University of Texas at Arlington v. James McMerchant

• Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
• Decided: April 2, 2025
• Docket: 15-25-00038-CV
• Status: Published

Opinion

15-25-00038-CV

236-337930-22 FILED TARRANT COUNTY 4/2/2025 4:25 PM CAUSE NO. 236-337930-22 THOMAS A. WILDER DISTRICT CLERK

JAMES MCMERCHANT, § IN THE DISTRICT COURT FILED IN § 2nd COURT OF APPEALS FORT WORTH, TEXAS Plaintiff, § 4/2/2025 4:44:33 PM v. § § CLARISSA TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS HODGES Clerk UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT § ARLINGTON. § § Defendant. § 236TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

DEFENDANT’S NOTICE OF ACCELERATED APPEAL AND NOTICE OF AUTOMATIC STAY

TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF SAID COURT:

Pursuant to Rule 25 of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure and Texas Civil Practice &

Remedies Code § 51.014(a)(8), Defendant, University of Texas at Arlington (“UT Arlington” or

the “University”) hereby gives notice of appeal to the Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Austin, Texas.

Defendant appeals from the March 13, 2025, Order denying Defendant’s Plea to the Jurisdiction

and Motion for Summary Judgment. Defendant is entitled to an interlocutory appeal pursuant to

Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 51.014(a)(8) which allows an appeal from a district court’s

interlocutory order denying a governmental unit’s plea to the jurisdiction. This “interlocutory

appeal… stays all other proceedings in the trial court pending resolution of that appeal.” See Tex.

Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 51.015(b).

Pursuant to Tex. R. App. P. 25.1(d)(6) Defendant states that this is an accelerated appeal

and does not concern a parental termination or child protection case, as provided for in Tex. R.

App. P. 28.4.

DEFENDANT IS NOT REQUIRED TO FILE A COST BOND

Page 1 of 3 Notice is further given pursuant to Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 6.001 that, as a

governmental entity, Defendant is not required to file a bond for court costs.

Respectfully submitted.

KEN PAXTON Attorney General

BRENT WEBSTER First Assistant Attorney General

RALPH MOLINA Deputy First Assistant Attorney General

AUSTIN KINGHORN Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation

KIMBERLY GDULA Chief, General Litigation Division

/s/ Brianna M. Krominga BRIANNA M. KROMINGA Lead Attorney Texas Bar No. 24103252 Assistant Attorneys General General Litigation Division P.O. Box 12548 Austin, Texas 78711 (214) 290-8884 – Phone (512) 320-0667 – Fax brianna.krominga@oag.texas.gov

Counsel for Defendant

Page 2 of 3 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that on April 2, 2025, a true and correct copy of this document was served via the court’s e-service system on the following counsel of record:

Ali Crocker Crocker Russell & Associates 2401 Callender Road, Suite 103 Mansfield, Texas 76063 alic@cralawfirm.com

Counsel for Plaintiff

/s/ Brianna M. Krominga BRIANNA M. KROMINGA Assistant Attorney General

Page 3 of 3 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.

Karel Macias on behalf of Brianna Krominga Bar No. 24103252 karel.macias@oag.texas.gov Envelope ID: 99207332 Filing Code Description: Notice of Appeal Filing Description: Ds Notice of Appeal Status as of 4/2/2025 4:41 PM CST

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Ali Crocker ali@cralawfirm.com 4/2/2025 4:25:52 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: THEUNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON

karel macias karel.macias@oag.texas.gov 4/2/2025 4:25:52 PM SENT

Brianna Krominga brianna.krominga@oag.texas.gov 4/2/2025 4:25:52 PM SENT 236-337930-22 FILED TARRANT COUNTY 3/13/2025 4:17 PM 236-337930-22 THOMAS A. WILDER DISTRICT CLERK

CAUSE NO. 236-337930-22

JAMES MCMERCHANT, § IN THE DISTRICT COURT Plaintiff, § v. § § UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT § TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS ARLINGTON. § Defendant. § § § 236TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

DEIIYt N'G- ~HQ ORDER GR::MJTINO DEFENDANT'S PLEA TO THE JURISDICTION AND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGEMENT

After considering Defendant's Plea to the Jurisdiction and Motion for Summary

Judgment, and Plaintiff's response, if any, the Court finds that Plea to the Jurisdiction and ()E.M f !E--{), Motion for Summary Judgment is meritorious and should be ~TED. ~l~

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Defendant's Plea to the Jurisdiction and Motion /JEtHGO RN for Summary Judgment is hereby GR::MJTED,attd that all of :Plaintiff'Zs slaims-agaiast DGt:indant

~-styletl--ettttse~reby-DISMISSE-D-Wl!fi-J:·P~leE.

-"'---,.;:;:s, SIGNED this § i a y of_-"~__.__- fl/fV 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.

Envelope ID: 98441577 Filing Code Description: No Fee Documents Filing Description: ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION TO STRIKE DEFENDANT'S PLEA TO THE JURISDICTION/ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, AND MOTION TO STRIKE DEFENDANT'S EXHIBITS Status as of 3/13/2025 4:24 PM CST

karel macias karel.macias@oag.texas.gov 3/13/2025 4:17:28 PM SENT

Mary Quimby mary.quimby@oag.texas.gov 3/13/2025 4:17:28 PM SENT

Brianna Krominga brianna.krominga@oag.texas.gov 3/13/2025 4:17:28 PM SENT

Tristan AGarza tristan.garza@oag.texas.gov 3/13/2025 4:17:28 PM SENT

Laura Hendrix laura.hendrix@oag.texas.gov 3/13/2025 4:17:28 PM SENT

Ali Crocker ali@cralawfirm.com 3/13/2025 4:17:28 PM SENT