Posey Meadows Wedding Venue Lawsuit, Fiancée Seeks $15,909.28 Refund After Diego Hernandez’s Death, Venue Countersues

Posey Meadows, a wedding venue outside San Marcos in Hays County, Texas, is being sued by the fiancée of Diego Hernandez, who died at age 25. She is seeking the return of $15,909.28 paid toward a wedding that could not take place. The venue has countersued, alleging she breached the contract by canceling and by not paying the remaining balance.

KSAT Investigates first reported the dispute in detail on October 12, 2026. The couple were to marry at Posey Meadows on November 20, 2026. Hernandez died suddenly in late April 2026.

The central legal question is whether Posey Meadows can keep the payments under a contract that reportedly says money paid is forfeited on cancellation, even though it has no clause addressing the death of one of the people getting married.

The case is unresolved. No ruling, settlement or judgment was verified for this article, and the formal case caption and cause number could not be independently confirmed.

Quick Facts: Posey Meadows Wedding Venue Lawsuit

Detail	Information
Business	Posey Meadows, wedding and events venue near San Marcos, Hays County, Texas
Owners identified in reporting	Julie Kate Campbell (also referred to as Julie Campbell) and Trey Campbell
Groom who died	Diego Hernandez, age 25
Plaintiff	Hernandez’s surviving fiancée; her name is withheld because she asked for privacy in news coverage
Amount paid	$15,909.28
Scheduled wedding date	November 20, 2026
Date of death	Late April 2026, per reporting
Court	Hays County district court, Texas
Case caption and number	Not independently verified
Plaintiff’s claim	Refund of the money paid, plus attorney fees
Venue’s counterclaim	Alleged breach of contract and refusal to pay the remaining balance
Contract language reported	Payments are forfeited if the booking is canceled
Clause addressing death	None identified in the contract as described
Settlement or judgment	None reported
Public claim form	None; this is an individual contract dispute

What Is Posey Meadows and Who Owns It?

Posey Meadows is a French farmhouse-style wedding and event venue in the Texas Hill Country between Austin and San Antonio. Reporting describes outdoor ceremony space, a reception hall, a chapel, bridal and groom suites, and capacity for roughly 250 guests. It is owned by Julie Kate Campbell and her husband, Trey Campbell.

What Happened Between Diego Hernandez’s Family and Posey Meadows?

Diego Hernandez and his fiancée had paid $15,909.28 toward the venue rental and related costs before he died. After the family told the venue the wedding could not go ahead, they asked for the money back.

According to emails described by KSAT, Julie Campbell first offered alternatives: moving the booking to a future date, applying the payments to a different kind of event, or possibly a partial refund if another couple booked November 20.

Hernandez’s mother, Lucy Hernandez, described a tense early-May phone call in which Campbell said the money would not be refunded. She told KSAT the family was emotionally drained and questioned the venue’s moral reasoning. Campbell did not respond to KSAT’s request for comment, and the venue’s attorney said the firm does not comment on pending litigation. Hernandez’s fiancée has declined to speak publicly.

What Does the Posey Meadows Wedding Contract Say About Refunds?

As described in the reporting, the contract states that payments are forfeited if the booking is canceled. It does not say what happens if one of the people getting married dies before the wedding.

The full agreement should be checked for any refund, emergency, force majeure, termination, attorney-fee or dispute-resolution provisions. The reporting does not say whether all of them were present or absent.

Does a Nonrefundable Clause Automatically Let Posey Meadows Keep Every Payment?

Not necessarily. Texas courts separate an enforceable liquidated-damages clause from an unenforceable penalty.

• Phillips v. Phillips, 820 S.W.2d 785 (Tex. 1991): A liquidated-damages clause is generally enforceable if the harm was difficult to estimate when the contract was made and the amount is a reasonable forecast of just compensation.
• Atrium Medical Center, LP v. Houston Red C LLC, 595 S.W.3d 188 (Tex. 2020): The Texas Supreme Court added that a clause can be unenforceable if there is an unbridgeable discrepancy between the liquidated amount and the actual damages.

