A Texas appeals court upheld sanctions orders against an Austin-based real estate firm and its attorney for repeatedly ignoring discovery orders from an Am Law 200 firm enforcing an arbitration award for $1 million in unpaid legal fees.

Travis County’s 53rd District Court Judge Jan Soifer did not abuse her discretion in issuing sanctions that were progressively increased each time the appellants continued to disregard discovery orders, the Third District Court of Appeals ruled in Thursday’s memorandum opinion.