In Re Sammy Lee Haynes, Individually and as Independent Othe The Estate of Sharon J. Haynes v. the State of Texas

• Court: Texas Court of Appeals, 1st District (Houston)
• Decided: July 2, 2026
• Docket: 01-26-00558-CV
• Status: Published

Opinion

Opinion issued July 2, 2026

In The

Court of Appeals For The

First District of Texas ———————————— NO. 01-26-00558-CV ——————————— IN RE SAMMY LEE HAYNES, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS INDEPENDENT EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF SHARON J. HAYNES, DECEASED, Relator

Original Proceeding on Petition for Writ of Mandamus

MEMORANDUM OPINION

On May 26, 2026, relator, Sammy Lee Haynes, individually and as

Independent Executor of the Estate of Sharon J. Haynes, deceased, filed a petition

for writ of mandamus challenging the trial court’s May 20, 2026 order denying

relator’s motion to abate or, alternatively, plea to the jurisdiction.1

1 The underlying case is Sammy Lee Haynes, Individually and as Independent Executor of the Estate of Sharon J. Haynes, Deceased v. Richard Alton Shuman, as In its order challenged by relator, the trial court set the underlying case for a

jury trial on May 27, 2026. In connection with his petition for writ of mandamus,

relator also filed a “Motion for Emergency Stay.” In the motion, relator requested

that the Court stay all proceedings in the trial court, specifically, the jury trial setting,

pending this Court’s review of relator’s petition for writ of mandamus. On May 27,

2026, the Court requested a response to relator’s Motion for Emergency Stay from

real parties in interest, Richard Alton Shuman, as Independent Executor of the Estate

of R.L. Shuman, also known as Richard Leon Shuman, deceased, and Kurt Douglas

Fraser, as Independent Executor of the Estate of E. Marlene Shuman, deceased, and

stayed the trial court proceedings pending the response to relator’s motion. No

response was filed.

We conclude that relator has failed to establish that he is entitled to mandamus

relief, and therefore, the Court lifts the stay imposed by our May 27, 2026 order and

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

moot.

PER CURIAM

Panel consists of Justices Caughey, Johnson, and Dokupil.

Independent Executor of the Estate of R.L. Shuman a/k/a Richard Leon Shuman, Deceased, and Kurt Douglas Fraser, as Independent Executor of the Estate of E. Marlene Shuman, Deceased, Cause No. 1242102, in the County Civil Court at Law No. 4 of Harris County, Texas, the Honorable Manpreet Monica Singh presiding