David Keltner

Practice Areas

Formerly a Justice on the Texas Court of Appeals, David Keltner is a highly acclaimed and recognized lawyer in the field of appellate law in Texas. He has served as lead counsel in over 350 appellate decisions and his legal writings have been cited with approval by Texas courts. He has been honored with various prestigious awards and accolades for his outstanding contributions to the legal profession.

Career

From 2021 through 2025, he was recognized as a Star Individual by Chambers USA and has received Band 1 ranking every year since 2007. He was also recognized as the Go-To Appellate Lawyer in Texas by Texas Lawyer and has been chosen as one of the Top 10 Lawyers in Texas by Thompson Reuters for the last eighteen years, ranking No. 1 in 2009-2011 and 2021-2025. In addition, he was named Best Lawyers® Appellate Lawyer of the Year for Dallas/Fort Worth in 2016 and 2018.

Mr. Keltner has also received recognition for his professionalism and excellence in the practice of law. He received the American Inns of Court James E. Coleman Jr. Award for Professionalism in the Fifth Circuit, the Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer Award from the Texas Bar Foundation and the Jim D. Bowmer Professionalism Award from the College of the State Bar of Texas. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a distinction held by only 320 lawyers in the country.

Mr. Keltner has also been actively involved in various legal organizations and committees. He served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas, Chair of the Litigation Section, and Chair of the College of the State Bar of Texas. He also served on the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee and was appointed Chair of the Texas Supreme Court Discovery Task Force. Furthermore, he was a member of the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Professionalism that drafted the Texas Lawyer’s Creed.

David Keltner is a highly respected and accomplished lawyer with a wealth of experience in appellate law, recognized both nationally and in Texas for his exceptional legal skills and contributions to the profession.

Professional Memberships

Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification

Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification

Supreme Court Advisory Committee, Member, 2024-Present

Tarrant County Bar Foundation

Board of Directors, 1997-2001; Chair, 1999-2000

Presidential Citation, 1984, 2000, 2008, 2010

Tarrant County Bar Association

Director, 1990-1995, 1997-2000, 2009-2012

President, 2015-2016

Blackstone Award, 2017

American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Fellow

American Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow

Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow

Tarrant County Bar Foundation, Sustaining Charter Fellow

American Inns of Court—Eldon Mahon Inn, Master, 1994-1996; 2007-Present

Fellows of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society, Founding Fellow

SMU Dedman School of Law, Executive Board, 1998-Present

Texas A&M University School of Law, Dean’s Advisory Council, Chair, 2013-Present

The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, Board of Visitors, 1997-Present

Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas, Member, 2012-Present

State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education Committee, Member, 2016-2022

Trinity Valley School; Board of Trustees, 2001-2013

President, 2009-2012

American Board of Trial Advocates

Publications

Speaker, “Contract Construction,” State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course, July 2024

Speaker, “Writing the Brief,” State Bar of Texas Handling Your First (or Next) Civil Appeal, April 2024

Speaker, “The Court’s Charge,” Corpus Christi Bar Association Advanced Civil Trial Law Seminar, April 2024

Author and Co-Presenter with Judge Carl Stewart, “Jim Crow, the Fifth Circuit, and President Eisenhower,” AAAL Spring Meeting New Orleans (2024)

Speaker, “The Jury Charge,” State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course, 2023

Speaker, “Persuasive Oral Argument Techniques,” UT Law CLE Conference on State and Federal Appeals, 2023

Speaker, “The Court’s Charge,” Corpus Christi Bar Association Advanced Civil Trial Law Seminar, April 2023

Speaker, “Texas Supreme Court Lessons in Contract Construction,” State Bar of Texas Adanced Civil Appellate Practice, September 2023

Podcast, “The Evolution of Texas Appellate Practice | David Keltner,” Texas Appellate Law Podcast, January 2023

Speaker, “Practical Application of the PJC,” Texas Bar CLE Fiduciary Litigation, 2021

Speaker, “Appellate Advocacy,” Texas Bar CLE Advanced Criminal Law Course, 2021

Speaker, “The Court’s Charge,” Corpus Christi Bar Association Advanced Civil Trial Law Seminar, 2021

Speaker, “Tell the Story: Persuasive Writing and Speaking,” UT Law CLE Conference on Criminal Appeals, 2021

Author, “Fiduciary Duties: Navigating Contract and Common-Law Limits,” Corporate Counsel Review, Volume XL (2021)

Speaker, “Account-Ability in Court: From Slavery to Scandal,” Texas State Historical Association Annual Meeting, 2021

Experience

Werner Enters, Inc. v. Blake, 719 S.W.3d 525 (Tex. 2025)

In re Channelview Flooding Litig., No. 01-22-00946-CV, 2024 WL 5249085 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Dec. 1, 2024, pet. denied) (mem. op.)

Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria Cnty. v. United States Dep’t of Transp., 98 F.4th 178 (5th Cir. 2024)

Title Source, Inc. v. HouseCanary, Inc., No. 04-21-00584-CV, 2023 WL 5418306 (Tex. App.—San Antonio Aug. 23, 2023, pet. denied)

IAS Servs. Grp., L.L.C. v. Jim Buckley & Assocs., No. 20-50750, 2023 WL 4235553 (5th Cir. June 28, 2023)

In re Breviloba, LLC, No. 21-0541, 2022 WL 2282598 (Tex. June 24, 2022) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam)

RKI Expl. & Prod., LLC v. Ameriflow Energy Servs., LLC, No. 02-20-00384-CV, 2022 WL 2252895 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth June 23, 2022, no pet.) (mem. op.)

