ConocoPhillips Company v. Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr., Individually, and Jesus M. Dominguez, as Guardian for Minerva Clementina Ramirez, an Incapacitated Person, Individually

ACCEPTED
04-15-00487-CV
FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
11/18/2015 6:15:15 PM
KEITH HOTTLE
CLERK

NO. 04-15-00487-CV

In the Fourth Court of Appeals FILED IN
4th COURT OF APPEALS
San Antonio, Texas SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
__________________________________________________________________
11/18/2015 6:15:15 PM
KEITH E. HOTTLE
Clerk
CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY et al.

v.

LEON OSCAR RAMIREZ, JR. et al.
__________________________________________________________________

APPELLEES’ MOTION TO REINSTATE APPEAL
__________________________________________________________________

TO THE HONORABLE FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS:

Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr. and Jesus M. Dominguez, as Guardian for Minerva

Clementina Ramirez, an incapacitated person, Appellees and Cross-Appellants, file this

motion to reinstate the appeal and for cause show:

1. On November 11, 2015, ConocoPhillips Company, defendant in the trial court

and one of the appellants, filed a notice of bankruptcy stating that on October

26, 2015, while this appeal was pending, Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr., Appellee and

Cross-Appellant in this appeal, filed a petition in bankruptcy, in Case Number

15-50164, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of

Texas, Laredo Division, styled In re Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr.

2. On November 13, 2015, this Court ordered the appeal abated and removed from

the court’s active docket pursuant to Tex. R. App. P. 8.2. The Court also ordered

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 that the appeal would be reinstated upon proper motion and proof. Tex. R. App.

P. 8.3.

3. On November 18, 2015, the Bankruptcy Court signed an order lifting the

automatic stay provided by 11 U.S.C. § 362, precisely so that this appeal may

continue to judgment. Attached hereto is a true and correct copy of the

Bankruptcy Court’s order lifting the automatic stay.

4. Therefore, Appellees and Cross-Appellants request that the Court reinstate the

appeal on the Court’s active docket.

/s/ Alberto Alarcon
Alberto Alarcon
State Bar No. 00968425
HALL, QUINTANILLA & ALARCON, LC
P.O. Box 207
1302 Washington
Laredo, Texas 78042-0207
(956) 723-5527
(956) 723-8168 (fax)
aalarcon@sbcglobal.net

Lisa Bowlin Hobbs
State Bar No. 24026905
KUHN HOBBS PLLC
3307 Northland Drive, Suite 310
Austin, Texas 78731
(512) 476-6000
(512) 476-6002 (fax)
lisa@kuhnhobbs.com

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 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of this motion was served on this 18th day
of November, 2015, to the following parties and counsel as designated:
Michael V. Powell via e-service
Locke Lord LLP
2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 2200
Dallas, Texas 75201

John A. Kazen via e-service
211 Calle del Norte, Suite 100
Laredo, Texas 78041-6237

Bruce J. Werstak, III via e-service
6721 McPherson Road, Suite 360
Laredo, TX 78041

Jesse R. Castillo via e-service
Bank of America Plaza, Suite 1020
300 Convent St.
San Antonio, Texas 78205

/s/ Alberto Alarcon
Alberto Alarcon

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 Case 15-50164 Document 32 Filed in TXSB on 11/18/15 Page 1 of 6

IN THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
LAREDO DIVISION ENTERED
FILED IN 11/18/2015
4th COURT OF APPEALS
IN RE: § SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
§ 11/18/2015 6:15:15 PM
LEON OSCAR RAMIREZ, JR. § CASE
KEITHNO. 15-50164
E. HOTTLE
§ Clerk
(Chapter 11)
Debtor. §

ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR RELIEF
FROM THE AUTOMATIC STAY
(Docket No. 14)
FINDINGS OF FACT

The Court finds that on October 26, 2015 the Debtor filed a chapter 11 petition for relief

under chapter 11, Title 11, United State Code, which was assigned Case No. 15-50164.

The Court further finds that the Debtor is an appellee in a case pending before the 4th Court

of Appeals styled ConocoPhillips Company, and Rodolfo C. Ramirez, Individually and as the

Independent Administrator of the Estate of Ileana Ramirez, and El Milagro Minerals, Ltd. v. Leon

Oscar Ramirez, Jr., Individually, and Jesus M. Dominguez, Court of Appeals Number 04-15-00487.

The Court further finds that pursuant to Tex. R. App. P. 8.2 the appeal was abated and

removed from the court’s active docket on November 13, 2015. (See attachment “A.”)

The Court further finds that pursuant to a letter dated November 16, 2015 counsel for

Appellant apprised counsel for the Debtor that Appellant would not oppose the Motion for Relief

From Stay to allow the appeal to proceed in Cause No. 04-15-00487-CV. (See attachment “B.”).

CONCLUSION OF LAW

The Court concludes, therefore, that the Motion for Relief, having no opposition filed of

record, may be approved as requested. It is therefore

ORDERED, that the Motion for Relief From Stay [Dkt #14] is GRANTED. It is further
 Case 15-50164 Document 32 Filed in TXSB on 11/18/15 Page 2 of 6

ORDERED, that the automatic stay is lifted to allow the appeal in Case No. 04-15-00487-CV

styled ConocoPhillips Company, and Rodolfo C. Ramirez, Individually and as the Independent

Administrator of the Estate of Ileana Ramirez, and El Milagro Minerals, Ltd. v. Leon Oscar

Ramirez, Jr., Individually, and Jesus M. Dominguez to proceed in the 4th Court of Appeals in San

Antonio, Texas and any further appeal from a decision of the 4th Court of Appeals.

