City of Leon Valley, Texas, Unknown Employee(s) of City of Leon Valley, and Irene Baldridge v. Wm. Rancher Estates Joint Venture, Rafael Alfaro, Jose Alfaro, Carman Alfaro, Daniel Bee, Robert Caldwell, Anne Caldwell, Earl Doderer, Sylvia Doderer, James Dowdy, Betty Dowdy, Issac Elizondo, Suzanne Elizondo, Roberto Galindo, Erma Galindo

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ACCEPTED 04-14-00542-CV FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 12/30/2014 4:38:12 PM KEITH HOTTLE CLERK CASE NO. 04-14-00542-CV FILED IN 4th COURT OF APPEALS IN THE COURT OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS APPEALS 12/30/2014 4:38:12 PM FOR THE FOURTH JUDICIAL KEITH E. HOTTLE CIRCUIT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Clerk CITY OF LEON VALLEY, TEXAS, UNKNOWN EMPLOYEE(S) OF CITYOF LEON VALLEY and IRENE BALDRIDGE, Individually Appellants v. WM. RANCHER ESTATES JOINT VENTURE, RAFAEL ALFARO, JOSE ALFARO, CARMAN ALFARO, DANIEL BEE, ROBERT CALDWELL, ANNE CALDWELL, DEFERNCE SERVICE BUSINESS, INC., EARL DODERER, SYLVIA DODERER, JAMES DOWDY, BETTY DOWDY, ISSAC ELIZONDO, SUZANNE ELlNZONDO, ROBERTO GALINDO, ERMA GALINDO, SHIRL JACKSON, ANNE JACKSON, AND RICARDO A. PADILLA Appellees APPELLEES' SECOND UNOPPOSED MOTION TO EXTEND TIME TO FILE APPELLEES' BRIEF 0. RENE DIAZ (SBN: 05804775) DIAZ JAKOB. LLC The Historic Milam Building 115 E. Travis St. Suite 333 San Antonio. TX 78205 Tel. (210) 226-4500 Fax (21 0) 226-4502 E-mail/E-Service: ORD@diazjakob.com COUNSEL FOR APPELLEES CASE NO. 04-14-00542-CV IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS CITY OF LEON VALLEY, TEXAS, UNKNOWN EMPLOYEE(S) OF CITYOF LEON VALLEY and IRENE BALDRIDGE, Individually Appellants v. WM. RANCHER ESTATES JOINT VENTURE, RAFAEL ALFARO, JOSE ALFARO, CARMAN ALFARO, DANIELS. BEE, ROBERT CALDWELL, ANNE CALDWELL, DEFERENCE SERVICE BUSINESS, INC., EARL DODERER, SYLVIA DODERER, JAMES DOWDY, BETTY DOWDY, ISSAC ELIZONDO, SUZANNE ELINZONDO, ROBERTO GALINDO, ERMA GALINDO, SHIRL JACKSON, ANNE JACKSON, AND RICARDO A. PADILLA Appellees APPELLEES' SECOND UNOPPOSED MOTION TO EXTEND TIME TO FILE APPELLEES' BRIEF TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF SAJD COURT: NOW COME the APPELLEES. WM. RANCHER ESTATES JOINT VENTURE, RAFAEL ALFARO. JOSE ALFARO, CARMAN ALFARO, DANIEL BEE, ROBERT CALDWELL. ANNE CALDWELL, DEFERENCE SERVICE BUSINESS. INC .. EARL DODERER, SYLVIA DODERER, JAMES DOWDY, BETTY DOWDY, ISSAC ELIZONDO. SUZANNE ELINZONDO. ROBERTO GALINDO, ERMA GALINDO, Appellees' Second Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Appellees' Brief Page 1 of7 SHIRL JACKSON, ANNE JACKSON, AND RICARDO A. PADILLA, Gointly referred to as "Appellees'') and pursuant to Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure I 0 file this Second Unopposed Motion to Extend Time to File Appellees' Brief and would show tl1e Court as follows: 1. This is the second Motion to Extend time filed by the Appellees, and it is unopposed by the Appellants counsel. See the Certificate of Conference set forth below· in Paragraph No. 11. 2. The cuiTent deadline for the Appellees brief was December 30, 2014; however, Appellees were not able to complete the brief within the time allotted for a combination of reasons, including the following: (a) the hospitalization and convalescence of the Appellees' attorney's mother, age 89. for whom he is designated as trustee, attorney-in-fact, and acting legal guardian; (b) the illness of counsel for the Appellee; (c) the complexity of the legal and factual issues presented by this appeal: and (d) various scheduling complications raised by the active litigation practice of the Counsel lor the Appellees combined with numerous hearings, mediations and two complex arbitration hearings. The combination of these factors has prevented a timely completion of the Appellees' Brief and additional time is needed to fully and completely prepare the Appellees· Response to the Appellants' Brief. 