Hlavinka v. HSC Pipeline Partnership, LLC, No. 20-0567, 2022 WL 1696443 (Tex. May 27, 2022)

Henry v. Smith, 637 S.W.3d 226 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2021, pet. denied)

Tema Oil & Gas Co. v. ETC Field Servs., LLC, No. 07-20-00029-CV, 2021 WL 2944598 (Tex. App.—Amarillo July 13, 2021, pet. denied)

In re American Airlines, Inc., 634 S.W.3d 38 (Tex. 2021)

Ortiz v. American Airlines, Inc., 5 F.4th 622 (5th Cir. 2021)

City of San Antonio, Texas v. Hotels.com, L.P., 141 S. Ct. 1628 (2021)

HouseCanary, Inc. v. Title Source, Inc., 622 S.W.3d 254 (Tex. 2021)

Concho Res., Inc. v. Ellison, 627 S.W.3d 226 (Tex. 2021)

Sundown Energy LP v. HJSA No. 3, Ltd. P’ship, 622 S.W.3d 884 (Tex. 2021)

Richter v. Carnival Corp., 837 Fed. Appx. 260 (5th Cir. 2020)

Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. v. Enter. Prods. Partners, L.P., 593 S.W.3d 732 (Tex. 2020)

Pathfinder Oil & Gas, Inc. v. Great W. Drilling, Ltd., 574 S.W.3d 882 (Tex. 2019)

Friedman & Feiger, LLP v. Massey, Nos. 02-18-00401-CV, 02-18-00402-CV, 2019 WL 3269325 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth July 18, 2019, pet. denied) (mem. op.)

Estate of Klutts, No. 02-18-00356-CV, 2019 WL 6904550 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Dec. 19, 2019, no pet.) (mem. op.)

IAS Services Grp., L.L.C. v. Jim Buckley & Assocs., 900 F.3d 640 (5th Cir. 2018)

In re Happy State Bank, No. 02-17-00453-CV, 2018 WL 1918217 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth April 23, 2018, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.)

Reeves Cnty. Appraisal Dist. v. MidCon Compression, L.L.C., 563 S.W.3d 207 (Tex. 2018)

BNSF Ry. Co. v. Baca, No. 02-17-00168-CV, 2018 WL 1528573 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth March 29, 2018, no pet.)(mem. op.)

Rainier Southlake DST v. Woodbury Strategic Partners Fund, LP, No. 02-16-00263-CV, 2017 WL 6047725 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Dec. 7, 2017, no pet.) (mem. op.)

City of San Antonio, Texas v. Hotels.com, L.P., 876 F.3d 717 (5th Cir. 2017)

Permian Power Tong, Inc. v. Diamondback E&P, LLC, No. 12-16-00092-CV, 2017 WL 2824311 (Tex. App.—Tyler June 30, 2017, pet. denied)

In re Paul, No. 10-16-00359-CV, 2017 WL 1749805 (Tex. App.—Waco May 3, 2017, orig. proceeding)

BNSF Ry Co. v. Epple, No. 07-15-00355-CV, 2016 WL 7010581 (Tex. App.—Amarillo Nov. 30, 2016, pet. denied)

Savering v. City of Mansfield, 505 S. W.3d 33 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2016, pet. denied)

In re Paul, No. 10-16-00004-CV, 2016 WL 2609599 (Tex. App.—Waco May 5, 2016, orig. proceeding)

In re Nat’l Lloyds Ins. Co., No. 13-15-00521-CV, 2016 WL 552112 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi Feb. 10, 2016, orig. proceeding [mand. denied])

BNSF Ry. Co v. Phillips, 485 S.W.3d 908 (Tex. 2015)

Conglomerate Gas II, L.P. v Gibb, No. 02-14-00119-CV, 2015 WL 6081919 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Oct. 15, 2015, pet. denied

Abraham & Veneklasen Joint Venture v. Am. Quarter Horse Ass’n, 776 F.3d 321 (5th Cir. 2015)

In re Hayward, 480 S.W.3d 48 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2015, orig. proceeding)

Sinclair v. Estate of Ramirez, No. 10-14-00157-CV, 2015 WL 3534156 (Tex. App.—Waco June 4, 2015, no pet.) (mem. op.)

Williams-White v. White, No. 05-13-00414-CV, 2015 WL 1182879 (Tex. App.—Dallas March 16, 2015, no pet.)

Burnett Ranches, Ltd. v. U.S., 753 F.3d 143 (5th Cir. 2014)

In re Siroosian, 449 S.W.3d 920 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2015, orig. proceeding)

Lermon v. Minyard Food Stores, Inc., No. 05-13-00034-CV, 2014 WL 6466840 (Tex. App.—Dallas Nov. 19, 2014, pet. denied)

HMC Hotel Props. II Ltd. P’ship v. Keystone-Tex. Prop. Holding Corp., 439 S.W.3d 910 (Tex. 2014)

Industry Sector Expertise

https://www.kellyhart.com/attorney/david-keltner/

Expert in these Jurisdictions

ADMISSIONS

State Bar of Texas

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas

U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

Work Highlights

https://www.kellyhart.com/attorney/david-keltner/

Education

Awards