Case Information
*0 FILED IN 1st COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 10/8/2015 5:05:25 PM CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk *1 ACCEPTED 01-15-00537-CV FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 10/8/2015 5:05:25 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE CLERK CALJSE NO. 0l- l5-00537-t3\i $ II.'i l-llt'. FIRS-f CIOLJR'I IN RT] $
JAMES WESI,EY GROVF,S N AND \ Ofr APPFTALS
KIIITH GITOSS
S\ N
Rtrl-ATORS r\ IlAt{l'{lS COIJNTY. l'hxns
RELATOR, KEITH GROSS' VEITIF'IE,D EIVIEITCENCY MOTION
'TO STAY E,NFORCE,MENT OF TRIAL, C]OURl'ORDER l'O'l'lIlr I{ONOI{AIlLtr .f l.JS'l'lC'F.S OIr SAID CCTLJI{'l':
COMFS NOW Ktil'l'H ClltOSS ancl lrles tfris his lJrnergency Motion Stay Lnlbrccmcr-rt ol"l'rial Court's Orclcr ancl rcsp,:rctlirllv shorvs: I. Facts llasis for Emergency l. On April 28,2015 the trial courrt cntercd on older on recorcl that
(1) disclLralilled attornev, Kcith (iross: (2) ordercd hirn tatlce hours o1-
cor.rtinuing legal education course(s), arrd (3) pay surr ol'$2500.00 into court's ro-gistry rvithin six nronths o1-the datc of tlic ordet'. l-hc six
nronth dcadline Octobcr 29,2015. Attorney (irc,ss has nottakcn course placed lt-ttlt-tcir into Court's registn'.
2. On June 16,2015, attorncy, Keith Gross and James W'esley Grovcs
frlecl a Writ ol-Mandarnus. 'l'hercafter, this Court ordered the Real Party in
Interest flle a response. 'l-he Court has not ruled'
3. At tirnc of filing Writ of Manclallus, tr"ial w'as set lbr October'
5,2015. Sr-rbseqr-rently, thc court has reset case. '['his case rvill rrot be se't trial until at least liebrLrary 2016. Iltrlcrgctrc,v relicf t-tcccssary' I1- itttort-rc'Y ('iross does t-tot take the
4'
lcgal eclr-rcation courscs in accorclance \\,ith thc trial c<lltrt's tlrdcr. he risks
being held in contempt .iailecl. Clonvcrscly, il'Gross cottrplies rvith
orcler, he will lose right o1'.iudicial review orrcr utatter, arrcl rvill be
fbrced to comply rvith crroncoLls order. A rr-rlirrg is necessitrl' l-ar ettortqlt ir-l
advance so Ciross llav conrpletc coLtrse bclilnc thc dcadlirte.
5. Attorney, Kcith Grclss reclucsts ('clttrt stav court's tlrder
Lrntil cottt't enters a lLrling.
Adoption bY llel'crcncg Attornel, Keith (iross her-eby each e\icry lb.ct ar-rd arglllllcllt ernbodicd in ftelators' Pctitit'rn fbr Writ of N4andamr.ts.
