A children's fight at Webster's Great Wolf Lodge in October 2024 has landed a Montgomery County commissioner in civil court, with the opposing family raising questions about whether courthouse ties could tilt the outcome.

Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray and his wife, Amanda, filed the lawsuit in July 2025 on behalf of their son. The trial is set for Monday, Sept. 14, in the 457th District Court. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The Grays' petition alleges another child struck their son in the face near the pool at the resort, located at 1000 Great Wolf Way. The family claims the blow caused a cut, bruising, permanent scarring and decreased visual acuity. They are seeking more than $250,000 in damages.

The resort, a $200 million, 532-room facility in the Flyway at Clear Creek development, opened Aug. 7, 2024, according to the City of Webster. The altercation occurred roughly two months later. A Webster police officer responded to the scene, and bodycam footage from that response is part of the case evidence.

Jessica Sisney, the other child's mother, filed a counterclaim with a sharply different account. Sisney told KPRC 2 her 11-year-old son has special needs. Her counterclaim alleges Gray escalated a brief dispute between the children, encouraged his son to keep fighting, moved pool furniture to block an intervening adult and pushed a resort employee. In bodycam footage reviewed by KPRC 2, a security guard described Gray as intoxicated to the responding Webster officer.

"The child on the other side was saying, 'No, Daddy.' He didn't want to fight either," Sisney told KPRC 2. "So we have two children that are ultimately victims."

The incident occurred in Harris County, but the Grays filed in Montgomery County, where both families lived. Sisney's request to transfer the case to Harris County was denied.

Gray's attorney, J. Randal Bays, is married to Judge Kristin Bays, who presides over Montgomery County's 284th District Court. Texas rules require a judge to recuse when a spouse is the attorney in a case. A standing administrative order transfers Bays' cases from his wife's court to Judge Vince Santini's 457th District Court. Bays told KPRC 2 the assignment process is "black letter Texas law" and said he did not select or request Santini.

Sisney's attorney, Michelle Acosta, filed a motion to recuse Santini. The motion cited Santini and Judge Kristin Bays lobbying for additional courthouse funding from the commissioners court that includes Gray. It also cited photographs of Gray and Santini together at political events while the case was pending. Campaign-finance records show Bays contributed a total of $5,000 to Santini's campaigns across two election cycles. An outside judge denied the recusal motion.

KPRC 2 reported it reached out to Gray but had not heard back as of Tuesday, Sept. 8. Bays declined an on-camera interview, citing rules limiting public statements during pending cases.

The jury trial begins Sept. 14 in the 457th District Court. Santini said in a statement to KPRC 2 that the courtroom is open to the public.