Lowell Merritt v. Robert Davis

DISMISS; Opinion Filed August 19, 2013.

In The

Court of Appeals Fifth District of Texas at Dallas No. 05-13-00819-CV LOWELL MERRITT, Appellant V. ROBERT DAVIS, Appellee On Appeal from the 380th Judicial District Court Collin County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. 380-01630-2013 MEMORANDUM OPINION

Before Justices Lang, Myers, and Evans

Opinion by Justice Evans

This is an attempted appeal from the trial court’s order dismissing Lowell Merritt’s “bill of review.” The trial court’s order reflects Merritt, who has been declared a vexatious litigant and is subject to a pre-filing order under section 11.101 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code,1 failed to obtain an order from the local administrative judge permitting him to proceed with his litigation. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE ANN. §§ 11.101, 11.103 (West Supp. 2012). By letter dated July 18, 2013, the Collin County District Clerk informed us that the local administrative judge had also denied the filing of Merritt’s appeal. See id. § 11.103. Because a vexatious litigant may not file an appeal without an order from the local administrative judge permitting the filing, we directed Merritt to file a letter brief demonstrating grounds for continuing the appeal. See id. Merritt responded, but his response fails to show the appeal may proceed. Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal. See id. 130819F.P05

/David Evans/ DAVID EVANS JUSTICE

Court of Appeals

Fifth District of Texas at Dallas

JUDGMENT

LOWELL MERRITT, Appellant On Appeal from the 380th Judicial District

Court, Collin County, Texas No. 05-13-00819-CV V. Trial Court Cause No. 380-01630-2013.

Opinion delivered by Justice Evans. ROBERT DAVIS, Appellee Justices Lang and Myers participating.

In accordance with this Court’s opinion of this date, we DISMISS the appeal. We ORDER that appellee Robert Davis recover his costs, if any, of this appeal from appellant Lowell Merritt.

Judgment entered this 19th day of August, 2013.

/David Evans/ DAVID EVANS JUSTICE