Araceli Zapata D/B/A El Super, Veljaco Corp., Inc, D/B/A El Super Meat Market & Taqueria and Carmen Gloria Veljanovich v. Clear Creek Independent School District, the City of Webster, and Harris County ( 2015 )


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  •                                                                                                            ACCEPTED
    01-15-00346-CV
    FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
    HOUSTON, TEXAS
    11/3/2015 3:49:40 PM
    CHRISTOPHER PRINE
    CLERK
    No. 01-15-00346-CV
    ARACELLI ZAPATA D/B/A                         §                                 IN THE FIRST
    SUPER, ET AL.,                                §                                  FILED IN
    1st COURT OF APPEALS
    Appellants                                    §                               HOUSTON, TEXAS
    §                           11/3/2015 3:49:40 PM
    v.                                            §                          COURT OF APPEAL
    CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
    §                                   Clerk
    CLEAR CREEK INDEPENDENT                       §
    SCHOOL DISTRICT, ET AL.,                      §
    Appellees                                     §                            HOUSTON, TEXAS
    APPELLANTS’ AND APPELLEES’
    JOINT MOTION TO DISMISS FOR MOOTNESS
    Appellants (Araceli Zapata D/B/A El Super, Veljaco Corp., Inc., D/B/A El Super Meat
    Market and Taqueria, and Carmen Gloria Veljanovich) and Appellees (Clear Creek Independent
    School District, the City of Webster and Harris County) file this Joint Motion to Dismiss for
    Mootness, and would respectfully show as follows.
    1.      This is an appeal from the March 2, 2015 Final Judgment in Cause No. 2013-04925,
    Clear Creek Independent School District, et al. v. GNM Enterprises d/b/a Super, et al.; In the 165th
    Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas.
    2.      On October 30, 2015, the Trial Court granted Clear Creek Independent School
    District’s Petition to Vacate Judgment, and issued an Order that vacated the Final Judgment.
    (See Exhibit A attached hereto).
    3.      The Court has the authority to dismiss an appeal if there is no longer an issue in
    controversy. See Heckman v. Williamson Cnty., 
    369 S.W.3d 137
    , 154 (Tex. 2012); Tex. A&M
    Univ.-Kingsville v. Yarbrough, 
    347 S.W.3d 289
    , 291 (Tex. 2011). This Appeal should be
    dismissed because the Trial Court’s Order to Vacate disposed of all issues forming the basis of
    1
    this appeal, and the parties no longer have a legally cognizable interest in the outcome of the
    appeal. See FDIC v. Nueces Cnty., 
    886 S.W.2d 766
    , 767 (Tex. 1994).
    4.     Moreover, the Court should not decide the issues presented by this appeal because
    the appeal is moot, and the Court is not authorized to issue advisory opinions. See 
    Heckman, 369 S.W.3d at 147
    ; Tex. Ass’n of Bus. v. Tex. Air Control Bd., 
    852 S.W.2d 440
    , 444 (Tex. 1993).
    5.     For these reasons, Appellants and Appellees ask the Court to grant this Motion and
    dismiss the appeal as moot.
    Respectfully submitted,
    By: /s/ Mark Aronowitz
    Mark Aronowitz
    State Bar No. 00793281
    P.O. Box 1201
    Texas City, Texas 77592-1201
    Telephone: (281) 402-6790
    Fax: (281) 714-4284
    Email: markaronowitz@hotmail.com
    ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANTS
    By: /s/ R. Gregory East
    R. Gregory East
    State Bar No. 24007138
    Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, L.L.P.
    1235 North Loop West, Suite 600
    Houston, Texas 77008
    Telephone: (713) 862-1860
    Fax: (713) 862-1429
    Geast@pbfcm.com
    ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE CLEAR CREEK
    INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
    2
    By:
    Edward J. (Nick) Nicholas
    State Bar No. 14991350
    Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP
    4828 Loop Central Drive, Suite 600
    Houston, Texas 78701
    Telephone: (713) 844-3405
    Fax: (713) 844-3504
    Nick.Nicholas@lgbs.com
    ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEES
    THE CITY OF WEBSTER AND HARRIS COUNTY
    CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
    I certify that a copy of this instrument was served via electronic mail on Mr. Mark
    Aronowitz at markaronowitz@hotmail.com, and Mr. Greg East at geast@pbfcm.com.
    By:
    Edward J. (Nick) Nicholas
    3
    Exhibit A
    For Official Governmental Use Only - Do Not Disseminate to the Public: 67711610 - Page 1 of 4
    For Official Governmental Use Only - Do Not Disseminate to the Public: 67711610 - Page 2 of 4
    For Official Governmental Use Only - Do Not Disseminate to the Public: 67711610 - Page 3 of 4
    For Official Governmental Use Only - Do Not Disseminate to the Public: 67711610 - Page 4 of 4
    I, Chris Daniel, District Clerk of Harris
    County, Texas certify that this is a true and
    correct copy of the original record filed and or
    recorded in my office, electronically or hard
    copy, as it appears on this date.
    Witness my official hand and seal of office
    this November 3, 2015
    Certified Document Number:        67711610 Total Pages: 4
    Chris Daniel, DISTRICT CLERK
    HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS
    In accordance with Texas Government Code 406.013 electronically transmitted authenticated
    documents are valid. If there is a question regarding the validity of this document and or seal
    please e-mail support@hcdistrictclerk.com