Fort Worth Business Fraud Lawyers for Private and Mid-Sized Companies

Fraud litigation involves serious allegations that can jeopardize reputations, disrupt operations, and result in significant financial loss. From misrepresentation in business deals to complex schemes involving wire fraud or corporate misconduct, these cases often require swift, strategic legal action. Whether you’re the victim of deceptive practices or accused of wrongdoing, the stakes are high, and so is the need for experienced counsel.

Roquemore Skierski’s Dallas-based fraud litigation lawyers represent business owners, executives, and professionals across Texas in high-stakes fraud matters. Our clients face challenges involving corporate fraud, financial deception, investment scams, and fraudulent communications, and they rely on us to cut through complexity, protect their interests, and pursue real results.

When we take on a fraud case, we bring clarity, urgency, and a litigation strategy tailored to the facts. Whether you’re navigating claims of misrepresentation or investigating internal misconduct, we work to uncover the truth and enforce accountability. Your reputation, your capital, and your business future are worth defending, and our approach is built to do just that.

How internal fraud develops in a business

Fraud inside a company often builds slowly rather than arriving as one obvious event. It tends to appear in patterns that raise questions over time. Delivery records may not match invoices, new vendors may receive payments without approval, or revenue could be reported without supporting documents. What looks like an isolated irregularity may turn out to be a scheme that has been running for years. A trusted partner might quietly siphon profits, or a manager could exaggerate payroll records to skim funds. An experienced business fraud attorney studies the company’s operating agreements, accounting records, and compensation files to uncover the truth while keeping daily operations stable.

Proving business fraud under Texas law

For a fraud claim to succeed in Texas, the law requires more than suspicion. The elements include a false statement or concealed fact, intent, reliance, and resulting financial harm. The most persuasive way to prove these elements is through a clear record that tells the story in the company’s own documents. Agreements, invoices, and ledgers, when organized into a timeline, show decision-makers how the fraud unfolded step by step. By arranging evidence in this way, a business fraud lawyer can present judges, arbitrators, or juries with a reliable account of what happened without leaving gaps to speculation.

Protective measures the court can order early in a business fraud case

When fraud threatens assets, customer relationships, or confidential data, waiting for a final judgment may be too late. Texas courts have the authority to order temporary measures that protect a company while a case is pending. These include restraining orders or injunctions that freeze disputed bank accounts, pause transfers of property, or secure access to business records. If property has already been diverted, forensic accountants can trace the path of the funds and help recover them. In situations where fraud leads to deadlock among owners, the court may appoint a receiver to manage the company until the dispute is resolved. These early remedies help stabilize the business long enough for the facts to come to light.

Remedies for financial recovery after business fraud is uncovered

The law gives businesses several avenues to reclaim losses after fraud has been uncovered. Courts may award damages to restore the company to its prior position, order restitution to return specific funds, or impose a constructive trust over property purchased with stolen money. Wrongdoers may also be required to disgorge profits gained from fraud, ensuring they cannot benefit from misconduct. In fiduciary duty cases, exemplary damages may be available when conduct was intentional or malicious.

Receivership may be used when fraud threatens to destabilize the business itself, placing control in the hands of a neutral third party until the case is resolved. These remedies are designed to recover what was lost and restore confidence in the company’s financial stability.

The effect of fraud on partnerships and company stability

The financial loss caused by fraud is only part of the harm. When misconduct is discovered, trust between partners, investors, and employees often breaks down. A single scheme can stall expansion plans, disrupt financing arrangements, and spark disputes over who is responsible. In Fort Worth, where business networks and reputations carry weight, the damage may also extend to relationships with banks, suppliers, and clients.

A business fraud attorney not only works to prove wrongdoing but also helps clients evaluate how to protect the future of the business. Depending on the situation, solutions may include restructuring management authority, negotiating a buyout, or dissolving the company entirely if relationships cannot be repaired. Safeguarding the enterprise for the long term is as important as recovering the immediate loss.

How governing contracts influence a fraud dispute

Fraud disputes are often shaped by the company’s own agreements. Operating and partnership contracts may contain arbitration clauses that require private resolution, or venue provisions that dictate where a case must be filed. These terms can speed up or slow down a case and even determine what law applies. Our Fort Worth attorneys study governing agreements closely before filing any action to ensure that discovery, motions, and resolution proceed without procedural distractions.