3. The Hospitalization and Convalescence of the Mother of Appellees' Counsel: The Mother of Appellees· counsel is Judith F. Diaz; she is 89 years-old, a widow, and cunently convalescing from a hip ti·acture and hip replacement surgery that occmTed in approximately August 3, 2014. Since that time, due to Mrs. Diaz's physical incapacity and recuperation. 0. Rene Diaz, Appellees· Counsel, has become her attorney-in-fact, trustee and legal guardian Appellees' Second Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Appellees' Brief Page 2 of7 pursuant to a duly executed statutory general durable power of attorney, trust documents, and a health care power of attomey. Although she resides in an assisted living facility, she does not have round-the-clock care, and during the week of December 14- December 20, 2014, Mrs. Diaz unexpectedly fell several times due to unexplained and undiagnosed vertigo and dizziness. During one of the falls on or about December 17, 2014, Mrs. Diaz sustained what appeared to be severe head injury and was hospitalized. Since that date, considering Mrs. Diaz' age and post-surgical hip condition, her hospitalization required extra time and attention fi·01n Mr. Diaz (Appellee's counsel) in order to obtain emergency medical treatment, for proper diagnosis, to rule out potential complications, and to manage Mrs. Diaz's complex health insurance issues. As her guardian and attorney-in-i~1ct. Appellees' counsel had to personally manage all aspects of his mother's medical care, interact with hospital and medical personneL arrange for special transportation needs, and administer health insurance during the same time period most critical to the preparation of the Appellees' Response Brief. 4. The Illness of Counsel fo1· the Appellee: Additionally, 0. Rene Diaz, counsel for the Appellees, was sick with a severe cold ti·om approximately December 26, 2014 through December 29, 2014, including acute care at the minor emergency, Texas Med Clinic for diagnosis and treatment on December 27, 2014, and he is still recuperating as of the date of submission of this Second Motion for Extension of Time. Consequently, Appellees' counsel was unable to devote the full anwunt of time needed to complete the Appellees' Response to the Appellants • Brief within the present time allotted. 5. The Complexity of the Issues in this Appeal: Additionally, as the Court is well aware. the issues in this appeal are complex. 'J'his case was officially designated as complex Appellees' Second Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Appellees' Brief Page3 of7 by the Bexar County District Courts shortly after it was tiled. The complexity for the trial court is suggestive of the complexity of the issues on appeal. The issues in this appeal are not only numerous, but they are also legally and factually complex, dealing not only with jurisdictional issues such as sovereign immunity, absolute immunity, and legislative immunity, but also with an overlap of statutO!)' and common law causes of action under the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) (with live [5) different statutory violations of TOMA alleged), the Local Govenm1ent Code, the Texas Water Code, the Health & Safety Code, the Natural Resources Code, the Declaratory Judgment Act, the Texas Constitution. 6. The interrelationship of these seven (7) statutory issues combined with the overlap of nme (9) different common law tort actions, such as tortious interference with existing and prospective business relationships, and conspiracy involve not only the City of Leon Valley, Texas, but also a former City Council Member (Irene Baldridge), with issues such as conl1ict of interest. failure to disclose and participation in executive meetings, all of which were prohibited by statute. The Appellees contend Baldridge's role in this case as a govemmental employee is severable from her role as a private individual. Appellees also assert Baldridge is liable not only in her capacity as a former governmental official (for intentional violations of the Local Government Code and the Texas Open Meetings Act), but that Baldridge is also liable