ACCEPTED
12-14-00253-CV
TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS
TYLER, TEXAS
4/2/2015 12:06:21 PM
CATHY LUSK
CLERK
FILED IN
CASE NO. l2-14-00253-CV 12th COURT OF APPEALS
TYLER, TEXAS
4/2/2015 12:06:21 PM
JERITY WEAKS and li IN THE CO|JRT OF CATHY S. LUSK
Clerk
.IOYCE WI.]AKS. APPIIALS F'OIT
TWELFTH COTIITT OF
APPI.,LLANT APPEALS DISTRIC]T
OF TEXAS
$
V.
$
KAT H 1, I.,EN .I I.,AN Ii'I'1' E
WHI'I'F], $
AI'I'EI,I,I]E $
MO]'ION 'I'O ALLOW FILING OF I}ITIEF AND FOII EXTENSION OF
I'IMI'TO COMPLY
TO THE, ITONOITAI}LIi COT]R'I':
C'ortrc non .lcrrv Weaks ancl .lo1'ce Wcaks. the Appellants in thc above entitled and
numbcrccl appcal. uho Itcrchr rccprcst tlrat thc liling of-thc Appcllunts'rcply bricl'bc allowcd.
and that thc tinrc lor corttplving llith thc applicablc rLrlc ol'appcllatc ploceclure be extended, and
in support thclcof'Appcllants rcspcctlirlll sltou'the fbllowiltg. to \\ it:
l. 'l'ltc utrclcrsignccl
attorncl'lirr the Appcllants rccci'n,ccl a noticc datcd March24.2015 from
thc Cllerk ol'this C'ourt. r\ copv o{'the noticc is attachcd as lrxhibit "A." ln said notice.
the uttdcrsignccl was aclviscd that thc Appcllants' rcply bricf w'hich was presented for
lrling ort.lanuetrr'6. l0l-5 lr'oLrld no1 bc lllecl.'l'he undcrsiglted was advised that the reply
*erks l. $ hit(
PA(;U l
briel'did trot conrpll r,iith the Tcxas Rule o1'Appellate Proceclure 9.4(iX3), which
rcclttircs tltat a ccrtillcatc as to thc nunrbcr ol'words in thc bricl'be irrcluded with the brief.
l'he Itoticc statccl that tltc undcrsigned had been given until .lanuary 12. 2015 in order to
ctltt-l1llr vlitli tltc rLtlc. but tltat such corlpliancc was ucvcr courplctcd.
1 -l'lte
undcrsignccl sLtbntits that thc IailLrrc to conrply rvith sr.rch deadline was due to honest
mistakc ancl ovcrsight. and ccrtainly was not cluc to arrv inte ntional disrcgard of the rule
or all\ col.tsciotts iltdil'lcrcncc to it.'l'hc urrclcrsignccl hcrcbt'apologizcs to this Clourt, and
to the Cllcrk ol'ficc lbr such or,crsight.
3.
'fltc unclcrsignccl hcrcbr rcclucsts that thc rcfirsal to fllc thc Appcllants' rcply brief be
r"acatccl ancl tliat suclt bricl'bc allowccl to bc lllccl. In tltat rcgarcl. thc undcrsigned also
rcclLrests that tltc clcacllinc fbr conrplyirrg with thc rulc be cxtcnded to the date that this
tttotiott is rcccived anrl rcvicrvccl b1'this (loLrrt. Accontpany,ing this liling is a proposed
ccrtilrcatc as Lo nt-unbcr ol'r,'norcls ol'thc rcpll' bricl. 'l'hc Court is askcd to accept this
liling alrcl to acccpt thc Appcllants'rcplv bricl'so that it nray bc considcrccl by the Court.
lt is subnrittccl thut ncithcr thc Appcllcc. u()f the C'or,rrt nor auv other pcrson or entity has
bcett ltarnrccl or prc.juclicecl bv this oversight. ancl liker.r'ise. w,ill not bc harmed or
prc.iLrdiccd bv tltc allor.riutcc ol'thc appropriatc liling ancl thc acccptancc ol'thc rcply bricf
at this tinrc.
,5 In cottsiclct'ing rr'hcthct'to allou this filing of'the ccrtillcatc ancl the Appellants'reply
bricl. thc ('ourt is askccl to kccpt in ntind that our law places prioritl,on adequate legal
brielrng ancl argumentation being befbre the Court. In f'act. even in regard to more serious
or substiurtirc crrors or onrissions in bricflug. olrr briclrnq rulcs arc to be construed and
'lcxas
applicd libcralll. Scc Ilulc o1'Appellate Procedr.rre 38.9. Substantial compliance
lleak\ t. \\hrtr
PA(;U 2
u'itll thc t'ulcs ol' bricling is sLrl'flcient. Icl. Il'the Courrt determines that a rule has been
flagrantll riolatecl. or i1'the ('ourt deterrnines thal the substance ol'the brief is inadequate
ancl thc casc ltas Itot bcct.t propcrly' prcscntccl. cvcr-r in suclt nrorc egrcgious situations the
('ourt tt-tit\ givc tlte ol'lcnding party a reasonable opportunity to file a new brief or an
atllclldccl bricl'ilt orclcr to corrcct any suclr crr()r or ontission. Icl. It is lirrther submitted
that thc Appcllants' lailLrrc in rcgarcl to thc celtillcate is. or should be. a relatively minor
isstte cotttpitrccl to thc ncccssitr,'fbr a party's opportunity to adequatcly provide
sttbstalttir.'c al'sullcnt ilt its bricl. It woLrlcl appcar that to rclirsc to lllc a brief. or to strike
a bricl. Illcrclr bccitusc ol'a harnrless or"elsight such as this onc involving thc certificate,
woulcl bc unclulr and unrcnsonabll,, harsh.
6. I:or tltc lirrcgoing rcitsons. the Appcllants. and thc Lrndcrsigncd. rcspectlully urge that the
Appcllartts'rcplr bricf'shoLrlcl hc allowccl to bc lllecl. that thc tinrc firrconrplying with the
applicahlc t'Ltlc bc crtcntlccl. ancJ that thc acconrpanying ccrtiflcate be accepted as
courpliancc r.lith sLrch rLrlc.
WIItrRIrl;ORI:. thc Appellants attcl thc unclcrsignccl rcqucst that this Court cnter
atl ortlcr vacitting thc rclirsal to lllc Appcllants'rcply'briel'ancl allowing such brief to bc
liled. extenclitrg thc tinrc lirl conrply'ing r,r'ith Ilule 9.:+(i)(3). and accepting the
accomplrn\ing ccrtiflcatc as contltliancc with such rurlc.
Itespcctlirl 11, sLrbnr ittcd.
Attorney at I-au'
State Bar No. 10859100
P.O. Box 168
\\ erks r. $ hit.
P,{(;E 3
-l'ylcr
106 W. St.
-l'cxas
Athcns. 75751
1'elcphone : (903) 675-7990
liax: (903) 670-3424
I r nr a i I :I L1 b ry1j p 1r c.:l qw-gtqn: hirlq4prjl . co rl
A I'I'OI{NEY IiOR APPIJI,I,AN'I'S
Ct'RTIFICATE OF SERVICE
'lhis will ccrtilj' thar a trLrc ancl correct copy ol'thc abovc motion has been served on
Appellce 's attorncv ol'rccord. Ms. .lanc Parrciras-l lorta. in accorclancc with thc Texas Rules of
Appel Ilrtc I)rocctl trlc.
Stgttcrl Ilti: / ,t/
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