Those cases involved other contracts and do not decide whether Posey Meadows’ clause is enforceable. The analysis could differ depending on whether the clause is treated as liquidated damages, a deposit forfeiture or something else. A court would likely look at the venue’s actual losses, whether the date was rebooked and what costs were saved.

Why Did the Fiancée Sue Posey Meadows?

An attorney for the fiancée reportedly sent a demand letter in late June 2026. When that did not resolve the dispute, she filed suit in Hays County district court in late July. The complaint reportedly calls the venue’s retention of the money an “unjust and ghoulish windfall built on a young man’s death.” It seeks about $15,909 plus attorney fees.

That language is the plaintiff’s position, not a court finding. The precise causes of action should be confirmed from the complaint.

Why Did Posey Meadows Countersue the Fiancée?

The venue denied the allegations and counterclaimed for breach of contract. According to KSAT, it says the fiancée seeks a refund of money already paid and refused to pay the remaining balance. The counterclaim amount has not been independently verified, so no figure is stated here.

Under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 97, counterclaims arising from the same transaction are generally compulsory, which is one reason a counterclaim is common once a contract suit is filed. A counterclaim is a legal pleading, and it does not mean a court has found any breach.

What Is the Dispute Over the Death Certificate?

The counterclaim reportedly alleged the family had not provided proof of Hernandez’s death. The fiancée’s attorney said he offered to provide the death certificate before suit and got no response. KSAT reported the certificate has since been filed in the case. These are competing accounts of pre-suit communications, and proof of death does not by itself decide the contract issues.

What Texas Law Could Apply to the Posey Meadows Refund Dispute?

Texas has no universal rule requiring a venue to refund everything when one half of a couple dies. These are the issues a court may weigh. None has been verified as decided in this case.

Contract Interpretation

Texas courts read a contract as a whole and give unambiguous words their ordinary meaning. A missing death clause does not automatically mean a refund is owed, and a general cancellation clause does not automatically settle every question either.

Duty to Mitigate Damages

Under Texas contract law, a party claiming damages for breach generally must make reasonable efforts to reduce its losses. For a venue, that can raise whether the date was or could be rebooked. The reported emails show Posey Meadows discussing rebooking and a possible partial refund, but whether a rebooking occurred is not verified.

Impossibility and Frustration of Purpose

A death can change the purpose of a wedding contract, but impossibility does not automatically excuse every obligation. In Centex Corp. v. Dalton, 840 S.W.2d 952 (Tex. 1992), the Texas Supreme Court recognized commercial frustration as a narrow doctrine. A court may distinguish the couple’s inability to hold the wedding from the venue’s obligation to reserve the date, and the contract’s allocation of risk will matter.

Unjust Enrichment

Texas generally limits equitable theories like unjust enrichment where an enforceable express contract covers the same subject. Whether the fiancée pleaded such a claim must be confirmed from the complaint.

Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act

The Texas DTPA, Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 17.41 et seq., allows consumers to sue over certain deceptive or unconscionable practices and generally requires pre-suit notice under § 17.505. The reporting does not say a DTPA claim was filed, and it should not be assumed.

Attorney’s Fees

Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 38.001 allows recovery of reasonable attorney’s fees from an individual or organization for a successful breach-of-contract claim, and the contract itself may also address fees. Both sides are reportedly seeking relief, so fees could matter either way.

Public Reaction to the Posey Meadows Lawsuit

After the KSAT report, one-star reviews reportedly flooded WeddingWire, Facebook, Zola and other platforms, many referring to the lawsuit and criticizing the venue. Some reviewers praised earlier events there. Screenshots reported in mid-October showed a Facebook recommendation rate near 20 percent, and some posts limited comments. Online reaction is not evidence about the contract dispute, which remains for the court.

What Happens Next in the Posey Meadows Case?

Likely next steps include responses to the complaint and counterclaim, discovery, settlement talks, or motions asking the court to interpret the contract. No trial date, hearing date, settlement or ruling has been verified.

Has Posey Meadows Agreed to Refund the $15,909.28?

No refund agreement or court order was reported.

Is the Posey Meadows Case a Class Action?

No. It is an individual contract dispute. It is not a putative class action and does not create a public claim process for other customers.

What Couples Can Do Before Signing a Wedding Venue Contract in Texas

The Better Business Bureau Heart of Texas, consulted by KSAT, advised couples to ask about clauses covering death or serious illness, propose changes to the contract before signing, compare cancellation and refund policies across venues, and check whether deposits are refundable. The BBB declined to comment on the Posey Meadows contract. Practical steps:

1. Get a written refund schedule for each payment stage.
2. Ask for a death and serious-illness provision. Do not assume one exists unless it is in the signed contract.
3. Read the remaining-balance clause and whether it changes if the date is rebooked.
4. Review force majeure and termination language.
5. Put negotiated changes in writing in the contract or a signed amendment.
6. Keep all emails, receipts and cancellation notices.

Key Dates in the Posey Meadows Wedding Venue Lawsuit

Date	Event
Before late April 2026	Couple pays $15,909.28 toward the Posey Meadows wedding
Late April 2026	Diego Hernandez, 25, dies
Early May 2026	Family seeks a refund; venue discusses alternatives, then reportedly declines to refund
Late June 2026	Fiancée’s attorney sends a demand letter
Late July 2026	Fiancée files suit in Hays County district court
Summer 2026	Venue files a counterclaim for breach of contract
October 12, 2026	KSAT Investigates publishes its report
October 14, 2026	KSAT publishes follow-up contract guidance
October 15, 2026	Verification date of this article; no judgment or settlement verified

Exact filing dates should be confirmed from the Hays County docket.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Posey Meadows Wedding Venue Lawsuit

How much did Diego Hernandez and his fiancée pay Posey Meadows?

$15,909.28, according to the court records and contract KSAT reviewed.

Why is Posey Meadows refusing to refund the payments?

It reportedly relies on a clause saying payments are forfeited on cancellation. The contract as described does not address the death of a person getting married.

Did Posey Meadows sue Diego Hernandez’s fiancée?

It filed a counterclaim alleging breach of contract and seeking damages tied to the cancellation and unpaid balance.

Must Posey Meadows return the money because Diego Hernandez died?

No ruling requiring that was verified. The outcome depends on the contract, Texas law and the evidence.

Can Posey Meadows make the fiancée pay the rest of the contract?

The venue is seeking damages on that theory. No court has decided it.

What does Texas law say about nonrefundable wedding venue deposits?

Courts look at the contract language and whether a forfeiture is a reasonable damages estimate or an unenforceable penalty (Phillips, Atrium). Enforceability of this clause has not been decided in the records reviewed.

Is there a settlement or claim form in the Posey Meadows case?

No. It is an individual lawsuit.

What should Texas couples check before paying a venue deposit?

Refund and cancellation terms, death and emergency clauses, force majeure, remaining-balance obligations, rebooking terms and attorney-fee provisions.

Related Reading on AllAboutLawyer.com

• Nicola Peltz Wedding Planner Lawsuit Settled, The $159,000 Dispute That Exposed Celebrity Wedding Drama

Sources

1. KSAT Investigates, “‘Unjust and ghoulish’: Wedding venue keeps nearly $16K after groom-to-be dies, then countersues fiancée”, reported October 12, 2026, and KSAT’s follow-up on contract advice.
2. Hays County court records as described by KSAT (contract, complaint, counterclaim, death certificate). The cause number was not independently verified.
3. Atrium Medical Center, LP v. Houston Red C LLC, 595 S.W.3d 188 (Tex. 2020).
4. Phillips v. Phillips, 820 S.W.2d 785 (Tex. 1991); Centex Corp. v. Dalton, 840 S.W.2d 952 (Tex. 1992).
5. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 38.001; Tex. Bus. & Com. Code §§ 17.41 et seq., 17.505; Tex. R. Civ. P. 97.
6. Hays County Courts records portal and the official Texas statutes portal.

AllAboutLawyer.com is a U.S. consumer legal information site, not a law firm. This article is for information only and is not legal advice. The claims described are disputed, and no court has decided whether Posey Meadows must refund the payments or whether the balance is owed.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. Facts are drawn from KSAT Investigates’ reporting on the Hays County court records, and legal authorities are cited from the reported Texas Supreme Court opinions and Texas statutes, as of October 15, 2026. The complaint, counterclaim and docket were not retrieved. Last Updated: October 15, 2026.