HOUSTON, TX—TopVerdict has ranked a $138 million federal jury verdict secured by Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) among the 20 largest commercial litigation verdicts in the United States in 2025, placing the case at No. 14 nationwide.
Munsch Hardt Shareholder Dick Schwartz led the trial team, which included fellow Shareholder Michael Harvey, in securing the verdict on behalf of client Carlo Civelli. The case involved breach of contract claims arising from a longstanding business relationship and oil and gas interests in Papua New Guinea. Following a multi-week federal trial, a Houston jury found in favor of Civelli on all claims on December 4, 2025, awarding $138 million in damages.
In March 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas entered a final judgment exceeding $210 million, including approximately $72.8 million in prejudgment interest.
More recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rejected an attempt to apply Texas’ $25 million supersedeas bond cap to the judgment, ruling that the state law does not apply in federal court.