in her non-governmental capacity as a Realtor, as a private business owner. as a representative of the Estate of her late husband, Alie Baldridge, (who was her real estate broker), and as a co-conspirator in committing at least three (3) ditierent torts, in combination with over seven (7) other defendants, who are not govenm1ental entities and who have no immunity whatsoever. Procedurally the case is also complex because of the trial court's Appellees' Second Unopposed Motion for Exiension of Time to File Appellees' Brief Page 4 of7 severance of the Plea to the Jurisdiction il-om the Motions for Summary Judgment issues, each of which have differing standards of review. Due to the complexity of the legal, factual and procedural issues, the Appellees need additional time in which to prepare their Appellees' Brie[ 7. Mandator-y Arbitrations for Two Complex Cases Handled During the Same Time Fr·ame bv Counsel For Appellees: During the month of December, 2014, Counsel for Appellees was also involved in two mandatory arbitrations on case that were scheduled on relatively short notice. On December 1 L 2014, 0. Rene Diaz, counsel for the Appellees, was involved as lead counsel in an arbitration on several contested issues for Cause No. 20 13-CI- 12731, In the Matter of the Marriage of Paul H. Reed and Karla M. Villafan-Reed and in the Interest of Zoe M. Reed and Jack M. Reed, children. This arbitration took place before the Honorable Victor Negron, On December 15, 2014, Counsel was also involved as lead counsel in the arbitration on contested issues for Cause No. 2012-CI-05052, In the Interest of Dylan Michael Caputo, a child. Both of these arbitrations were final and involved considerable time and preparation, similar to a final bench trial, only the arbitrators' decisions were generally not appealable due to the binding nature of the decisions. 8. Appellees request additional time to file said brief: extending the time until at least January 29, 2014, which is an additional 30 days. Appellees need this additional time to tile their brief to allow adequate time for a proper and complete brief due to a combination of all of the grounds alleged and set forth above in this motion. 9. This motion is not made for the purposes of delay but so that justice may be done. I 0. The fiiCts recited in this motion arc within the personal knowledge of the Appellees' Second Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Appellees' Brief Page 5 of7 undersigned counsel and therefore no verification is required under Rule 10.2 CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE 11. Appellants do not oppose the relief sought in this motion. Appellees' counsel conferred via telephone on December 29, 2014, with Appellant's counsel, Clarissa M. Rodriguez, who indicated Appellants do not oppose tbe motion. PRAYER WHEREFORE PREMISES CONSIDERED. Appellees request tbe Comi extend the time to file their brief to January 29. 2015. Respectfully Submitted, DIAZ JAKOB, LLC The Historic Milam Building 115 E. Travis St, Suite 333 San Antonio, TX 78205 Tel. (21 0) 226-4500 Fax (21 0) 226-4502 State Bar No. 05804775 Attorney for Appellees Appellees' Second Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Appellees' Brief Page 6 of7 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE This is to certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing instrument has been served in accordance with the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure on December 30,2014 to the following: Patrick Bernal Clarissa M. Rod1iguez DENTON NAVARRO ROCHA BERNAL HYDE & ZECH. P.C. A Professional Corporation 2517 N. Main Avenue San Antonio. Texas 78212 210/227-3243 phone 2101225-4481 Facsimile Email: patrick .bemalzilTam page-sa .com En1ail: cia rissa.rodri Quez(ffirn moa!le-sa.cL• m COUNSEL FOR APPELLANTS Darby Riley Riley & Riley, Attorneys at Law 320 Lexington A venue San Antonio. Texas 78215 Jtlorneys for Irene Baldridge Appellees' Second Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Appellees' Brief Page 7 of7