Three instructors at a northwest San Antonio music studio have gone to court over what they say are months of missing pay, and two of them say they only saw money after reaching out to a local TV consumer-investigations team. The lawsuits name the studio's owner and were filed across 2024 and 2025.
Teachers Say Paychecks Went Missing
According to KENS 5, the complaints target owner Nathaniel Villarreal and accuse him of failing to pay instructors for work over several months. The station's "Call KENS" team reports that two of the teachers received checks only after they contacted the newsroom.
Anthem School of Music's website lists Nathaniel A. Villarreal as founder and owner, with the studio located at 23127 West IH-10, Suite 207, in northwest San Antonio. The site highlights the studio's lesson offerings and instructor profiles, underscoring its presence in the local music scene.
Small-Claims Wins and Post-Dated Pay
As reported by KENS 5, instructor Corey Richards filed a small-claims case in early 2025 and later won a $911 judgment. Richards told the station, "KENS 5, dude, if it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't have gotten paid."
The station reports that Richards first noticed missing wages in January 2024. A check dated Feb. 10 was mailed, arrived on Feb. 2, and cleared later that same week, according to the outlet. KENS 5 also reports that instructor Michael Carraway sued in March 2024 over a missing final paycheck and received a default judgment for $640 plus court costs, and that a separate October 2024 lawsuit ended in another default judgment.
According to KENS 5, the owner offered Richards $500 up front and installment payments if he would drop his case, then later threatened a $10,000 countersuit. The station also reports that Villarreal is involved in a separate dispute with Bexar County over delinquent property taxes.
What It Takes To Collect A Judgment In Texas
Even with a court win, collecting on a judgment in Texas can be tricky. The Texas State Law Library notes that wage garnishment is broadly limited for most consumer debts, so creditors often have to look instead to bank-account garnishments, writs of garnishment or liens. Judgments generally remain enforceable for 10 years and can be renewed, according to TexasLawHelp, with the specific options depending on what assets or accounts a debtor has.
The Anthem cases highlight how vulnerable independent instructors can be when their livelihood depends on timely checks from small studios. Court filings and any collection efforts in Bexar County's justice courts will be worth watching as the teachers try to turn their paper victories into actual payments.
