M&M Orthodontics P.A.and Harlingen Family Dentistry v. Texas Health and Human Services Commission Dr. Kyle Janek, in His Official Capacity as the Executive Commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services Commission Carole Hurley, Chief Administrative Law Judge for the Texas Health and Human Services Commiss

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ACCEPTED 03-14-00548-CV 3761541 THIRD COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS January 14, 2015 1/14/2015 10:24:00 AM JEFFREY D. KYLE CLERK No. 03-14-00548-CV In the Third Court of Appeals Austin, Texas M & M ORTHODONTICS P.A., HARLINGEN FAMILY DENTISTRY, P.C., Appellants, v. TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, DR. KYLE JANEK, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS THE EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER OF TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, CAROLE HURLEY, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE FOR THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, JUDGE KEITH GRANTHAM OF THE APPEALS DIVISION OF TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, AND RICK GILPIN, ADMIN ISTRATfVE LAW JUDGE OF THE APPEALS DIVISION TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMfSSION, Appellees. On Appeal from the 345th Judicial District Court of Travis County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. D-1-GN-14-00 1 I 09 UNOPPOSED MOTION TO DISMISS TO THE HONORABLE JUDGES OF THE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS: Now come Appellees, Administrative Law Judges Carole Hurley, Keith Grantham, and Rick Gilpin ("the ALJ Appellees"); and Texas Health and Human Services Commission ("HHSC") and Dr. Kyle Janek, in his official capacity as the Executive Commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services Commission ("Dr. Janek") (collectively, "the HHSC Appellees"), and file this Unopposed Motion to Dismiss and would request that this Court issue an Order dismissing this appeal. I. BACKGROUND Recent developments in the underlying administrative proceedings from which this appeal arises directly impact the current status of this appeal. On December 23, 2014, the Texas Health and Human Services- Office of Inspector General filed Notices of Nonsuit of the underlying administrative actions that were pending against Appellants in the HHSC Appeals Division before ALJ Gilpin. Attached hereto as Exhibits "A" and "B" are true and complete copies of the Notices of Nonsuit filed in HHSC Appeals. The filing of these Notices of Nonsuit by the HHSC Office of Inspector General in the underlying administrative proceedings renders the issues raised by Appellants in this appeal moot because ALJ Gilpin is no longer presiding over administrative actions against them. See Allstate Ins. Co. v. Hallman, 159 S.W.3d 640, 642 (Tex. 2005). As a result, any opinion the Court could issue would resolve no live controversy between the parties and would, therefore, be advisory in nature. See Texas Ass 'n ofBus. v. Texas Air Control Bd. , 852 S.W.2d 440, 444 (Tex. 1993). Appellants do not oppose this Motion. Page 2 of6 II. CONCLUSION AND PRAYER WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, the ALJ Appellees and the HHSC Appellees respectfully request that the Court dismiss this appeal and that the Court grant the Appellees such other and further relief to which they have shown themselves to be entitled. Respectfully submitted, KEN PAXTON Attorney General ofTexas CHARLES E. ROY First Assistant Attorney General JAMES E. DAVIS Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation Page 3 of 6 Is/ Raymond C. Winter RAYMOND C. WINTER State Bar No. 21791950 Chief, Civil Medicaid Fraud Division Assistant Attorney General Raymond. Winter@texasattorneygeneral.gov OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS P.O. Box 12548 Austin, Texas 78711-2548 Telephone: (512) 936-1709 Facsimile: (512) 499-0712-0167 Attorneys for Appellees, Texas 1-Iealth & Human Services Commission and Dr. Kyle Janek Is/ Karen L. Watkins KAREN L. WATKINS State Bar No. 20927425 Assistant Attorney General Administrative Law Division OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS P.O. Box 12548, Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711-2548 Telephone: (512) 475-4208 Facsimile: (512) 320-0167 karen.watkins@texasattomeygeneral.gov Attorneys for the Appellees, Administrative Law Judges Carole Hurley, Keith Grantham, and Rick Gilpin Page 4 of6 CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE The undersigned certifies he contacted counsel for Appellants, Jason Ray, January /3, 2015, by telephone, on behalf of the HHSC Appellees, THHSC and Dr. Janek, and on behalf of counsel for the ALJ Appellees, Karen L. Watkins. Mr. Ray represented that the Appellants are not opposed to the granting of the relief requested in this Joint Motion. Is/Raymond C. Winter RAYMOND C. WINTER Assistant Attorney General CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing document has been served on this the /4-e day of January, 201 5 on the following: J .A. Canales VIA: File & ServeXpress and E-mail State Bar No. 03737000 CANALES & SIMONSON, P.C. 2601 Morgan Ave. P.O. Box 5624 Corpus Christi, Texas 78465-5624 Telephone: (361) 883-0601 Facsimile: (361) 884-7023 tonycanales@canalessimonson.com Page 5 of6 Jason Ray VIA: File & ServeXpress and E-mail State Bar NO. 24000511 RIGGS, ALESHIRE & RAY, P.C. 7 00 Lavaca, Suite 920 Austin, Texas 7870 Telephone: (512) 457-9806 Facsimile: (512) 457-9866 jray@r-alaw.com Attorneys for Appellants M&M Orthodontics, P.A., Harlingen Family Dentistry, P.C. and Antoine Dental Center Is/ Karen L. Watkins KAREN L. WATKINS Assistant Attorney General Page 6 of6 EXHIBIT A HHSC-APPEALS DOCKET NO. 12-0096-K HHSC-OIG CASE NO. P200803163 M & M ORTHODONTICS, P.A., § BEFORE THE HEALTH AND DR. SCOTI MALONE, and § DR. DIANA MALONE, § Petitioners, § § v. § HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION § TEXAS HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES § COMMISSION, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR § GENERAL, and CHRISTINE ELLIS, DDS, § Respondents. § APPEALS DIVISION NOTICE OF NONSUIT AND REQUEST FOR DISMISSAL WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE HONORABLE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE: The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Office of Inspector General, and Christine Ellis, DDS, respectfully file this Notice of Nonsuit. Pursuant to TEX. ADMIN. CODE §357.495 and TEX. R. Crv. P. 162, ID-ISC-OIG and Christine Ellis, DDS, hereby give notice that they are taking a nonsuit of their entire case and request that this case immediately be dismissed without prejudice. This nonsuit is without prejudice to refiling, and is effective immediately on the filing of this notice on this date. Respectfully submitted, GREGABBOTI Attorney General of Texas DANIEL T. HODGE First Assistant Attorney General JOHN B. SCOTT Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation Notice of Nonsuit Page 1 of4 RAYMOND C. WINTER C. WINTER Chief, Civil Medicaid Fraud Division State - Bar - No. 21791950 (512) 936-1709 Direct Dial REYNOLDS BRISSENDEN State Bar No. 24056969 (512) 936-2158 Direct Dial Assistant Attorneys General Office of. the Attorney General Civil Medicaid Fraud Division P. 0. Box 12548 Austin, Texas 78711-2548 Fax (512) 499-0712 DOUGLAS C. WlLSON Inspector General JOY SPARKS Deputy Inspector General Chief Counsel KAREN PETTIGREW Director of Sanctions STEVE DALLAS JOHNSON Associate Counsel State Bar No. 00784349 11101 Metric Blvd., Building I Austin, Texas 78758 (512) 491-4076 Phone (512) 833-6484 Fax ATTORNEYS FOR TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Notice ofNonsuit Page 2 of4 Dan Hargrove DAN HARGROVE State Bar No. 00790822 WATERS & KRAUS, LLP 3219 McKinney Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204 (214) 357-6244 phone (214) 357-7252 Facsimile -and- Jim Moriarty JAMES MORIARTY State Bar No. 14459000 MORIARTY LEYENDECKER, PC 4203 Montrose Blvd, Suite 150 Houston, TX 77006 (713) 528-0700 Telephone ATTORNEYS FOR RELATOR, DR. CHRISTINE ELLIS, D.D.S. Notice of Nonsuit Page 3 of4 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE .J. I certify that I have on this 1J :,.;.-day of December, 2014, served copies of this Notice of Non-Suit upon the HHSC Appeals Division and upon Petitioners, as follows. l!ia Facsimi{e 512·2~1-5779 -~ ------- IDISC Appeals Division 8407 Wall St., Room s-329 Austin, TX 78754 Via Facsimile 361-884-7023 Via Facsimile 512-457-9066 tonycanales@canalessimonson.com jray@r-alaw.com J.A. Canales, Esq. Jason D. Ray Canales & Simonson, P.C. Riggs, Aleshire, Ray, P.C. 2601 Morgan Avenue 700 Lavaca, Suite 920 P.O. Box 5624 Austin, TX 78701 Corpus Christi, TX 78465 COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS Via Facsimile 214-357-6244 Via Email to jim@moriarty.com dhargrove@waterskraus.com James Moriarty Dan Hargrove Moriarty Leyendecker, PC Waters & Krauss, LLP 4203 Montrose Blvd, Suite 150 Dallas, Texas 75204 Houston, TX 77006 COUNSEL FOR RELATOR, CHRISTINE COUNSEL FOR RELATOR, CHRISTINE ELLIS, DDS ELLIS, DDS Notice ofNonsuit Page 4 of4 APPEALS DIVISION TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COlVIMISSION AUSTIN, TEXAS M & M ORTHODONTICS, PA, SCOTT MALONE AND DIANA MALONE Petitioners v. § CAUSE NO. 12-0096-K TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, and DR. CHRISTINE ELLIS, DDS, Respondents