Kindred Healthcare, Inc. and Triumph Hospital of East Houston, L.P. D/B/A Kindred Hospital of Clear Lake v. Cristobal Morales

ACCEPTED 01-15-00843-CV FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 11/25/2015 3:41:08 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE CLERK NO. 01-15-00843-CV FILED IN IN THE FIRST COURT OF APPEALS 1st COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 11/25/2015 3:41:08 PM CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE KINDRED HEALTHCARE, INC. Clerk AND TRIUMPH HOSPITAL OF EAST HOUSTON, L.P. D/B/A KINDRED HOSPITAL OF CLEAR LAKE, Appellants V. CRISTOBAL MORALES Appellee Appeal from Cause No. 2014-40158 189th District Court of Harris County, Texas KINDRED HEALTHCARE, INC. AND TRIUMPH HOSPITAL OF EAST HOUSTON, L.P. D/B/A KINDRED HOSPITAL OF CLEAR LAKE’S UNOPPOSED MOTION FOR A TWO-WEEK EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE OPENING BRIEF Levon G. Hovnatanian Texas Bar No. 10059825 hovnatanian@mdjwlaw.com Raymond M. Kutch Texas Bar No. 24072195 kutch@mdjwlaw.com MARTIN, DISIERE, JEFFERSON & WISDOM, L.L.P. 808 Travis, 20th Floor Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 632-1700 – Telephone (713) 222-0101 – Facsimile TO THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS: Come now the appellants, Kindred Healthcare, Inc. and Triumph Hospital of East Houston, L.P. d/b/a Kindred Hospital of Clear Lake (collectively, “Kindred”), and respectfully move for a 14-day extension of time to file their opening brief. Kindred has neither requested nor received a previous extension of time to file its opening brief. The current deadline for Kindred to file its opening brief is Monday, November 30, 2015. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(a). This motion is filed on Wednesday, November 25, 2015, and is therefore timely filed. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(d) (“A motion to extend the time to file a brief may be filed before or after the date the brief is due.”). The facts reasonably relied upon to explain the need for an extension of time are as follows. Levon G. Hovnatanian, Kindred’s lead appellate counsel, has been extremely busy with other pressing matters: 1. Mr. Hovnatanian is preparing the brief of one of the appellees, MPF Investments, LLC D/B/A “A-1 Rent All,” due, after one extension, on December 16, 2015, in Cause No. 12-15-00121-CV; Garry L. Rollins and Carla D. Rolllins, Appellants v. Texas College and MPF Investments, LLC D/B/A “A-1 Rent All,” Appellees; in the Twelfth Court of Appeals. 1 2. Mr. Hovnatanian is assisting in preparing a petition for review, due, after two extensions, on November 30, 2015, in Cause No. 15-0805; St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company and St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Petitioners v. Petroplex, Energy, Inc., Respondent; in the Supreme Court of Texas. 3. Mr. Hovnatanian is assisting in preparing the brief of the appellee, due on December 3, 2015 (after two extensions), in Cause No. 05-15-00678-CV; Brenda Peterson, Individually and as Next Friend of B.Q.P., a Minor and as Administrator of the Estate of James Q. Peterson, Deceased, and Gary Peterson, Appellants v. Farmers Texas County Mutual Insurance Company, Appellee; in the Fifth Court of Appeals. 4. Mr. Hovnatanian is preparing to present oral argument for the appellee on December 1, 2015 in Cause No. 05-14-01394-CV; Sunny Letot, Appellant v. United Services Automobile Association, Appellee; in the Fifth Court of Appeals. Considering the above, Kindred respectfully asks the Court to grant this motion and extend the time for it to file its opening brief to Monday, December 14, 2015. 2 Respectfully submitted, MARTIN, DISIERE, JEFFERSON & WISDOM, L.L.P. By: /s/Levon G. Hovnatanian Levon G. Hovnatanian State Bar No. 10059825 hovnatanian@mdjwlaw.com Raymond M. Kutch State Bar No. 24072195 kutch@mdjwlaw.com 808 Travis, 20th Floor Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 632-1700 – Telephone (713) 222-0101 – Facsimile BRENNIG & ASSOCIATES, P.C. By: /s/Charles C. Brennig III Charles C. Brennig III State Bar No. 00783719 cbrennig@brenniglaw.com Richard M. Schreiber State Bar No. 24056278 rschreiber@brenniglaw.com 1700 Post Oak Blvd. 2 BLVD Place, Suite 600 Houston, Texas 77056 (713) 622-5900 – Telephone (713) 622-5910 – Facsimile ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANTS KINDRED HEALTHCARE, INC. AND TRIUMPH HOSPITAL OF EAST HOUSTON, L.P. D/B/A KINDRED HOSPITAL OF CLEAR LAKE 3 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE This is to certify that this computer-generated unopposed motion for extension of time to file brief contains 386 words. /s/Levon G. Hovnatanian Levon G. Hovnatanian Dated: November 25, 2015 CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE This is to certify that on November 25, 2015, the undersigned spoke to opposing counsel Mr. Martin Siegel regarding this motion, and Mr. Siegel advised that he does not oppose it. /s/Levon G. Hovnatanian Levon G. Hovnatanian 4 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE This is to certify that a true and correct copy of this unopposed motion for extension of time to file brief has been forwarded by the methods indicated to the individual(s) listed below on this 25th day of November, 2015. Sean O’Rourke SIMON-O’ROURKE, P.C. 11550 Fuqua, Suite 200 Houston, Texas 77034 (281) 667-4081 – Telephone (281) 823-7482 – Facsimile www.txattorneys.com (via e-File and e-Mail) Anthony Buzbee THE BUZBEE LAW FIRM J.P. Morgan Chase Tower 600 Travis, Suite 7300 Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 223-5393 – Telephone (713) 223-5909 – Facsimile www.txattorneys.com (via e-File and e-Mail) Martin J. Siegel LAW OFFICE OF MARTIN J. SIEGEL, P.C. 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 2300 Houston, Texas 77002 (281) 772-4568 – Telephone Martin@Siegelfirm.com (via e-File and e-Mail) /s/ Levon G. Hovnatanian Levon G. Hovnatanian 5