Morris Reid, III v. Holloman Corporation
Court
Court of Appeals of Texas
Decided
June 25, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Importance
45%
Practice Areas
Case Summary
COURT OF APPEALS EIGHTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS EL PASO, TEXAS § MORRIS REID, III, No. 08-25-00155-CV § Appellant, Appeal from the § v. 112th District Court § HOLLOMAN CORPORATION, of Crockett County, Texas § Appellee. (TC# 21-02-08136-CV) § § MEMORANDUM OPINION This appeal is before the Court on its own motion to determine whether it should be dismissed for want of jurisdiction. Because we find that Appellant Morris Reid III did not timely perfect his appeal, we dismiss for want of jurisdiction. Appellate courts generally have jurisdiction over appeals from final judgments filed within 30 days after the appealable order is signed, or within 90 days after the appealable order is signed if a party timely files one of the pleadings listed in Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 26.1. Tex. R. App. P. 26.1 (providing deadlines to perfect an appeal in a civil case); Butts v. Capitol City Nursing Home, Inc., 705 S.W.2d 696. 697 (Tex. 1986) (per curiam). A proper motion to reinstate under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 165a extends the deadline to file a notice of appeal from 30 days to 90 days. Tex. R. App. P. 26.1(a)(3). The Texas Supreme Court has held that a proper motion to reinstate must be verified and filed with the clerk within 30 days of the order of dismissal. McConell v. May, 800 S.W.2d 194, 194 (Tex. 1990) (per curiam); See Tex. R. Civ. P. 165a(3) (requiring the motion to be verified by the movant or his attorney). An unverified motion does not extend the trial court’s plenary jurisdiction or the deadlines for perfecting an appeal. Allstate Ins. Co. v. Barnet, 589 S.W.3d 313, 317 (Tex. App.—El Paso, no pet.). On May 16, 2025, Reid filed a notice of appeal stating his desire to appeal from an order “rendered on April 17, 2025” granting Holloman Corporation’s Motion to Dismiss. However, upon further review of the clerk’s record, the order granting Holloman Corporation’s motion was signed by the trial court on March 4, 2025. The clerk’s record also contains Reid’s unverified motion to reinstate pursuant to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 165a, filed on March 21, 2025. Although filed within 30 days of the date of the judgment, because Reid’s motion was unverified, it did not extend the time for filing a notice of appeal. Accordingly, Reid’s notice of appeal was due April 3, 2025—30 days after the trial court signed its dismissal order, and the notice of appeal filed May 16, 2025, is untimely. The Clerk of this Court sent notice to Reid that his appeal would be dismissed as untimely on or after June 15, 2025, unless he responded and established a basis for our jurisdiction. Tex. R. App. P. 42.3(a). As of the date of this memorandum, we have received no response. Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction. MARIA SALAS MENDOZA, Chief Justice June 25, 2025 Before Salas Mendoza, C.J., Palafox, J., and Rodriguez, C.J. (Ret.) Rodriguez, C.J. (Ret.) (Sitting by Assignment) 2
Case Details
Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 25, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
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Case Overview
Case Name: Morris Reid, III v. Holloman Corporation
Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
Date: June 25, 2025
Jurisdiction: San Antonio (SA)
In this case, the Texas Court of Appeals addressed the timeliness of an appeal filed by Morris Reid III against Holloman Corporation. The court determined that Reid's appeal was not perfected within the required timeframe, leading to its dismissal for lack of jurisdiction.
Key Legal Issues
- Jurisdiction: Whether the Court of Appeals had jurisdiction to hear Reid's appeal.
- Timeliness: The proper timing for filing a notice of appeal under Texas law, particularly regarding the verification of motions.
Court's Decision
The Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal for want of jurisdiction, concluding that Morris Reid III did not timely perfect his appeal. The notice of appeal was filed beyond the allowable period, rendering it invalid.
Legal Reasoning
The court's decision was based on the following legal principles:
- Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 26.1: This rule outlines the deadlines for perfecting an appeal, which is generally 30 days after a final judgment or 90 days if a timely motion is filed.
- Verification Requirement: A motion to reinstate under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 165a must be verified to extend the deadline for filing a notice of appeal. An unverified motion does not extend the trial court's plenary jurisdiction.
In this case, Reid filed an unverified motion to reinstate, which did not meet the necessary criteria to extend his appeal deadline. The court noted that Reid's notice of appeal was due on April 3, 2025, but he did not file it until May 16, 2025.
Key Holdings
- The appeal was dismissed due to untimeliness.
- An unverified motion does not extend the time for filing a notice of appeal under Texas law.
- The court emphasized the importance of adhering to procedural rules to maintain jurisdiction.
Precedents and Citations
- Butts v. Capitol City Nursing Home, Inc., 705 S.W.2d 696 (Tex. 1986): Established the general rules for appeal timelines.
- McConell v. May, 800 S.W.2d 194 (Tex. 1990): Clarified the verification requirement for motions to reinstate.
- Allstate Ins. Co. v. Barnet, 589 S.W.3d 313 (Tex. App.—El Paso, no pet.): Reinforced that unverified motions do not extend appeal deadlines.
Practical Implications
This case underscores the critical importance of timeliness and verification in the appellate process. Legal practitioners must ensure that:
- All motions are properly verified to avoid dismissal due to jurisdictional issues.
- They adhere to the strict timelines set forth by the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure to preserve the right to appeal.
Failure to comply with these procedural requirements can result in the loss of the right to appeal, as demonstrated in this case. Legal professionals should remain vigilant about these rules to effectively represent their clients in appellate matters.
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Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 25, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
Legal Significance
Case importance metrics
Metadata
Additional information
Quick Actions
Case management tools