Argument / Authoritics A party rlaintains riglit appellate revierv ovef a district coLlrt's orders. whether it's in the lbrm of atraditional aprpeal, c,1-trandatnlls, or
accelerated appeal. Texas Government Codc , rr.2')-).1 authorizes the courts
of appeal to issue writs o1'rnandamus and all other u'rit necessary to cntbrcc jLrrisdiction o1'the court. Appellate courts retain tlhe overreaching power
to grant such writs as lnay be necessary to enfbrce protcct tl'rcir cout't's
.iurisdiction over the pencling appeal, and prcservc tlhe sul.r.iect tttattct' ol'thc
appeal. In Re f|oile-y 296 S.W. 3cl ('l-ex.i\pp.---'["yler, 2tC09). Attorney (iross fllcd a of marndatnlls c,ontcndting that trial
court sanctiorred hin'r rvrctngtirllir. Attorney (iross laces irrcparable hartt-t
without stav florr CoLrrt. 11'(ircss complics wilh court's
order and takes continuing lcgal education class,ls, he vu'ill lose the right
to appellate revicw and will deprivcd thc opportr,rnit),to vindicate hirnsell'as issue will l-recot'ttc ntoot. W'oU r. Stur,456 S.W'. 3d 307 (Tex.App--- Ill
I)aso,2015.) (jross will bc hzrrrrcd havirrg contply rvith an cfroncolls
order. If Gross does not corlply, hc risks being licld in corttr-lrPt ol-coLtrt jailed. WithoLrt reviewir-rg each argurnent crnbodied im Petitior-r fbr Writ of
Mandantus, it should be sufhcient show tl'ris court that attorncy Gross dicl
not receive adequate noticc of urotion sanctions beforc thc hcaring. It undispr-rted receivecl noticc SLrpplerrrental Motion to Disc1Lrali11" Motion ftrr Sanctions only' one hoLrr before ther hearing. Gross had no
opportunity research the law, or otherwise plan a. def-ense. and therefbre
tl"ris court should stay tl-re enforcement, if llot sumltlarily reverse orde r. The powertcl sanction is lirnited bythe due prcrcess clause. In Re Max
Bennett,960 S.W. 2d 35, 40 (T'ex. 1991). At rlinitnutn, Irotice ol' atrv
hearing. . . must be servcd on all parties not less tlt;r.tr three days bclbre
tinre set hearing, unlcss tinrc is shol'tcn thc coLtrl. In ra
Acceptnrtce Insurance Oo. S.W. 3d 443, 449r (-t'cx.App.- Irort Worth,
2000) citing TIt(lP It well settlcd one dali's notice is insufflcicrrt,
as a rnattcr o1'law. Plunr.,S & L Ass'rt v. Sluvin, J')"1 S.\\'. 282,284 ('l'er.
1986). Attorney Ramos lllccl his Motiorr [)isqr-rtrlify on z\pril 27,2015, llled his supplcr-r-rental rnotir-rn on thc morning ol[-April 28.2015 at 8:1,5
a.ll-1.
l.Jpholdlrig an ordcr lbr Sarrctions basccl on c)ne hout's ttotice is crrttr on its f-ace. Attorney (iross requests this Court sta.y trial court order Lrntil
thc Petition lbr Writ Manclatnus is resolvccl.
Prayer Relater prays that this CloLrrt stay cou,rt's ordct'urrtil alter this Court has decided o1'rnandamus. any other relief, whether
general special, legal or ecluitable .
Respectfully' sr,lbrnitte:d, /s/ Keith Grgs::; Keith ,4. Grosr; State []ar No. |1:.4027351 245 Park Avc.
League City,1'exas 513 (832) 932-5970 Otflce (281 ) 701-5634 Clcll (832) t)32--56811 Irax attnyk gross(?rr ao | . collt RIJLN 'fOIt Certiflcate o1' Selv ice I certily that true ancl correct copy ol- the ltrregoing instrutttetrt w'as counscl Cor-trt itr accorclancc with 'l'RC'P on scrved on opposing
Septcrnber B, 20 I 5. /r" i
'f ,i / ! l./
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Keith Clertiflcate o f Con I'erence I certifl, that I have attempted conl-er with counscl. in underly'ng litigation via ernail resolve thc uatter agrecment. . ii' ,t /' / /,'
'it ../ _ (** K.eith tiross *6 VEITIF IC]N '[IC)N
STA'|E OF'IEXAS ,\ ) li J
C]OIJNTY OF (iALV ESTON ,c .\- BEFOI{lr ME, thc Lrndersigned authoritv, ,i)n d"y personallv appcared Keitfr (iross, who afier bcing clr,rll' sworn, did ttn his oath depose say hc has read Relator's lmergcncy Motion Stav and that
1.acts containecl tl-rereir-r are within his personal knorr'rledgc attcl arc trLte and
correct.
Keith (riross Mll, Notary Pr,rblic. on this " SIJBSC]RII]ED AND SWORN TO 'r"1 davol rt..'- 1()15 L-
j- '= I .' i ,' .i
:{'r L i_-{ r. ,..-i-*t-:, ;- Notary' il)Lrblic ir-r 1'or -fhe Sterte ol''l'exas