Cypresswood Land Partners I and Stephen A. Morrow v. Beirne, Maynard and Parsons, LLP

Opinion

Order filed October 6, 2016

In The

Fourteenth Court of Appeals ____________

NO. 14-16-00389-CV ____________

CYPRESSWOOD LAND PARTNERS I AND STEPHEN A. MORROW, Appellants

V.

BEIRNE, MAYNARD AND PARSONS, LLP, Appellee

On Appeal from the 151st District Court Harris County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. 2014-48326

ORDER

Appellant Cypresswood Land Partners I (“Cypresswood”), which describes itself as a joint venture, is not represented by counsel in this appeal. Rather, Cypresswood is attempting to represent itself pro se through one of the joint venturers, who is not an attorney. Joint ventures are generally governed by the law of partnerships. See Truly v. Austin, 744 S.W.2d 934, 937 (Tex. 1988); Lawler v. Dallas Statler-Hilton Joint Venture, 793 S.W.2d 27, 33 (Tex. App.—Dallas 1990, writ denied). Except for the performance of ministerial tasks, partnerships, like corporations, may appear and be represented only by a licensed attorney. Kunstoplast of Am., Inc. v. Formosa Plastics Corp., U.S.A., 937 S.W.2d 455, 456 (Tex. 1996); Simmons, Jannace & Stagg, L.L.P. v. The Buzbee Law Firm, 324 S.W.3d 833, 833 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2010, no pet.) (mem op.).

On August 30, 2016, we requested that Cypresswood obtain counsel to represent it in this appeal and file a notice of appearance by September 15, 2016. No response has been received.

Accordingly, we ORDER Cypresswood to obtain counsel for this appeal and to provide proof of the retention by October 13, 2016. If Cypresswood does not comply, the court will dismiss Cypresswood’s appeal for failure to comply with our order. See Tex. R. App. P. 42.3(c).

PER CURIAM