Lawsuits Against GCAD Saved Over $36 Million in 2023
In an astounding twist, Galveston County taxpayers saved more money with judicial appeals than they did informal protests. With fierce competition for every scrap of limited land, property values keep going up, forcing taxpayers into more extreme measures every year. While complex, costly, and time-consuming, these lawsuits forced the Galveston County Central Appraisal District (GCAD) to settle out of court over 83% of the time. This means that any well-prepared taxpayer stands to benefit significantly, if they have the patience to see it through the end. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and get the best help available in your lawsuit against GCAD. O’Connor will create and run your team for you for free, allowing you to relax. Enroll, relax, and save.
How the Judicial Appeals Were ResolvedSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Judicial Appeals | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Number of Judicial Appeals Resolved | 14.00 | 13.00 | 22.00 | 29.00 | 30.00 | 407.00 | 297.00 | 307.00 | 316.00 | 332.00 | 397.00 |
| By Agreed Judgment | 11.00 | 9.00 | 17.00 | 24.00 | 23.00 | 330.00 | 238.00 | 254.00 | 270.00 | 273.00 | 362.00 |
| By Court Judgment or Other | 3.00 | 4.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 7.00 | 77.00 | 59.00 | 53.00 | 46.00 | 59.00 | 35.00 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since An annual appeal is an insurance policy to avoid major increases.
Galveston County Judicial Appeal Resolutions
While most counties get some use out of judicial appeals, Galveston has truly made them a lynchpin of the whole protest process. This is thanks to the relatively small number of commercial properties and elite homes available, meaning it is usually worth it to fight tooth-and-nail for the most accurate property tax bill possible. O’Connor is here to help you navigate this complex situation and can run your judicial appeal for you, pay the lawyers, experts, and other costs. As one of the the largest property tax firms in the nation, O’Connor can field the best legal experts available to help you overcome the Galveston County Central Appraisal District (GCAD) in court.
GCAD Judicial Appeal Resolution Summary
There were 332 judicial appeals resolved in Galveston County in 2023, the second-most ever seen, being only surpassed by 407 in 2019. These lawsuits used to be quite rare, but after 2019, they exploded onto the scene in a truly historic jump. 273 of these cases were settled out of court in favor of the taxpayer, while 59 more were decided through actual court proceedings. The number of settlements was likewise the highest seen since 2019. That means that over 82% of all lawsuits were settled before court could ever meet, handing massive savings to the plaintiff.
Appraised Value (ARB) of Resolved Judicial AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Appraised Value (ARB) | 0.03 | 1.22 | 1.08 | 0.88 | 0.67 | 1.33 | 1.99 | 3.77 | 7.80 | 3.72 | 2.38 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since To maintain their rights to appeal to or through the judicial appeal process. Owners must exhaust administrative options to pursue binding arbitration or a judicial appeal
Appraised Value of Resolved Judicial Appeals
Though they are usually few in number, the amount of money and value disputed by every appeal is immense. In 2023, $3.72 billion in value was disputed in the courts, the third-most seen in the county’s history. This was a step down from $7.8 billion in 2022, but that was a record year. These lawsuits can be a hard thing to track, as they can take years to shake out, meaning they can swing wildly from year-to-year. When divided up, the entire docket translates into around $11.20 million for every appeal.
Value Reduction from Judicial AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Total Reduction from Judicial Appeals | 0.18 | 0.16 | 0.42 | 0.68 | 0.71 | 0.74 | 1.41 | 2.81 | 2.45 | 1.85 | 2.13 |
| Single Family | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 |
| Multi-Family | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.06 | 0.12 | 0.24 | 0.47 | 0.18 | 0.25 | 0.29 |
| Commercial | 0.03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.12 | 0.23 | 0.44 | 0.89 | 0.35 | 0.48 | 0.54 |
| All Other | 0.14 | 0.15 | 0.41 | 0.67 | 0.53 | 0.38 | 0.71 | 1.41 | 1.90 | 1.10 | 1.28 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is a responsibility of ownership. Large commercial owners generally appeal annually and obtain a reduction. Why should homeowners be excluded?
Galveston County Taxpayer Value Reduction from Judicial Appeals
Not only have judicial appeals become more common in the past few years, but they have also become more efficient. In 2023, $1.85 billion in taxable value was reduced, around half of what was originally disputed. $2.81 billion was reduced in 2021, while $2.45 billion was taken off the books in 2022. Commercial properties and apartments saw moderate upswings from 2022, while industrial and oil and gas properties slipped, going from $1.9 billion in 2022 to $1.1 billion in 2023.
Tax Savings From Judicial AppealsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Millions of $ | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Total Tax Reduction | 3.87 | 3.26 | 8.75 | 14.24 | 14.90 | 15.57 | 29.61 | 59.06 | 51.35 | 38.90 | 44.73 |
| Single Family | 0.24 | 0 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.14 | 0.27 | 0.48 | 0.87 | 0.38 | 0.50 | 0.56 |
| Multi-Family | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.24 | 2.48 | 4.95 | 9.90 | 3.86 | 5.30 | 6.00 |
| Commercial | 0.61 | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.09 | 2.42 | 4.75 | 9.33 | 18.66 | 7.31 | 10.01 | 11.33 |
| All Other | 2.97 | 3.22 | 8.67 | 14.13 | 11.10 | 8.08 | 14.84 | 29.64 | 39.80 | 23.09 | 26.84 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since The appraisal district uses inaccurate data, factors and an inaccurate model to estimate values. Half are too high and half too low; very few are just right. Even if you are under-valued on market value, you can appeal on unequal appraisal.
GCAD Property Tax Reduction from Judicial Appeals
After all was said and done, judicial appeals were able to hand Galveston taxpayers a huge windfall of $38.9 million in tax savings for 2023. This made them more valuable than informal appeals, which cut taxes by $36.37 million. This is a true rarity in Texas and shows just how dedicated taxpayers were to bringing justice to GCAD. This total sum was also the third-highest reduction in the county’s history when it comes to lawsuits. 2021 saw $59.96 million, while 2022 saw $51.36 million.
While down, oil and gas were still the leaders with $23.09 million. Commercial appeals were in the No. 2 slot with $10.01 million, while apartments accounted for $5.3 million. These were both significantly higher than in 2022. Single family homes scored a savings of $500,000, the best since 2021. As the demand for homes continues to skyrocket, residences are sure to find more of a spot on the judicial appeal roster.