Legal Case

In Re Rita Elizabeth Jones, Individually and on Behalf of the Estate of Estela Tibuni Romano, A/K/ Estella Tibuni Romano, Stella Tibuni Romano v. the State of Texas

Court

Court of Appeals of Texas

Decided

June 17, 2025

Jurisdiction

SA

Importance

44%

Significant

Practice Areas

Appellate Law
Civil Procedure

Case Summary

COURT OF APPEALS EIGHTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS EL PASO, TEXAS IN RE § 08-25-00147-CV RITA ELIZABETH JONES, § AN ORIGINAL PROCEEDING INDIVIDUALLY and ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF ESTELA TIBUNI § IN MANDAMUS ROMANO, DECEASED, A/K/ ESTELLA TIBUNI ROMANO, STELLA TIBUNI § ROMANO § Relator. MEMORANDUM OPINION Relator Elizabeth Rita Jones 1 has filed a motion for voluntary dismissal of this original proceeding. See Tex. R. App. P. 42.1(a)(1) (governing voluntary dismissals). The motion is granted, and this original proceeding is dismissed. Further, we deny the request made by the Real Party in Interest for sanctions pursuant to Tex. R. App. P. 52.11. All pending motions are denied as moot. Court costs are assessed against Relator. See Tex. R. App. P. 42.1(d) (court to tax costs against relator absent agreement of the parties). MARIA SALAS MENDOZA, Chief Justice June 17, 2025 Before Salas Mendoza, C.J., Palafox, J., and Rodriguez, C.J. (Ret) Rodriguez, C.J. (Ret.) (Sitting by Assignment) 1 Individually and on behalf of the Estate of Estela Tibuni Romano, Deceased, a/k/ Estella Tibuni Romano, Stella Tibuni Romano.

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Case Details

Case Details

Legal case information

Status

Decided

Date Decided

June 17, 2025

Jurisdiction

SA

Court Type

federal

Legal Significance

Case importance metrics

Importance Score
Significant
Score44%
Citations
0
Legal Topics
Voluntary Dismissal
Sanctions in Appellate Proceedings

Metadata

Additional information

AddedJun 19, 2025
UpdatedJun 19, 2025

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Legal Topics

Areas of law covered in this case

Voluntary Dismissal
Sanctions in Appellate Proceedings

Case Information

Detailed case metadata and classifications

Court Proceedings

Date FiledJune 17, 2025
Date DecidedJune 17, 2025

Document Details

Times Cited
0
Importance Score
0.4

Legal Classification

JurisdictionSA
Court Type
federal

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Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals
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Very Similar Similarity

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80% match
Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals
Jun 2025

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Khalil Coleman v. Kentucky General Assembly

80% match
Court of Appeals of Kentucky
Jun 2025

RENDERED: JUNE 20, 2025; 10:00 A.M. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED Commonwealth of Kentucky Court of Appeals NO. 2024-CA-1311-MR KHALIL COLEMAN APPELLANT APPEAL FROM FRANKLIN CIRCUIT COURT v. HONORABLE THOMAS D. WINGATE, JUDGE ACTION NO. 23-CI-00759 KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPELLEE OPINION AFFIRMING ** ** ** ** ** BEFORE: THOMPSON, CHIEF JUDGE; ACREE AND A. JONES, JUDGES. ACREE, JUDGE: Appellant Khalil Coleman appeals from the Franklin Circuit Court’s order dismissing his complaint against Appellee, the Kentucky General Assembly. Finding no error, we affirm. BACKGROUND Khalil Coleman, a state inmate, filed a pro se lawsuit seeking a declaration regarding certain sections of the Kentucky Revised Statutes. He named the General Assembly of Kentucky as the sole defendant. The General Assembly moved to dismiss the action, arguing Coleman failed to state a claim, and alternatively, if Coleman had stated a claim, the General Assembly is shielded by legislative immunity under Section 43 of the Kentucky Constitution. The Franklin Circuit Court granted the General Assembly’s motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and declined to assess the immunity defense. Coleman now appeals. ANALYSIS We review de novo a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Davenport Extreme Pools and Spas, Inc. v. Mulflur, 698 S.W.3d 140, 150 (Ky. App. 2024). Trial courts must construe pleadings “in a light most favorable to the plaintiff.” Gall v. Scroggy, 725 S.W.2d 867, 869 (Ky. App. 1987) (citing Ewell v. Central City, 340 S.W.2d 479 (Ky. 1960)). In response to a pleading, a party to an action may present the defense of a failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted by a pre-answer motion. CR1 12.02(f). The General Assembly presented that defense, arguing Coleman’s complaint “does not state any cognizable legal theory related to the General Assembly and alleges no sufficient facts to support one. In fact, the Complaint 1 Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure. -2- does not even allege any action or inaction by the General Assembly as a body or by its individual members.” (Record (R.) at 55.) Coleman argues his “declaration of rights petition did in fact state several claims, which should have rendered right to relief.” (Appellant’s Brief at 4.) However, even on appeal, Coleman fails to state any claims against the General Assembly. As he did before the Franklin Circuit Court, he again argues that certain statutes are unconstitutional but does not aver in his brief before this Court sufficient facts that would allow the General Assembly to respond with a rational, cogent answer. He asserts no specific wrongdoing by the General Assembly. Rather, he requests that this Court “evoke legislative intent [and] redact statute [sic] of controversy affecting [his] rights.” (Appellant’s Br. at 6.) Although the General Assembly did not submit an Appellee’s Brief, we take that non- response as an expression of its belief there is nothing warranting a response on appeal. While we respect Coleman’s activism, bringing an action against the General Assembly is not a means by which such change can be effectuated. Existence of an actual controversy is a fundamental component of an action. “The court will not decide speculative rights or duties which may or may not arise in the future, but only rights and duties about which there is a present actual controversy presented by adversary parties, and in which a binding judgment concluding the -3- controversy may be entered.” Foley v. Commonwealth, 306 S.W.3d 28, 31 (Ky. 2010) (quoting Veith v. City of Louisville, 355 S.W.2d 295, 297 (Ky. 1962)). “An actual controversy . . . does not involve a question which is merely hypothetical or an answer which is no more than an advisory opinion.” Barrett v. Reynolds, 817 S.W.2d 439, 441 (Ky. 1991). Coleman’s request that the Court redact certain statutes is not an actual controversy. Neither is his request that the Court actually issue an advisory opinion, which we are prohibited from rendering. Nordike v. Nordike, 231 S.W.3d 733, 739 (Ky. 2007) (citations omitted) (“It is a fundamental tenet of Kentucky jurisprudence that courts cannot decide matters that have not yet ripened into concrete disputes. Courts are not permitted to render advisory opin

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