Midnight Maneuvers: How Camp Mystic’s Lawyers Derailed Wednesday’s Hearing

The legal proceedings surrounding the Independence Day flood tragedy at Camp Mystic went off the rails Wednesday after defense lawyers didn’t show up for court. This eleventh-hour move has led to accusations that the defense is utilizing "trickery" to stall the judicial process and shield the evidence from a public jury.

The Camp Mystic Hearing Delay

Things were tense in the Travis County District Courtroom Wednesday.  According to Fox 44, Judge Maya Guerra Gamble was ticked off with the delay tactics of Camp Mystic’s defense team. The court had been reserved for a full-day session to address critical motions in five separate lawsuits filed by families of the 27 young girls who tragically lost their lives during the Independence Day floods at the camp last summer.

Read More: Why Camp Mystic Will Not Open For Summer 2026 In Texas 

Last-Minute Withdrawals and Re-filings

The primary objective of the scheduled hearing was to consider the defendant's motions to compel arbitration and stay proceedings. In plain speak, the defense motions would place the lawsuits into arbitration avoiding a jury trial. Judge Gamble said at midnight, the defense unexpectedly withdrew its motions, only to immediately file “amended” versions that the judge said were "in substance, identical."

The Real Deal

Judge Gamble wasn’t only annoyed with the withdrawal of the motions. She was also ticked off about the timing since she spent time preparing to decide on the motions Wednesday. Adding insult to injury, the Judge hinted that the delay appeared to be linked to social events in the lives of the defense team. She mentioned receiving information regarding "Spurs games and weddings in Italy."
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The Battle Over Arbitration

The stakes of these procedural delays are high. Kyle Findley, an attorney for the plaintiffs, emphasized that the defense is fighting to strip the families of their constitutional right to a jury trial. He argued that after months of claiming no jury would hold them liable, the discovery process has revealed "very bad" evidence, prompting the defense to do everything possible to keep the details of the tragedy away from public scrutiny. The proceedings are expected to resume next month, when the court will once again attempt to decide whether these cases will be heard by the public or settled in private.