The opinion
ACCEPTED
03-15-00461-CV
7098487
THIRD COURT OF APPEALS
AUSTIN, TEXAS
9/25/2015 10:33:01 AM
JEFFREY D. KYLE
CLERK
APPELLATE DOCKET NO: 03-15-0461-CV
FILED IN
BROWN REAL ESTATE § THIRD DISTRICT
3rd COURT OF APPEALS
VENTURES 5, § AUSTIN, TEXAS
Cross-Appellant, § 9/25/2015 10:33:01 AM
§ COURTJEFFREY D. KYLE
OF APPEALS
Clerk
v. §
§
HDI PLASTICS, INC., § AUSTIN, TEXAS
Cross-Appellee.
HOPKINS & WILLIAMS, PLLC'S AND M. MATTHEW WILLIAMS'
MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS ATTORNEYS IN CHARGE
TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF THIS COURT:
Hopkins & Williams, PLLC and M. Matthew Williams (collectively
"Attorneys") move this Court to allow their withdrawal as the attorneys in charge
for Cross-Appellee, HDI Plastics, Inc. ("Cross-Appellee HDI"), who has
terminated Attorneys' representation based upon the company's insolvency and
inability to pay its current or future attorney's fees.
A. Facts
1. Cross-Appellant is BROWN REAL ESTATE VENTURES 5 ("Cross-
Appellant").
2. Cross-Appellee HDI is a domestic corporation.
3. On January 10, 2014, Cross-Appellant sued Cross-Appellee HDI for
violations of the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act.
4. The Final Judgment in this case was entered on May 28, 2015.
5. After two hearings, Cross-Appellee HDI had the judgment against it
reduced by $448,650.00.
Motion to Withdraw (HDI)
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6. Cross Motions to Modify, Correct and Reform the Judgment were
both denied on August 4, 2015, and Cross-Appellant has appealed the judgment
against Cross-Appellee HDI to the Third District Court of Appeals.
7. On or about August 31, 2015, Cross-Appellee HDI entirely ceased its
business operations after being unable to pay its employees for approximately two
weeks. President of Cross-Appellee HDI, Kenneth Brimmer, has confirmed to
Attorneys that Cross-Appellee HDI cannot pay its sizable attorney's fees currently
owed to Attorneys, incurred before, during, and after the seven-day trial, and
thereafter expressly terminated Attorneys' services in this lawsuit effective
immediately.
8. On September 22, 2015, Cross-Appellee HDI informed Attorneys of
its desire to discharge Attorneys and to have Attorneys withdrawn as the attorneys
of record in this lawsuit effective immediately.
B. Argument & Authorities
9. A client may discharge his attorney at any time even without cause,
and Cross-Appellee HDI, who is insolvent, desires the immediate discharge of its
Attorneys from this lawsuit and appeal and desires Attorneys' immediate
withdrawal from this lawsuit and appeal as the lawyers for Cross-Appellee HDI.
See Rogers v. Clinton, 794 S.W. 2d 9, 10 n.1 (Texas 1990). Cross-Appellee HDI
agrees to this motion as follows:
Motion to Withdraw (HDI)
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VERIFICATION
Before me, the undersigned notary, on this day personally appeared Defendant Kenneth
Brimmer, individually, a person whose identity is known to me. After I administered an oath to
him, upon his oath he said that he read the DEFENDANT KENNETH BRJMMER'S FIRST
AGREED BY:
AMENDED ORIGINAL ANSWER, including certain verified pleas made in his individual
HDIinPlastics,
capacity, and that the facts stated Inc.,
it are within his personal knowledge and are true and correct.
By: ________________________________
Kenneth Brimmer
Kenneth Brimmer, President
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me on this the 29th day of September 2014, by
10.an individual.
Adam Mosier, Contemporaneous with the filing of this motion, Attorneys have
delivered a copy of this motion to Cross-Appellee HDI and have notified its
President, Kenneth Brimmer, in writing, by both certified and regular mail, of its
right to object to the motion. EMILY KATE YURAS
My Commission Expires
June 19, 2017
11. As stated in paragraphs 8 and 9 supra, Cross-Appellee HDI consents
to this motion.
