The opinion
Opinion issued May 22, 2026
In The
Court of Appeals
For The
First District of Texas
————————————
NO. 01-26-00375-CV
———————————
HILARIA SAUSEDA, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00377-CV
———————————
FORTUNATO ALFARO, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00378-CV
———————————
DOLORES BELL-WASHINGTON, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00380-CV
———————————
DOROTHY CEASAR, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00381-CV
———————————
ALDINE HARRELL, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00382-CV
———————————
ESSEX JOHNSON, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
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————————————
NO. 01-26-00383-CV
———————————
STELLA TAYLOR, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00384-CV
———————————
ERIC BAKER, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00385-CV
———————————
JANET ALFRED, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00386-CV
———————————
BETTY AARON, ET AL., Appellants
V.
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PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00387-CV
———————————
JEREMY RATLIFF, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00484-CV
———————————
JUAN ADAME, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00485-CV
———————————
DEBREK BOOKMAN, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00486-CV
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———————————
VICTOR BROWN, JR., ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00487-CV
———————————
DOLORES DUNN, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00488-CV
———————————
ALVIN HARRIS, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00489-CV
———————————
EDGAR HARRISON, JR., ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
5
————————————
NO. 01-26-00490-CV
———————————
LAWRENCE MARTIN, JR., ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00491-CV
———————————
ELIZABETH PHILLIPS, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00492-CV
———————————
MICHELLE WILSON, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00493-CV
———————————
RUTH ANN ADAMS-TAYLOR, ET AL., Appellants
V.
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PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00494-CV
———————————
GEORGIA ROBINSON ARMSTEAD, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00495-CV
———————————
BRODERICK BRAGGS, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00496-CV
———————————
RUBY LEE ABBOTT, ET AL., Appellants
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
————————————
NO. 01-26-00497-CV
———————————
ANDREA ALEXANDER, ET AL., Appellants
V.
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PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC., Appellees
On Appeal from the 281st District Court
Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Case Nos. 2021-50475, 2021-49259, 2021-50497, 2020-82642, 2021-
03264, 2021-50415, 2020-82707, 2022-79988, 2022-35041, 2022-35107, 2022-
80007, 2021-50465, 2021-50469, 2020-83852, 2021-50209, 2021-45196, 2021-
22019, 2020-83855, 2020-50604, 2021-45255, 2020-83850, 2022-28057, 2022-
80779, 2021-50330, 2021-44936
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Appellants in twenty-six related interlocutory appeals have filed unopposed
motions to consolidate the twenty-five appeals above with appellate cause number
01-26-00374-CV. Specifically, they request we consolidate the record and all
filings from the twenty-five appeals into cause number 01-26-00374-CV, issue a
uniform briefing schedule, and order dismissal of the twenty-five above appellate
cause numbers.
In all of the appeals, appellants are appealing from identical orders signed
March 31, 2026, granting the appellees’ motions to dismiss under Chapter 150 of
the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE
150.002(f) (authorizing interlocutory appeal). All the motions were heard together
at coordinated MDL hearings. And all of these orders were signed by the
8
Honorable Sylvia Matthews, sitting by assignment in MDL Master Cause No.
2021-84423, the 281st District Court, Harris County.
In their motions to consolidate the appeals, appellants contend:
The clerk’s records are substantively the same and the reporter’s
transcripts are identical, additionally, the parties’ appellate briefings in
each Related Appeal will repeat the same arguments and authorities.
Consolidation will eliminate duplicative briefing and record citations,
reduce repetitive judicial analysis, and ensure consistent resolution of
the issues.
Appellants further certify that appellees are unopposed to consolidation.
We agree that, in the interests of judicial efficiency and economy, the
appeals should be consolidated. See State for L.J., No. 06-24-00036-CV, 2024 WL
2859385, at *1 (Tex. App.—Texarkana June 6, 2024, no pet.) (mem. op.)
(consolidating appeals). We grant appellants’ motions and consolidate appellate
cause numbers 01-26-00375-CV, 01-26-00377-CV, 01-26-00378-CV, 01-26-
00380-CV, 01-26-00381-CV, 01-26-00382-CV, 01-26-00383-CV, 01-26-00384-
CV, 01-26-00385-CV, 01-26-00386-CV, 01-26-00387-CV, 01-26-00484-CV, 01-
26-00485-CV, 01-26-00486-CV, 01-26-00487-CV, 01-26-00488-CV, 01-26-
00489-CV, 01-26-00490-CV, 01-26-00491-CV, 01-26-00492-CV, 01-26-00493-
CV, 01-26-00494-CV, 01-26-00495-CV, 01-26-00496-CV, and 01-26-00497-CV
with appellate cause number 01-26-00374-CV. Any and all parties, issues,
records, and documents filed in these appeals are consolidated into appellate cause
number 01-26-00374-CV. See Batson v. Bd. of Regents of Univ. of Tex. Sys. on
9
behalf of MD Anderson Cancer Ctr., No. 03-23-00765-CV, 2024 WL 2061658, at
*1 (Tex. App.—Austin May 9, 2024, no pet.). The consolidated appeal shall
proceed under appellate cause number 01-26-00374-CV using the following style:
In The
Court of Appeals
For The
First District of Texas
————————————
NO. 01-26-00374-CV
———————————
CURTIS ABRAM, ET AL.
V.
PASTOR BEHLING & WHEELER, L.L.C. AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SOUTHWEST, INC.
On Appeal from the 281st District Court
Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Case Nos. 2021-50212, 2021-50475, 2021-49259, 2021-50497, 2020-
82642, 2021-03264, 2021-50415, 2020-82707, 2022-79988, 2022-35041, 2022-
35107, 2022-80007, 2021-50465, 2021-50469, 2020-83852, 2021-50209, 2021-
10
45196, 2021-22019, 2020-83855, 2020-50604, 2021-45255, 2020-83850, 2022-
28057, 2022-80779, 2021-50330, 2021-44936
Because all parties and issues are now part of consolidated appellate cause
number 01-26-00374-CV, we grant appellants’ motion and dismiss the twenty-five
appellate cause numbers mentioned above. See 1717 Norfolk, LLC v. Davari, No.
01-25-01093-CV, 2026 WL 1072811, at *1 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Apr.
21, 2026, no pet. h.) (mem. op.); Ring & Ring d/b/a Wright’s Amusements v.
Sharpstown Mall Tex., LLC, No. 01-16-00321-CV, 2016 WL 3220552, at *1 (Tex.
App.—Houston [1st Dist.] June 9, 2016, no pet.) (mem. op.). We further dismiss
all other pending motions as moot.
Finally, we grant appellants’ request for a uniform briefing schedule as
follows:
1. All appellants file one (1) brief, which is due by June 29, 2026;
2. Appellee Environmental Resources Management Southwest, Inc. files
one (1) response brief, which is due by July 29, 2026;
3. Appellee Pastor Behling & Wheeler, L.L.C. files one (1) response
brief, which is due by July 29, 2026; and
4. All appellants file one (1) reply brief, which is due by August 18,
2026.
PER CURIAM
Panel consists of Justices Rivas-Molloy, Johnson, and Dokupil.
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