In Re the State of Texas v. the State of Texas

Opinion

ACCEPTED 15-25-00023-CV FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS 6/12/2025 4:35 PM CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE CLERK FILED IN 15th COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM June 12, 2025 CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk

Mr. Christoper A. Prine via E-Filing Clerk of the Court Fifteenth Court of Appeals P. O. Box 12852 Austin, TX 78711

Re: Court of Appeals Numbers: 15-25-00023-CV, 15-25-00031-CV, 15-25-00032-CV, 15-25-00039-CV

Style: Nonparty Patients 1–11 v. State; In re State of Texas; In re State of Texas; Nonparty Patients 1–11 v. State.

To the Fifteenth Court of Appeals:

The State disagrees with Nonparty Patients’ contention that appeal number 15-25-00023- CV is moot. While that appeal originally concerned a plea to the jurisdiction based on sovereign immunity, the State additionally raised standing as an independent ground for its plea. And as the State has noted in its briefing, standing cannot be waived. See, e.g. Nootsie, Ltd. v. Williamson Cnty. Appraisal Dist., 925 S.W.2d 659, 662 (Tex. 1996) (“Although Nootsie never raised standing at trial, it may raise the issue on appeal for the first time because standing implicates the trial court’s subject matter jurisdiction.”); see also Busbee v. Cnty. of Medina, 681 S.W.3d 391, 395 (Tex. 2023) (“Standing is thus a threshold jurisdictional issue that parties may raise by a plea to the jurisdiction.”). As for Nonparty Patients’ other allegations, they are inaccurate and not relevant to the determination of these appeals.

Sincerely,

/s/ Abigail E. Smith Abigail E. Smith Assistant Attorney General Consumer Protection Division Phone: (214) 290-8830 Abby.Smith@oag.texas.gov P os t Of fic e Box 12548 , Aust in, Texa s 7 8 7 1 1 - 2 5 4 8 • ( 5 1 2 ) 4 6 3 - 2 1 0 0 • www. texa satto r neyg eneral .gov June 12, 2025 Page 2 cc: William M. Logan, via e-service Jervonne D. Newsome, via e-service Evan D. Lewis, via e-service Thanh D. Nguyen, via e-service Olivia A. Wogon, via e-service Jonathan Hung, via e-service Hollie M. Albin, via e-service David Phillips, via e-service Automated Certificate of eService This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system. The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

Pauline Sisson on behalf of Abigail Smith Bar No. 24141756 pauline.sisson@oag.texas.gov Envelope ID: 101962542 Filing Code Description: Letter Filing Description: 20250612 States Ltr to Ct in respone to Nonparty Patients Ltr Status as of 6/12/2025 4:45 PM CST

Associated Case Party: Nonparty Patient No. 1

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

William Logan 24106214 wlogan@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Evan Lewis 24116670 edlewis@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Jervonne Newsome 24094869 jnewsome@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Thanh Nguyen tdnguyen@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Olivia Wogon owogon@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Jonathan Hung JOHung@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Pauline Sisson pauline.sisson@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

David Phillips DPhillips@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Jamie Vargo JVargo@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Emily Samuels emily.samuels@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Melinda Pate melinda.pate@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Houston Docket ecf_houston@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Hollie Albin hmalbin@winston.com 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: State of Texas

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

David G. Shatto david.shatto@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Rob Farquharson rob.farquharson@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT Automated Certificate of eService This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system. The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

Pauline Sisson on behalf of Abigail Smith Bar No. 24141756 pauline.sisson@oag.texas.gov Envelope ID: 101962542 Filing Code Description: Letter Filing Description: 20250612 States Ltr to Ct in respone to Nonparty Patients Ltr Status as of 6/12/2025 4:45 PM CST

Associated Case Party: State of Texas

Rob Farquharson rob.farquharson@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Johnathan Stone johnathan.stone@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Ian Bergstrom Ian.Bergstrom@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Abby Smith abby.smith@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT

Amy Pletscher amy.pletscher@oag.texas.gov 6/12/2025 4:35:09 PM SENT