In Re Ali Choudhri v. the State of Texas

Opinion

Opinion issued April 8, 2025

In The

Court of Appeals For The

First District of Texas ———————————— NO. 01-25-00162-CV ——————————— IN RE ALI CHOUDHRI, Relator

Original Proceeding on Petition for Writ of Mandamus

MEMORANDUM OPINION Relator, Ali Choudhri, filed a petition for writ of mandamus challenging

challenging the trial court’s January 8, 2025 “Order Granting Emergency Motion for

Sanctions for Violation of Court Order and for Appointment of Limited Purpose

Receiver.”1 The order challenged by relator was signed by the Honorable Robert

1 The underlying case is George M. Lee v. Ali Choudhri, Cause No. 2020-16175, in the 152nd District Court of Harris County, Texas, the Honorable TaKasha Francis presiding. Schaffer. Judge Schaffer ceased to hold the office of judge of the 152nd District

Court of Harris County, Texas on December 31, 2024. Judge Schaffer was

succeeded by the Honorable TaKasha Francis, whose term as the judge of the 152nd

District Court of Harris County, Texas began on January 1, 2025.

In his petition for writ of mandamus, relator argued that the January 8, 2025

order, signed by Judge Schaffer, was void because Judge Schaffer signed the order

after the expiration of his term as judge of the 152nd District Court, and he therefore

“had no authority, no power, [and] no jurisdiction” to sign the order. Relator

therefore requested that this Court grant his petition for writ of mandamus, declare

that the January 8, 2025 order signed by Judge Schaffer is void, and direct the trial

court to vacate the January 8, 2025 order.

The Court requested that real party in interest, George M. Lee, file a response

to the petition for writ of mandamus. On March 28, 2025, Lee filed a response to

the mandamus petition, along with an appendix in support of his response.

Based on our review of the mandamus record, we conclude that relator has

failed to establish he is entitled to mandamus relief, and therefore the Court denies

relator’s petition for writ of mandamus. We dismiss any pending motions as moot.

Panel consists of Chief Justice Adams and Justices Gunn and Guiney.