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Austin Jury Finds Former Executives Misappropriated ES3 Minerals Trade Secrets, Awards More than $49 Million in Damages
The jury awarded over $40 million for ES3's trade-secret system plus $9 million in exemplary damages after former executives formed a competing firm using stolen information.
- On March 13, 2026, a 12-person jury in Austin returned a unanimous verdict awarding ES3 Minerals, LLC a trade-secret victory in Texas Business Court.
- Jurors found Nicholas "Nick" Kreines, David Ryan and Jettie Rangel secretly took ES3's confidential systems to create Liberty Mineral Partners.
- A jury valuation found ES3's integrated trade-secret system worth more than $40 million and awarded $9 million in exemplary damages, citing breach of fiduciary duty, intentional interference, and fraudulent transfers.
- The case now moves into the post-trial phase for final judgment and potential injunctive relief, as Trey Stanton emphasized defending ES3's systems and principles, said Trey Stanton.
- ES3 Minerals, LLC combines traditional land expertise with modern technology to help mineral owners across key U.S. energy basins and protect proprietary mineral-acquisition systems and technology.
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28 Articles
Austin jury finds former executives misappropriated ES3 Minerals trade secrets, awards more than $49 million in damages
Unanimous verdict in Texas Business Court case concludes two-week trial over allegations that former senior executives used stolen proprietary systems to launch a competing mineral brokerage
ES3 Minerals Wins $50M+ Jury Verdict in Texas Business Court
A jury in the Third Division of the new Texas Business Court in Austin late Tuesday returned a verdict of at least $50 million in favor of ES3 Minerals, and in support of its claim that several former employees conspired to steal proprietary information and software to start their own competing businesses. The post ES3 Minerals Wins $50M+ Jury Verdict in Texas Business Court appeared first on The Texas Lawbook.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources28
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution86% Center
Bias Distribution
- 86% of the sources are Center
86% Center
C 86%
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