complexity and high cost that must be used to take every judicial appeal forward. In rare instances, a high-dollar residence may be the subject of a judicial appeal.
3501 judicial lawsuits were contested in Dallas County in 2024, a new record. As the county’s property value is so tied to commercial appeals, this number is expected to keep growing, as it has for a decade. In 2014, only 1,182 judicial appeals were filed, meaning 196.19% more judicial appeals were filed in 2024. Thanks to the value of each judicial appeal, every one of these filings represents major tax savings.