Graphic Packaging Corporation v. Glenn Hegar, Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas And Ken Paxton, Attorney General of the State of Texas
ACCEPTED
03-14-00197-CV
4125001
THIRD COURT OF APPEALS
AUSTIN, TEXAS
2/12/2015 11:53:56 AM
JEFFREY D. KYLE
CLERK
NO. 03-14-00197-CV
__________________________________________________
FILED IN
3rd COURT OF APPEALS
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS
THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF TEXAS2/12/2015 11:53:56 AM
AT AUSTIN JEFFREY D. KYLE
________________________________________________Clerk
GRAPHIC PACKAGING CORPORATION,
Appellant
v.
GLENN HEGAR, COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
OF THE STATE OF TEXAS; AND
KEN PAXTON, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF TEXAS,
Appellees.
UNOPPOSED FIRST MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME
TO FILE APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF
TO THE HONORABLE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS:
Appellant Graphic Packaging Corporation moves pursuant to Rules 10.5(b)
and 38.6(d) of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, asking that this Court grant a
30-day extension of time for filing its Appellant’s Reply Brief from February 17 to
March 19, 2015. This Motion is UNOPPOSED by Appellees Glenn Hegar,
Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas, and Ken Paxton, Attorney
General of the State of Texas.
1
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Appellant is Graphic Packaging Corporation. (“Appellant”).
2. Appellees are Glenn Hegar, Comptroller of Public Accounts of the
State of Texas, and Ken Paxton, Attorney General of the State of Texas.
(“Appellees”).
3. No rule provides a deadline to file this Motion to Extend. See Tex. R.
App. P. 38.6(d).
II. ARGUMENT & AUTHORITIES
4. The Court has authority under Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure
38.6(d) to extend the time to file Appellant’s Reply Brief. This Motion is filed in
accordance with Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 10.5(b)(1).
5. Appellant’s Brief is currently due on Tuesday, February 17, 2015
(following President’s Day, a court holiday, on February 16).
6. The undersigned counsel for Appellants have had several pending
deadlines and professional obligations since the filing of Appellee’s Brief, which
have prevented them from being able to complete the Reply Brief by February 17,
and they have additional deadlines and obligations in the coming weeks that
necessitate the 30-day extension now sought without opposition. More specifically,
these deadlines include the following for Appellant’s counsel:
2
a. Jimmy Martens: (1) travel to Lubbock, Texas on January 28-30
to teach a tax seminar; (2) attending and speaking at the Texas Society of Certified
Public Accountants conference on February 27; (3) discovery responses due in
pending litigation on March 2 and March 12; and (4) a case-dispositive, contested
hearing in district court on March 9.
b. Amanda Taylor: (1) Respondent’s Brief on the Merits due in the
Texas Supreme Court on February 2 (No. 14-0307); (2) Respondent’s Response to
Petition for Review due in Texas Supreme Court on February 11 (No., 14-0336,
Ward); (3) Petitioner’s Reply in Support of Petition for Review due in the Texas
Supreme Court on February 20 (No. 14-0647); and (4) Appellants’ Reply Brief due
in this Court on March 5 (No. 03-14-00510-CV).
c. Amy Silverstein: (1) Appeal of Alon Inc., Opening Brief due at
the California Board of Equalization on February 17; (2) Kimberly-Clark Corp. v.
Minn. Commissioner of Revenue, Reply Summary Judgment Brief due on February
20; (3) Appeal of Maersk Inc., Opening Brief due at the California Board of
Equalization on February 22; (4) Coblentz v. San Francisco, Reply regarding
Petition for Review due in California Supreme Court on March 5; and (5) Gillette
Commercial Operations v. Mich. Department of the Treasury, Opening Brief due at
the Court of Appeals on March 17.
3
7. Appellant therefore requests a 30-day extension of its brief-filing
deadline.
8. The requested extension of Appellant’s Reply Brief deadline will not
prejudice any party.
9. No extensions of time have previously been requested by or granted to
Appellant or Appellee in this appeal.
10. The $10.00 filing fee has been submitted in connection with this
Motion.
III. PRAYER
For these reasons, Appellant respectfully prays, without any opposition of
Appellees, that this Court grant an extension of time to file Appellant’s Reply Brief
from February 17 to March 19, 2015, which is 30 days from the current deadline.
4
Respectfully submitted,
MARTENS, TODD, LEONARD, TAYLOR & AHLRICH
301 Congress Ave., Suite 1950
Austin, Texas 78701
Telephone: (512) 542-9898
Telecopier: (512) 542-9899
By: /s/ Amanda G. Taylor
Amanda Taylor
ataylor@textaxlaw.com
State Bar No. 24045921
James F. Martens
jmartens@textaxlaw.com
State Bar No. 13050720
Lacy L. Leonard
lleonard@textaxlaw.com
State Bar No. 24040561
Danielle V. Ahlrich
dahlrich@textaxlaw.com
State Bar No. 24059215
SILVERSTEIN & P OMERANTZ , LLP
12 Gough Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, California 94103
(415) 593-3502
(415) 593-3501 (Facsimile)
By: /s/ Amy Silverstein
Amy L. Silverstein
Asilverstein@sptaxlaw.com
California State Bar No. 154221
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT
GRAPHIC PACKAGING CORPORATION
5
CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE
As required by Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 10.1(a)(5), I certify that
counsel for Appellant has conferred with counsel for Appellee, Mr. Rance Craft,
about the merits of this Motion on February 11, 2015. Mr. Craft does not oppose
this Motion.
/s/ Amanda G. Taylor
Amanda G. Taylor
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Unopposed First
Motion for Extension of Time to File Appellant’s Brief has been electronically filed
and served on all counsel below on February 12, 2015.
Rance Craft
Assistant Solicitor General
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
P.O. Box 12548 (MC 059)
Austin, Texas 78711-2548
(512) 936-2872
(512) 474-2697 [fax]
rance.craft@texasattorneygeneral.gov
Cynthia A. Morales
Assistant Attorney General
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
FINANCIAL AND TAX LITIGATION DIVISION,
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, Texas 78711
(512) 463-8897
(512) 477-2348 [fax]
cynthia.morales@texasattorneygeneral.gov
/s/ Amanda G. Taylor
Amanda G. Taylor
6