ORDER OF DISMISSAL In response to Respondents' Notice of Nonsuit and Request for Dismissal without Prejudice in the above-referenced matter, filed with the court on December 23, 2014, it is hereby ORDERED that cause no. 12-0096-K is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE to refiling. Signed at Austin, Texas, this 8th day of January, 2015. Rick Gilpin V Administrative Law Judge EXHIBIT B HHSC-APPEALS DOCKET NO. 13-0642-K HHSC-OIG CASE NO. 020111309280633503 HARLINGEN FAMILY DENTISTRY, § BEFORE THE HEALTH AND DR. JUAN VILLARREAL, and § DR. VIVIAN TEEGARDIN, § Petitioners, § § ~ § HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION § TEXAS HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES § COMMISSION, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR § GENERAL, and CHRISTINE ELLIS, DDS, § Respondents. § APPEALS DIVISION NOTICE OF NONSUIT AND REQUEST FOR DISMISSAL WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE HONORABLE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE: The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Office of Inspector General, and Christine Ellis, DDS, respectfully file this Notice of Nonsuit. Pursuant to TEX. ADMIN. CODE §357.495, and TEX. R. ClV. P. 162, HHSC-OIG and Christine Ellis, DDS, hereby give notice that they are taking a nonsuit of their entire case and request that this case immediately be dismissed without prejudice. This nonsuit is without prejudice to reflling, and is effective immediately on the filing of this notice on this date. Respectfully submitted, GREG ABBOTT Attorney General of Texas DANIEL T. HODGE First Assistant Attorney General JOHN B. SCOTT Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation Notice ofNonsuit Page 1 of4 RAYMOND C. WINTER f, Civil Medicaid Fraud Division ~ Chief, Civil Medicaid Fraud Division State Bar No. 2179195_0 (512) 936-1709 Direct Dial REYNOLDS BRlSSENDEN State Bar No. 24056969 (512) 936-2158 Direct Dial Assistant Attorneys General Office of the Attorney General Civil Medicaid Fraud Division P. 0. Box 12548 Austin, Texas 78711-2548 Fax (512) 499-0712 DOUGLAS C. WILSON Inspector General JOY SPARKS Deputy Inspector General Chief Counsel KAREN PETTIGREW Director of Sanctions STEVE DALLAS JOHNSON Associate Counsel State Bar No. 00784349 11101 Metric Blvd., Building I Austin,Texas78758 (512) 491-4076 Phone (512) 833-6484 Fax ATTORNEYS FOR TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Notice of Nonsuit Page 2 of 4 Dan Hargrove DAN HARGROVE State Bar No. 00790822 WATERS & KRAUS, LLP 3219 McKinney Avenue Dallas, Texas 75204 -----(214) 357-6244 phone ----------·-· (214) 357-7252 Facsimile -and- Jim Moriarty JAMES MORIARTY State Bar No. 14459000 MORIARTY LEYENDECKER, PC 4203 Montrose Blvd, Suite 150 Houston, TX 77006 (713) 528-0700 Telephone ATTORNEYS FOR RELATOR, DR. CHRISTINE ELLIS, D.D.S. Notice of Nonsuit Page 3 of4 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE J; I certify that I have on this 2..-~ day of December, 2014, served copies of this Notice of Non-Suit and Request for Dismissal Without Prejudice upon the ffiiSC Appeals Division and upon Petitioners, as follows. - =-=·= = = = = = = = = = = = ; = = = = = = = = = = = = = - = ; -- - - · · - · · · - - -;::== Via Facsimile 512-231-5779 IlliSC Appeals Division 8407 Wall St., Room s-329 Austin, TX 78754 Via Facsimile 361-884-7023 Via Facsimile 512-457-9066 tonycanales@canalessimonson.com jray@r-akzw.com J.A. Canales, Esq. Jason D. Ray Canales & Simonson, P.C. Riggs, Aleshire, Ray, P.C. 2601 Morgan Avenue 700 Lavaca, Suite 920 P.O. Box 5624 Austin, TX 78701 Corpus Christi, TX 78465 COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS COUNSEL FOR PETITIONERS Via Facsimile 214-357-6244 Vw Email to jim@moriarty.com dhorgrove@waterskraus.com James Moriarty Dan Hargrove Moriarty Leyendecker, PC Waters & Krauss, LLP 4203 Montrose Blvd, Suite 150 Dallas, Texas 75204 Houston, TX 77006 COUNSEL FOR RELATOR, CHRISTINE COUNSEL FOR RELATOR, CHRISTINE ELLIS, DDS ELLIS, DDS Notice of Nonsuit Page4 of4 APPEALS DIVISION TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION AUSTIN, TEXAS HARLINGEN FAl\fiLY DENTISTRY, DR. JUAN VILLAREAL, and DR. VIVIAN TEEGARDIN, Petitioners v. § CAUSE NO. 13-0642-K TEXAS HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, and CHRISTINE ELLIS DDS, Respondents ORDER OF DISMISSAL In response to Petitioners' Notice of Nonsuit and Request for Dismissal without Prejudice in the above-referenced matter, filed with the court on December 23, 2014, it is hereby ORDERED that cause number 13-0642-K is hereby DISlVIISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE to refiling. Signed at Austin, Texas, this 8th day of January, 2015. Rick Gilpin Administrative Law Judge