Federal v. State Finality

In Texas practice, “a judgment is final either if ‘it actually disposes of every pending claim and party’ or ‘it clearly and unequivocally states that it finally disposes of all claims and all parties.'” Bella Palma LLC v. Young, 601 S.W.3d 799, 801 (Tex. 2021) (emphasis in original, quoting Lehmann v. Har-Con Corp., 39 S.W.3d 191, 205 (Tex. 2001).

In federal practice, however, “[w]ithout a [Fed. R. Civ. P.] 54(b) order, ‘any order or other decision, however designated, that adjudicates fewer than all the claims or rights and liabilities of fewer than all the parties does not end the action as to any of the claims or parties.'” Guideone Ins. Co. v. First United Methodist Church of Hereford, No. 20-10528 (Feb. 22, 2021, unpublished) (emphasis in original, quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 54).