On July 29, 2022 a Motion,Ex Parte was filed involving a dispute between Ackin, Len, Adjei, Ella, Anderson, Preshas, Belmorris, Joshua, Berry, Ernest, Boozer, Antwuan, Bradix, Dorothy, Brewer, Chautaugua, Brown, Alvin, Brown, Katrina, Brown, Kenneth, Brown, Lauren, Bustillos, Orlando, Carnell, Johnny, Chester, Kjatha, Cisse, Sekou, Cisses, Sekou, Crawford, September, Crosley, Tyler, Davis, Kimberly, Diggs, Jake, Duncan, Ronnie, Elhadi, Jihad Abd, Ferguson, Lily, Fisher, Rudolph, Fisher, Sheila, Fonteno, Bobby, Ii, Gaston, Lastesha, Gates, Rondalus, Green, Ashley, Greene, Pamela, Harris, Jaquan, Harrison, Carol, Harrison, Charles, Harrison, Edward, Harrison, Joyce M., Harrison, Latasha, Harrison, Latoya, Harrison, Sharon, Henry, Donmonique, Howard, Rafael, Issah, Willie, Jackson, Marcus, Johnson, Robert, Johnson, Trenton, Jones, Brandon, Jones, Cedric, Jones, Cheryl, Jones, Edward, Jones, Toshi, Jones, Valencia, Kelley, Mildred, Kelley, Raven, Knight-Trigg, Tamara, Lara, Ephraim, Lard, Lazerick, Lee, Jada, Lee, Laquesha, Lee, Mariah, Lester, Ella, Luckey, Angela, Martinez, Jose, Mccray, Cornelius, Mcpherson, Aaron, Mcqueen, Dominika, Mims, Stacey, Mitchell, Benjamin, Montgomery, Jaqueisha, Mosley, Phyllis, Muoka, Margaret, Nixon, Latoya, Nzioka, Joseph, Oldacre, Donald, Oldacre, Glory, Olivarez, Gloria, Pena, Epifani, Pipkins, Sherry, Porter, Michelle, Purifoy, Wakeisha, Rodriguez, Amber, Rodriguez, Jazun, Ross, Edward, Scott, Benjamin, Scott, Hasani, Shelby, Kenneth, Smith, Jermaine, Smith, Sabrina, Stoker, Lester, Swope, Janice, Talley, Kelvin, The Estate Of Cheryl Jones, Tienda, Alexa, Tittel, Michael, Walker, Latasha, Ware, Addonais, Ware, Tara, Ware, T'Ara, Washington, Eartha, Wells, Kristy, West, Laquita, White, Carolyn, White, Darla, Whitemon, Bobby, Whitemon, Dorothy, White, Quinton, White, Sandra, Williams, Calap, Iii, Williams, Jackie, Jr, Woodard, Vickie, Young, Ariel, Young, Pamela, and Brewer, Chautaugua, Davis, Kimberly, Mars Partners, Ltd, Oncor Electric Delivery Company Llc, Oncor Electric Delivery Company, Llc, Poly-America Gp, Llc, Poly America Inc, Poly-America Inc, Poly-America International Inc., Poly-America Lp, for PROPERTY in the District Court of Dallas County.
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FILED 2/7/2024 2:56 PM FELICIA PITRE DISTRICT CLERK DALLAS CO., TEXAS Cassandra Walker DEPUTY CAUSE NO. DC-22-08610 LEN ACKIN, INDIVIDUALLY, ET § IN THE DISTRICT COURT AL.; § PLAINTIFFS, § § v. § 191st JUDICIAL DISTRICT § POLY-AMERICA INTERNATIONAL § INC.; POLY-AMERICA, INC; POLY- § AMERICA GP, LLC; POLY-AMERICA § LP; ONCOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY § COMPANY, LLC; AND MARS § PARTNERS, LTD; § DEFENDANTS. § DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR LEAVE TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR PLAINTIFFS’ DESIGNATION OF EXPERT WITNESSES, FILING OF EXPERT REPORTS, PLAINTIFFS REQUEST FOR MOTION FOR CONTINUANCE OF INITIAL TRIAL SETTING AND ENTRY OF NEW SCHEDULING ORDER TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF SAID COURT: COMES NOW, Len Ackin, Individually, et al., Plaintiffs, (hereinafter “Plaintiffs”) who file this Motion for Leave, Motion for Continuance and Request for Entry of Amended Scheduling Order and respectfully show this Court as follows: I. BACKGROUND 1. This lawsuit stems from an explosion at a Poly-America Facility that happened on or about August 19, 2020. This explosion caused a quantity of toxic fumes to pour into the air, water, real property, and the surrounding area. This explosion was the cause of harm to the one hundred and thirty-three (133) named Plaintiffs in this lawsuit. 2. Plaintiffs’ original deadline for their Expert Designation and opinions was February 6, 2024. Because of the complexity of the case, the delay in scheduling all depositions; Plaintiff request additional time for materials to be reviewed by experts in order to provide their PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR LEAVE Page 1 of 6 opinions on the causes and nature of injuries sustained by Defendants actions. 3. Plaintiffs’ local counsel is a small firm made up of five people, of which one is an attorney. 4. Plaintiffs are not filing this Motion to improperly disrupt the litigation process, and they are only filing due to a good faith need for an extension. All named Plaintiffs have unique damages and have seen a large variety of providers, making all discovery work-intensive and complex. 5. Plaintiffs attempted to meet the current deadline without reaching out to the Court. However, as the deadline has past, it has become clear to Plaintiffs’ counsel that it will be almost impossible to meet the upcoming deadlines without an extension. Defendants’ counsel has made it clear that no extension will be given, requiring Plaintiffs to reach out to the Court. II. ARGUMENT 6. Under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, “Extensions. The judge may, for good cause shown, extend any time period under these rules except those relating to new trial and appeal.” TEX. R. CIV. P. 500.5(c). Plaintiffs’ counsel has made a good faith and extensive effort to file timely meet all deadlines. The small-time window matched with the extensive amount of work is the cause of this request for an extension. 7. An extension will not limit or harm Defendants’ ability to proceed with Discovery or otherwise litigate the case. Plaintiffs are only seeking this extension due to the large volume of documents being produced in a small time period. 