Case Information

*0 FILED IN 1st COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 12/29/2015 4:10:11 PM CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk *1 ACCEPTED 01-15-00818-CV FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 12/29/2015 4:10:11 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE CLERK

NO. 01-15-00818-CV ______________________________________ IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT HOUSTON, TEXAS

______________________________________ MIGUEL ZARAGOZA FUENTES, Appellant ,

v. EVANGELINA LOPEZ GUZMAN ZARAGOZA, Appellee .

______________________________________ On Appeal from the 245th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas

Trial Court No. 2014-30215 ______________________________________ APPELLANT’S SECOND MOTION TO EXTEND TIME TO FILE BRIEF

______________________________________ T O T HE H ONORABLE F IRST C OURT OF A PPEALS

Appellant, Miguel Zaragoza Fuentes, pursuant to Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure 38.6(d) and 10.5(b), requests this Court to extend time to file his brief in

this cause for an additional thirty (30) days: This is an appeal from an interlocutory order granting injunctions and

other temporary orders in a suit for divorce. The trial court signed the order at

issue on September 2, 2015. Appellant filed a notice of appeal on September 24,

2015. ^[1] While the present appeal has been pending, the district court conducted a

trial on the merits in the underlying case, which occurred on November 2-5, 2015.

The district court recently signed a final judgment on December 21, 2015. The reporter’s record was filed October 6, 2015. The clerk’s record

was filed October 29, 2015.

3. Appellant’s brief was originally due November 30, 2015. Appellant filed a motion to extend time to file his brief up to and including December 30,

2015. Appellee opposed the motion and this Court granted the requested relief.

Appellant’s brief is currently due December 30, 2015.

4. When this Court granted Appellant’s motion for an extension of time to file his brief, the Court also stated that “no futher extensions will be granted

absent exceptional circumstances.” As explained, a material circumstance has

occurred since this Court extended the brief deadline because the district court has

now signed a final judgment. Appellant’s counsel is currently evaluating whether

the signing of a final judgment in the underlying case moots the instant proceeding.

For judicial economy and related reasons, Appellant prefers to not burden the

Court and the parties with unnecessary briefing or other work if it is ultimately

determined that the case in this Court is moot.

This is Appellant’s second motion for extension of time to file his brief and Appellant requests an additional thirty (30) day extension, up to and

including Friday January 29, 2016, in which to file his brief. Appellant’s counsel

is mindful of the Court’s admonishment contained in its November 30, 2015 order

granting the first extension of time, and has accordingly given this case priority.

However, counsel is of the considered opinion that the intervening entry of final

judgment is an “exceptional circumstance” justifying this second motion for

extenstion of time because it may impact this Court’s jurisdiction.

6. Appellant seeks this extension not for delay, but to allow counsel sufficient time to determine whether this proceeding is moot, in whole or in part,

and to prepare a concise brief to assist with the Court’s decision making.

PRAYER For the above reasons, Appellant, Miguel Zaragoza Fuentes, respectfully requests this Court to grant an extension of time to file his brief up to and including

January 29, 2016. Appellant further requests general relief.

Respectfully submitted, CHAMBERLAIN, HRDLICKA, WHITE, WILLIAMS & AUGHTRY By: /s/ Kevin Jewell Kevin D. Jewell State Bar No. 00787769 1200 Smith Street, Suite 1400 Houston, Texas 77002 Telephone: (713) 658-1818 Telecopier: (713) 658-2553 ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE The undersigned counsel for Appellant conferred with counsel for Appellee by email on December 29, 2015 and Appellee’s counsel is opposed to the relief

sought in this motion.

/s/ Kevin Jewell Kevin D. Jewell

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that the foregoing Motion to Extend Time to File Brief has been forwarded to all parties and/or attorneys of record by the means indicated

below, on this 29th day of December, 2015:

Via electronic service

Jeanne Caldwell McDowell

Rebekah H. Birdwell

The Law Offices of Jeanne Caldwell McDowell

603 Avondale

Houston, Texas 77006

Via electronic service :

Mary Olga Lovett

Greenberg Traurig, L.L.P.

1000 Louisiana, Suite 1700

Houston, Texas 77002

Via electronic service :

J. Lindsey Short

Adam J. Morris

Short Carter Morris

1177 West Loop South, Suite 700

Houston, Texas 77027-9016

Via electronic service :

Stewart W. Gagnon

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP

1301 McKinney, Suite 5100

Houston, Texas 77010-3095

Via electronic service

Ricardo L. Ramos

440 Louisiana Street, Suite 1450

Houston, Texas 77002

/s/ Kevin Jewell Kevin D. Jewell

[1] Appellant alternatively requests the Court to treat this appeal as a mandamus proceeding. See CMH Homes v. Perez , 340 S.W.3d 444, 452-53 (Tex. 2011).