12. The last known address of Cross-Appellee HDI in Taylor, Texas is no
longer valid because its business is no longer operating at that or any other location
in the state. Cross-Appellee HDI's President, Kenneth Brimmer, can therefore be
served at his last known business 11address: 10275 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka, MN
Kenneth Brimmer's First Amended Original Answer
55305.
13. Cross-Appellee HDI has been served with post-judgment
interrogatories and requests for production, which Cross-Appellee HDI is unable to
answer because of the loss of its employees and loss of access to its books and
records, the location of which is currently unknown to Attorneys. These post-
judgment discovery responses are due on September 23, 2015. Other than these
discovery responses, there are no pending settings or deadlines in this case known
to Attorneys at the present time. Cross-Appellee HDI will likely have appellate
deadlines set by the Third District Court of Appeals in the near future.
Motion to Withdraw (HDI)
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C. Conclusion
14. In conclusion, Cross-Appellee HDI desires that Attorneys withdraw as
the attorneys of record in this lawsuit and agrees to this motion, and Attorneys seek
to withdraw because Cross-Appellee HDI is insolvent and cannot pay its current or
future attorney's fees.
D. Prayer
15. For these reasons, Hopkins & Williams, PLLC and attorney M.
Matthew Williams ask the Court to grant their motion to immediately withdraw as
the attorneys in charge for Cross-Appellee, HDI Plastics, Inc. in this lawsuit and on
appeal.
Respectfully submitted,
Hopkins & Williams, PLLC
12117 Bee Caves Road, Suite 260
Austin, Texas 78738
(512) 600-4320 – Telephone
(512) 600-4326 – Facsimile
By:
M. Matthew Williams
Texas State Bar No. 24047115
Mark D. Hopkins
Texas State Bar No. 00793975
Glenn A. Brown
Texas State Bar No. 00796255
ATTORNEYS FOR CROSS-APPELLEE
Motion to Withdraw (HDI)
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CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE
I certify that I attempted to confer with Michael Deitch via email on
Thursday, September 24, 2015 11:04 a.m. regarding HOPKINS & WILLIAMS,
PLLC'S AND M. MATTHEW WILLIAMS' MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS
ATTORNEYS IN CHARGE, and he has not responded to my inquiry about
whether or not he opposes the motion.
______________________________
M. Matthew Williams
Motion to Withdraw (HDI)
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that this HOPKINS & WILLIAMS, PLLC'S AND M.
MATTHEW WILLIAMS' MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS ATTORNEYS IN
CHARGE for CAUSE NO. D-1-GN-12-000807 has been forwarded to the
following persons in the stated manner on the 25th day of September 2015:
Via Electronic File Manager
Michael Deitch
The Deitch Law Offices
800 Rio Grande
Austin, TX 78701
512/474-1554
512/474-1579 (telecopy)
mike.d@dhpc-law.com (e-mail)
brian@dhpc-law.com (e-mail)
Via Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested
And Regular Mail
HDI Plastics, Inc.
Attn: Kenneth Brimmer
10275 Wayzata Blvd
Minnetonka, MN 55305
M. Matthew Williams
Motion to Withdraw (HDI)
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STATE OF TEXAS §
COUNTY OF TRAVIS §
VERIFICATION
Before me, the undersigned notary, on this day personally appeared M.
Matthew Williams, a person whose identity is known to me. After I administered
an oath to him, upon his oath he said that he has read HOPKINS & WILLIAMS,
PLLC'S AND M. MATTHEW WILLIAMS' MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS
ATTORNEYS IN CHARGE and that the facts stated in it are within his personal
knowledge and are true and correct.
____________________________________
M. Matthew Williams, for himself and for
the firm Hopkins & Williams, PLLC
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me by M. Matthew Williams on
this the 23rd day of September 2015.
Motion to Withdraw (HDI)
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