Factual and Procedural Background
On September 19, 2025, the parties filed a joint motion to abate the appeal stating they had reached an agreement to settle all claims and requesting abatement to finalize the settlement. The Fourteenth Court of Appeals granted the motion and issued an abatement order. The court noted the appeal is treated as a closed case and removed from the court's active docket until November 24, 2025. The opinion is issued per curiam; the panel consists of Justices Wilson, Hart, and McLaughlin. The case caption lists TNT Crane & Rigging, Inc. as appellant and Milena Loree, individually and on behalf of the estate of David Loree and others, as appellees. Trial court cause number is 2021-68047 in the 151st District Court, Harris County, Texas.
Legal Issues Presented
The opinion addresses a procedural matter and does not frame distinct legal issues.
Arguments of the Parties
The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the parties' legal arguments.
Table of Precedents Cited
No precedents were cited in the provided opinion.
Court's Reasoning and Analysis
The court granted the parties' joint motion to abate based on the parties' representation that they had reached a settlement and needed time to finalize it. The order abates the appeal, treats it as a closed case, and removes it from the active docket until November 24, 2025. The court specified conditions for reinstatement: automatic reinstatement on November 24, 2025; earlier reinstatement upon filing a motion to dismiss or other dispositive motion; consideration of any appropriate motion to reinstate filed by a party; or reinstatement on the court's own motion.
Holding and Implications
APPEAL ABATED
Direct effect: The appeal is abated and removed from the Fourteenth Court of Appeals' active docket until November 24, 2025, subject to earlier reinstatement as described in the order. No broader legal precedent or substantive ruling was made in this order.
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