8. Plaintiffs’ counsel has not delayed work on their expert designations and reports or otherwise ignored deadlines. Counsel has simply not had enough time to complete discovery necessary to effectuate precise and complete expert reports. Counsel is humbly asking that the PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR LEAVE Page 2 of 6 Court grant them an extension to the extent necessary for Plaintiffs to produce expert designations, and expert reports. PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR LEAVE Page 3 of 6 WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Plaintiffs pray that this Honorable Court finds that Plaintiffs be given an extension for expert witness designations, including written reports, continue the current trial setting of June 3, 2024, and enter an amended scheduling order because of Plaintiffs’ good faith cause for an extension, and that this Honorable Court allows Plaintiffs the additional time they need to properly serve Defendants with expert designations, and written reports. Respectfully submitted, KINDER LAW PLLC By: JENNIFER ANNE KINDER TEXAS BAR NO. 00787837 Email: jkinder@justcallkinder.net 3701 W. Northwest Highway Building 3, Suite 304 Dallas, Texas 75220 Tel. (214) 812-9800 Fax. (214) 484-2144 ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR LEAVE Page 4 of 6 CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE On February 7, 2024, Counsel for Defendant Oncor indicated that it would not agree to Plaintiffs Motion for Leave to Extend Deadline for Expert Designation, Expert Reports, Motion for Continuance and Amended Scheduling Order. Therefore, this Motion is presented to the Court for determination. Jennifer Anne Kinder PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR LEAVE Page 5 of 6 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing document has been forwarded to all known counsel of record pursuant to the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure on this 7th day of February 2024. Jennifer Anne Kinder DeHay & Elliston, L.L.P. 3500 Bank of America Plaza 901 Main Street Dallas, TX 75202-3736 Telephone: (214) 210-2400 Fax: (214) 210-2500 GARY D. ELLISTON Texas State Bar No. 6584700 PAMELA J. WILLIAMS Texas State Bar No. 00791936 ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANTS POLY-AMERICA INTERNATIONAL INC., POLY-AMERICA GP, LLC, POLY-AMERICA LP, AND MARS PARTNERS, LTD Lance Travis John C. Stewart Texas Bar No. 19211525 Daniel G. Altman Texas Bar No. 00793255 Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC 777 Main Street, Suite 747 P.O. Box 970 Fort Worth, Texas 76101-0970 (817) 215-5885 (telephone) (817) 215-6360 (facsimile) John.stewart@oncor.com ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT ONCOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY COMPANY LLC PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR LEAVE Page 6 of 6 Automated Certificate of eService This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system. The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules. Rocio Castro on behalf of Jennifer Kinder Bar No. 787837 rcastro@justcallkinder.net Envelope ID: 84257633 Filing Code Description: Motion - Leave Filing Description: PLAINTIFFS MOTION FOR LEAVE TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR PLAINTIFFS DESIGNATION OF EXPERT WITNESSES, FILING OF EXPERT REPORTS, PLAINTIFFS REQUEST FOR MOTION FOR CONTINUANCE OF INITIAL TRIAL SETTING AND ENTRY OF NEW SCHEDULING ORDER Status as of 2/8/2024 8:50 AM CST Associated Case Party: LEN ACKIN Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status Jennifer Kinder 787837 jkinder@justcallkinder.net 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT ROCIO CASTRO RCASTRO@JUSTCALLKINDER.NET 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT FRED NESSLER fwn@nesslerlaw.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Griffin McMillin gmcmillin@justcallkinder.net 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Damian Sullivent dsullivent@nesslerlaw.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Case Contacts Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status John CStewart john.stewart@oncor.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Angie Ranton angela.ranton@oncor.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Pamela J.Williams pwilliams@dehay.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Cris Page cpage@dehay.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Diane Hallmark diane.hallmark@oncor.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Christine Harvey charvey@dehay.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Adam Bell AdamB@poly-america.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Madison Pyle mpyle@dehay.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Sherri Robinson sherri.robinsoncsr@gmail.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Ruark Mershon RuarkM@poly-america.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Alexis Quezada alexisq@poly-america.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Automated Certificate of eService This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system. The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules. Rocio Castro on behalf of Jennifer Kinder Bar No. 787837 rcastro@justcallkinder.net Envelope ID: 84257633 Filing Code Description: Motion - Leave Filing Description: PLAINTIFFS MOTION FOR LEAVE TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR PLAINTIFFS DESIGNATION OF EXPERT WITNESSES, FILING OF EXPERT REPORTS, PLAINTIFFS REQUEST FOR MOTION FOR CONTINUANCE OF INITIAL TRIAL SETTING AND ENTRY OF NEW SCHEDULING ORDER Status as of 2/8/2024 8:50 AM CST Case Contacts Alexis Quezada alexisq@poly-america.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Lance Travis LTravis@cobbmartinez.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Anacorina Andrade aandrade@cobbmartinez.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Landon Dutra ldutra@cobbmartinez.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT Christine Harvey deservice@dehay.com 2/7/2024 2:56:46 PM SENT