ACCEPTED 01-15-00537-CV FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 10/8/2015 5:05:25 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE CLERK CALJSE NO. 0l- l5-00537-t3\i IN RT] $ II.'i l-llt'. FIRS-f CIOLJR'I FILED IN 1st COURT OF APPEALS $ HOUSTON, TEXAS JAMES WESI,EY GROVF,S N 10/8/2015 5:05:25 PM AND \ Ofr APPFTALS CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE KIIITH GITOSS S\ Clerk N Rtrl-ATORS r\ IlAt{l'{lS COIJNTY. l'hxns

RELATOR, KEITH GROSS' VEITIF'IE,D EIVIEITCENCY MOTION 'TO STAY E,NFORCE,MENT OF TRIAL, C]OURl'ORDER

l'O'l'lIlr I{ONOI{AIlLtr .f l.JS'l'lC'F.S OIr SAID CCTLJI{'l': COMFS NOW Ktil'l'H ClltOSS ancl lrles tfris his lJrnergency Motion to Stay Lnlbrccmcr-rt ol"l'rial Court's Orclcr ancl rcsp,:rctlirllv shorvs:

I. Facts and llasis for Emergency l. On April 28,2015 the trial courrt cntercd on older on thc recorcl that (1) disclLralilled attornev, Kcith (iross: (2) ordercd hirn to tatlce 8 hours o1-

cor.rtinuing legal education course(s), arrd (3) pay the surr ol'$2500.00 into the court's ro-gistry rvithin six nronths o1-the datc of tlic ordet'. l-hc six nronth dcadline is Octobcr 29,2015. Attorney (irc,ss has nottakcn the course or placed the lt-ttlt-tcir into the Court's registn'.

2. On June 16,2015, attorncy, Keith Gross and James W'esley Grovcs 'l'hercafter, this Court ordered the Real Party in frlecl a Writ ol-Mandarnus.

'l-he Court has not ruled' Interest to flle a response.

3. At the tirnc of filing the Writ of Manclallus, tr"ial w'as set lbr October' '['his case rvill rrot be 5,2015. Sr-rbseqr-rently, thc court has reset the case. se't

fbr trial until at least liebrLrary 2016.

4' Iltrlcrgctrc,v relicf is t-tcccssary' I1- itttort-rc'Y ('iross does t-tot take the

lcgal eclr-rcation courscs in accorclance \\,ith thc trial c<lltrt's tlrdcr. he risks being held in contempt and .iailecl. Clonvcrscly, il'Gross cottrplies rvith the orcler, he will lose the right o1'.iudicial review orrcr thc utatter, arrcl rvill be fbrced to comply rvith crroncoLls order. A rr-rlirrg is necessitrl' l-ar ettortqlt ir-l advance so that Ciross llav conrpletc thc coLtrse bclilnc thc dcadlirte.

5. Attorney, Kcith Grclss reclucsts the ('clttrt stav thc trial court's tlrder Lrntil this cottt't enters a lLrling.

Adoption bY llel'crcncg 6. Attornel, Keith (iross her-eby each and e\icry lb.ct ar-rd arglllllcllt

ernbodicd in ftelators' Pctitit'rn fbr Writ of N4andamr.ts.

Argument / Authoritics 7. A party rlaintains a riglit of appellate revierv ovef a district coLlrt's

orders. whether it's in the lbrm of atraditional aprpeal, writ c,1-trandatnlls, or accelerated appeal. Texas Government Codc , rr.2')-).1 authorizes the courts

of appeal to issue writs o1'rnandamus and all other u'rit necessary to cntbrcc the jLrrisdiction o1'the court. Appellate courts retain tlhe overreaching power to grant such writs as lnay be necessary to enfbrce or protcct tl'rcir cout't's .iurisdiction over the pencling appeal, and prcservc tlhe sul.r.iect tttattct' ol'thc appeal. In Re f|oile-y 296 S.W. 3cl 859 ('l-ex.i\pp.---'["yler, 2tC09).