SIGNED this ____ day of November, 2015.
Signed: November 18, 2015.

____________________________________
__________________________________________
DAVID
UNITED R. JONES
STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT JUDGE
UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY JUDGE
 FILE COPY
Case 15-50164 Document 32 Filed in TXSB on 11/18/15 Page 3 of 6

COURT OF APPEALS
SANDEE BRYAN MARION FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT KEITH E. HOTTLE
CHIEF JUSTICE CADENA-REEVES JUSTICE CENTER CLERK OF COURT
KAREN ANGELINI 300 DOLOROSA, SUITE 3200
MARIALYN BARNARD SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78205-3037
REBECA C. MARTINEZ WWW.TXCOURTS.GOV/4THCOA.ASPX TELEPHONE
PATRICIA O. ALVAREZ (210) 335-2635
LUZ ELENA D. CHAPA
JASON PULLIAM FACSIMILE NO.
JUSTICES (210) 335-2762
November 13, 2015
Lisa Hobbs Alberto Alarcon
Kuhn Hobbs PLLC Hall, Quintanilla & Alarcon
* DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL * * DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL *

J. Francisco Tamez Jesse R. Castillo
Kazen, Meurer & Perez, L.L.P. Castillo Snyder, P.C.
* DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL * * DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL *
Michael V. Powell
Locke Lord LLP
* DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL *
RE: Court of Appeals Number: 04-15-00487-CV
Trial Court Case Number: 7,637
Style: ConocoPhillips Company, and Rodolfo C. Ramirez, Individually
and as the Independent Administrator of the Estate of Ileana Ramirez, and
El Milagro Minerals, Ltd.
v.
Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr., Individually, and Jesus M. Dominguez,
as Guardian for Minerva Clementina Ramirez, an incapacitated person,
Individually

Enclosed please find the order which the Honorable Court of Appeals has
issued in reference to the above styled and numbered cause.

If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Very truly yours,
KEITH E. HOTTLE, CLERK

_____________________________
Luz Estrada
Deputy Clerk, Ext. 53219
cc: Leticia Murillo Escamilla (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Dora Martinez Castanon (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Cynthia Keely Timms (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Cynthia Perez Lenz (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Melanie Castillo (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Ginny Henderson (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Amanda Cottrell (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Adolfo Campero, Jr. (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Kurt Kuhn (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
John A. Kazen (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
Darrell L. Barger (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)
 FILE COPY
Case 15-50164 Document 32 Filed in TXSB on 11/18/15 Page 4 of 6

ConocoPhillips Company, and Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr.,
Rodolfo C. Ramirez, Individually, and Jesus M.
Individually and as the Dominguez, as Guardian for
Independent Administrator of Minerva Clementina Ramirez,
the Estate of Ileana Ramirez, /s
and El Milagro Minerals,
Ltd.Appellant/s

Fourth Court of Appeals
San Antonio, Texas
November 13, 2015

No. 04-15-00487-CV

CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY, and Rodolfo C. Ramirez, Individually and as the
Independent Administrator of the Estate of Ileana Ramirez, and El Milagro Minerals, Ltd.,
Appellants

v.

Leon Oscar RAMIREZ, Jr., Individually, and Jesus M. Dominguez, as Guardian for Minerva
Clementina Ramirez, an incapacitated person, Individually,
Appellees

From the 49th Judicial District Court, Zapata County, Texas
Trial Court No. 7,637
The Honorable Jose A. Lopez, Judge Presiding

ORDER

ConocoPhillips Company, defendant in the trial court, filed a notice of appeal on June 8,
2015. Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr., Individually, and Jesus M. Dominguez, as Guardian for Minerva
Clementina Ramirez, an incapacitated person, Individually, filed a notice of a cross-appeal on
June 11, 2015. Other defendants in the trial court, Rodolfo C. Ramirez, Individually and as the
Independent Administrator of the Estate of Ileana Ramirez, and El Milagro Minerals, Ltd., also
filed a notice of appeal on July 29, 2015.

ConocoPhillips filed a Notice of Bankruptcy stating that on October 26, 2015, while this
appeal was pending, Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr., Appellee and Cross-Appellant in this appeal, filed
a petition in bankruptcy, in Case Number 15-50164, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for
the Southern District of Texas, Laredo, styled In re Leon Oscar Ramirez, Jr.

We order the appeal abated and removed from the court’s active docket. See TEX. R.
APP. P. 8.2. The appeal will be reinstated only upon proper motion and proof. See TEX. R. APP. P.
8.3; 4th TEX. APP. (SAN ANTONIO) LOC. R. 4. All motions and other documents pending or filed
are abated subject to being reurged in the event the case is reinstated.
 FILE COPY
Case 15-50164 Document 32 Filed in TXSB on 11/18/15 Page 5 of 6

We further order the clerk of this court to send copies of this order to the clerk of the trial
court, the court reporter, and the attorneys of record.

_________________________________
Luz Elena D. Chapa, Justice

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said
court on this 13th day of November, 2015.

___________________________________
Keith E. Hottle
Clerk of Court
Case 15-50164 Document 32 Filed in TXSB on 11/18/15 Page 6 of 6