Protest Montgomery Property Tax - Reduction from Lawsuits $6 MM / Year
Judicial appeals are the peak of the mountain when it comes to both property tax appeals and properties. Typically, the most expensive properties in Montgomery County, judicial appeals cap the reductions that are already in place. 2024judicial appeals resulted in a tax savings of $6.35 million for 315 cases. 84.76% of all lawsuits were settled out of court, giving easy wins to taxpayers. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and get set for your judicial appeal or other property tax protest. O’Connor will pay all legal fees, provide your legal team, and pay all experts. You will only pay if you win your property tax lawsuit. 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 | 98.00 | 108.00 | 132.00 | 105.00 | 119.00 | 113.00 | 107.00 | 252.00 | 397.00 | 464.00 | 315.00 |
| By Agreed Judgment | 93.00 | 101.00 | 121.00 | 99.00 | 110.00 | 91.00 | 71.00 | 223.00 | 374.00 | 381.00 | 267.00 |
| By Court Judgment or Other | 5.00 | 7.00 | 11.00 | 6.00 | 9.00 | 22.00 | 36.00 | 29.00 | 23.00 | 83.00 | 48.00 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since An annual appeal is an insurance policy to avoid major increases.
Montgomery County Judicial Appeal Resolutions
Judicial appeals represent the last stop on the property tax protest road, yet, despite their complexity, they are usually the most successful on average. Secure your judicial appeal victory when you join forces with O’Conner. O’Conner can run your judicial appeal for you, putting together the legal team and paying all fees. As one of the biggest property tax consulting firms in America, O’Conner has the power and expertise needed to get you everything you deserve.
MCAD Judicial Appeal Resolution Summary
It may take years to reach the final resolution on a judicial appeal, but when it does, it usually ends with little drama. The Montgomery Central Appraisal District (MCAD) rarely puts up a fight, instead capitulating before a trial can even be held. Of the 315 judicial appeals that reached their terminus in 2024, 267 were settled out of court in favor of the taxpayer. That means that Montgomery County residents won 84.76% of all judicial appeals while never going to trial. Not even the humble informal appeal has that type of easy victory.
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) | 0.68 | 0.79 | 0.87 | 1.29 | 1.73 | 1.35 | 0.98 | 2.16 | 3.35 | 4.79 | 6.11 |
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 (ARB) of Resolved Judicial Appeals
Judicial appeals are reserved for the most expensive properties in Texas, and those that made it to the end in Montgomery County were cut from the same cloth. $6.11 billion in property was contested in 2024, over 315 cases. That means that every case was worth on average $19.40 million. Judicial appeal total value almost tripled between 2021 and 2024, continuing a constant trend of growth.
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 | 0.06 | 0.08 | 0.09 | 0.10 | 0.20 | 0.35 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.32 | 0.34 | 0.30 |
| Single Family | 0 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Multi-Family | 0.01 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.04 | 0.08 | 0.18 | 0.06 |
| Commercial | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.28 | 0.18 | 0.19 | 0.20 | 0.11 | 0.19 |
| All Other | 0.01 | 0 | 0.02 | 0 | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0 | 0.03 | 0.03 |
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?
Montgomery County Taxpayer Value Reduction from Judicial Appeals
The wealthy taxpayers of Montgomery County received a true boon in 2024 when $300 million was reduced in taxable value. Most of these properties had already received a lower value at the formal stage, meaning these judicial appeals savings were just icing on the cake. This is $50 million lower than the all-time high of $350 million from 2019. 2024 still ranks as the third-highest value cut ever and seems to be a sign of things to come. The biggest beneficiary of the value cuts was commercial properties, with $190 million and apartments with $60 million.
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 | 1.31 | 1.78 | 1.97 | 2.14 | 4.10 | 7.31 | 4.76 | 5.76 | 6.76 | 7.17 | 6.35 |
| Single Family | 0.07 | 0.12 | 0.07 | 0.12 | 0.24 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.40 | 0.66 | 0.44 | 0.35 |
| Multi-Family | 0.17 | 0.96 | 0.41 | 0.32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.89 | 1.78 | 3.72 | 1.28 |
| Commercial | 0.92 | 0.71 | 1.11 | 1.63 | 3.24 | 5.93 | 3.75 | 3.99 | 4.23 | 2.36 | 4.05 |
| All Other | 0.14 | 0 | 0.38 | 0.07 | 0.62 | 1.25 | 0.87 | 0.48 | 0.09 | 0.65 | 0.67 |
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.
MCAD Property Tax Reduction from Judicial Appeals
Tax reductions usually follow the same pattern as value reductions, and that stood true for judicial appeals in Montgomery County. $6.35 million in total taxes were cut in 2024, slightly down from 2023’s total. The payoffs from judicial appeals have been steadily climbing since 2020, following the trend of rising values in Montgomery County. Lawsuits can play out over years, which is why 2024 may have been down compared to the last few, as more cases are working their way through the courts. 2025 could be the largest yet, if the general pattern holds.
Commercial real estate had been the most valuable property type in the 2024 judicial appeals, so it is little surprise that they got the king’s bounty of $4.05 million. Multi family homes were the top dogs in judicial appeals in the past few years, and they finished in second place with $1.28 million. Single family homes also got some love at $350,000. This was a slight retreat from the totals of 2022 and 2023.