8. Attorney (iross fllcd a writ of marndatnlls c,ontcndting that thc trial court sanctiorred hin'r rvrctngtirllir. Attorney (iross laces irrcparable hartt-t

without a stav florr this CoLrrt. 11'(ircss complics wilh thc trial court's order and takes the continuing lcgal education class,ls, he vu'ill lose the right to appellate revicw and will deprivcd thc opportr,rnit),to vindicate hirnsell'as the issue will l-recot'ttc ntoot. W'oU r. Stur,456 S.W'. 3d 307 (Tex.App--- Ill I)aso,2015.) (jross will bc hzrrrrcd by havirrg to contply rvith an cfroncolls order. If Gross does not corlply, hc risks being licld in corttr-lrPt ol-coLtrt and jailed.

9. WithoLrt reviewir-rg each argurnent crnbodied im thc Petitior-r fbr Writ of Mandantus, it should be sufhcient to show tl'ris court that attorncy Gross dicl not receive adequate noticc of the urotion fbr sanctions beforc thc hcaring. It is undispr-rted that receivecl noticc of the SLrpplerrrental Motion to Disc1Lrali11"

and Motion ftrr Sanctions only' one hoLrr before ther hearing. Gross had no opportunity to research the law, or otherwise plan a. def-ense. and therefbre tl"ris court should stay tl-re enforcement, if llot sumltlarily reverse the orde r. 9. The powertcl sanction is lirnited bythe due prcrcess clause. In Re Max Bennett,960 S.W. 2d 35, 40 (T'ex. 1991). At a rlinitnutn, Irotice ol' atrv hearing. . . must be servcd on all parties not less tlt;r.tr three days bclbre the tinre set fbr the hearing, unlcss the tinrc is shol'tcn by thc coLtrl. In ra Acceptnrtce Insurance Oo. 33 S.W. 3d 443, 449r (-t'cx.App.- Irort Worth, 2000) citing TIt(lP 21. It is well settlcd thc one dali's notice is insufflcicrrt, as a rnattcr o1'law. Plunr.,S & L Ass'rt v. Sluvin, J')"1 S.\\'. 282,284 ('l'er.

1986). Attorney Ramos lllccl his Motiorr to [)isqr-rtrlify on z\pril 27,2015, and llled his supplcr-r-rental rnotir-rn on thc morning ol[-April 28.2015 at 8:1,5 a.ll-1.

l.Jpholdlrig an ordcr lbr Sarrctions basccl on c)ne hout's ttotice is crrttr on its f-ace. Attorney (iross requests this Court sta.y thc trial court order Lrntil thc Petition lbr Writ of Manclatnus is resolvccl.

Prayer Relater prays that this CloLrrt stay the trial cou,rt's ordct'urrtil alter this Court has decided thc writ o1'rnandamus. and any other relief, whether general or special, legal or ecluitable .

Respectfully' sr,lbrnitte:d, /s/ Keith Grgs::; Keith ,4. Grosr; State []ar No. |1:.4027351 Park Avc.

League City,1'exas 77 513 (832) 932-5970 Otflce (281 ) 701-5634 Clcll (832) t)32--56811 Irax attnyk gross(?rr ao | collt .

RIJLN 'fOIt

Certiflcate o1' Selv ice I certily that a true ancl correct copy ol- the ltrregoing instrutttetrt w'as

scrved on opposing counscl and thc Cor-trt itr accorclancc with the 'l'RC'P on Septcrnber B, 20 I 5.

i 'f! /r" ,il./ / i -{-' Keith

Clertiflcate o f Con I'erence I certifl, that I have attempted to conl-er with counscl. in the underly'ng litigation via ernail to resolve thc uatter by agrecment. . ii' ,t /' / /,' 'it ../ _ (** K.eith tiross VEITIF IC]N '[IC)N

STA'|E OF'IEXAS ,\ ) li J C]OIJNTY OF (iALV ESTON ,c .\-

BEFOI{lr ME, thc Lrndersigned authoritv, ,i)n this d"y personallv appcared Keitfr (iross, who afier bcing clr,rll' sworn, did ttn his oath depose and say that hc has read Relator's lmergcncy Motion to Stav and that the 1.acts containecl tl-rereir-r are within his personal knorr'rledgc attcl arc trLte and correct.

Keith (riross " SIJBSC]RII]ED AND SWORN TO Mll, a Notary Pr,rblic. on this 'r"1 davol rt..'- 1()15 j- L- '=

I ,' .i .' i :{'r L i_-{ r. ,..-i-*t-:, ;- Notary' il)Lrblic ir-r and 1'or -fhe ol''l'exas Sterte