Where fraud cases are filed and heard in Fort Worth

Most fraud cases tied to Fort Worth are filed in Tarrant County district courts. Some disputes may qualify for the Texas Business Court under Chapter 25A of the Texas Government Code, which accepts governance and securities disputes valued over $5 million. This specialized forum excludes consumer and personal injury claims but can influence the pace of a case, the scope of discovery, and appellate options. Understanding which court has jurisdiction is a critical early step in shaping strategy.

how E-discovery in modern fraud litigation is done

Nearly every fraud case today involves digital records. Emails, texts, and cloud backups often contain the most revealing information about contracts, decision-making, or financial transfers. Our lead trial lawyer is credentialed in e-discovery and creates collection plans that capture the data needed to build a case while minimizing disruption to day-to-day business operations. This approach allows us to combine technical precision with advocacy in court, giving Fort Worth businesses clarity during complex disputes.

How Roquemore Skierski approaches resolution in a business fraud case

The path to resolution usually begins with preservation of evidence and fact-gathering. If records appear at risk of being altered, our attorneys move quickly to obtain court orders to protect them. From there, many cases are positioned for mediation or arbitration, particularly when confidentiality or speed is a priority.

When arbitration is required by contract, it provides a private and efficient setting to resolve disputes. If trial becomes necessary, we prepare by assembling financial records, conducting depositions, and using expert testimony to explain the fraud in detail. Our methodical approach gives business owners the strongest chance of achieving a favorable result.

our Fort Worth Business fraud litigation lawyers

Kelvin Roquemore

Founding Partner

Kelvin Roquemore is a Founding Partner of Roquemore Skierski, specializing in business and commercial litigation, with experience in business transactions, complex litigation, M&A, and commercial real estate. With over 25 years of in-house counsel and business litigation experience, he brings a strategic approach to supporting owner-operated small and medium-sized enterprises.

Doug Skierski

Founding Partner

Doug Skierski is a Founding Partner of Roquemore Skierski, and is an A/V-rated attorney with over 20 years of experience in bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, receiverships, and commercial litigation. He holds a J.D. from Southern Methodist University School of Law and has a strong background in complex commercial litigation and arbitration.

D. Shawn Stevens

Of Counsel

Dennis Shawn Stevens is a member of Roquemore Skierski with over 20 years of experience representing clients in business litigation, commercial disputes, and insurance-related claims. He holds a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and advises businesses on matters involving breach of contract, construction conflicts, and complex commercial torts.

Mark Ivanyo

Of Counsel

Mark Ivanyo has experience in complex commercial litigation, including contract disputes, product liability, and premises-related claims. He has experience representing businesses in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration and administration. Mark holds a J.D. from South Texas College of Law and holds a B.B.A. in Management from Texas State University.

Alyssa Grissom

Paralegal

Alysa S. Grissom is a paralegal at Roquemore Skierski and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization—an achievement held by fewer than 400 paralegals statewide. She holds an A.A. in Government, an A.A.S. in Paralegal Studies from Austin Community College, and a B.A. in Business, magna cum laude, from Concordia University Texas.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ's

What is fraud litigation?

Fraud litigation involves a civil lawsuit where a business owner alleges that another party intentionally misrepresented or concealed a material fact, causing financial harm when the owner relied on that falsehood.

How does statutory fraud in real-estate or stock transactions differ from common-law fraud?

Statutory fraud claims arise under Texas Business & Commerce Code § 27.01 and apply to real-estate or stock sales; the statute eases proof of scienter and allows exemplary damages without proving intent to deceive.

What is the statute of limitations for fraud in Texas?

Texas fraud claims carry a four-year limitations period under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004, but the discovery rule extends the statute of limitations until the fraud could reasonably have been discovered.

What defenses are commonly raised against fraud allegations?

Defendants typically argue lack of misrepresentation, no intent to deceive, absence of reliance, statute of limitations, waiver, or that statements were non-actionable opinions or forward-looking projections that could not be constituted as absolute statements.

How is fraud different from negligent misrepresentation?

Fraud involves intentional deception or a reckless disregard for the truth. By contrast, negligent misrepresentation, as outlined in Section 552 of the Restatement of Torts, arises when someone makes a false statement without exercising reasonable care in verifying its accuracy.

Can a company sue its own officers or employees for fraud?

A Texas corporation may file direct or derivative actions against officers, directors, or employees who commit fraud or breach fiduciary duties, seeking damages or disgorgement.

Are punitive damages available in Texas fraud cases?

Punitive (exemplary) damages are available if clear and convincing evidence shows fraud, malice, or gross negligence; Chapter 41 caps generally limit the award to the greater of $200,000 or two times economic damages plus non-economic damages up to $750,000.

When should I hire a fraud-litigation attorney?

A business owner should engage counsel as soon as suspicious conduct is detected—early legal action preserves electronic evidence, meets limitations deadlines, and increases leverage for settlement or injunctions.