The opinion
Order issued December 1, 2021
In The
Court of Appeals
For The
First District of Texas
NO. 01-21-00624-CV
SANDRA L. MCGARRY, Appellant
V.
THE HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF AND RETIREMENT FUND,
BRETT ROBERT BESSELMAN IN HIS CAPACITY OF CHAIR OF THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OD THE HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF
AND RETIREMENT FUND, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF AND RETIREMENT FUND,
Appellees
On Appeal from 61st District Court
Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 2020-80333
MEMORANDUM ORDER
OF REFERRAL TO MEDIATION
The Court determines that it is appropriate to refer this appeal for resolution
by mediation. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE ANN. §§ 154.021, 154.022(a),
154.023 (Vernon 2011). Accordingly, the Court orders that this appeal be referred
to mediation unless any party to the appeal files an objection with the Clerk of this
Court within ten days after receiving this order. See id. § 154.022(b).
The parties shall choose a qualified mediator and agree on a reasonable fee
for the mediator’s services. 1 See id. §§ 154.052, 154.054(a) (Vernon 2011).
The Court sets the following deadlines:
• No later than 15 days from the date that this order is issued, the
parties shall file with the Clerk of this Court a completed “Parties’
Notification to Court of Mediator.” This document can be
downloaded from the forms page of the Court’s website at
http://www.txcourts.gov/1stcoa.
• No later than 45 days from the date that this order is issued, the
parties shall conduct the mediation.
• No later than two days from the conclusion of the mediation,
the parties and the mediator shall advise the Clerk of this Court in
writing whether the parties did or did not settle the underlying dispute.
All parties, or their representative with full settlement authority, shall attend
the mediation with their counsel. The mediator shall encourage and assist the
parties in reaching a settlement of their dispute, but may not compel or coerce the
parties to enter into a settlement agreement. See id. § 154.053(a) (Vernon 2011).
1 The Court does not recommend mediators. Mediation information is
available from the Dispute Resolution Center of Harris County ((713) 755-
8274 and https://drc.harriscountytx.gov/), the Fort Bend Dispute Resolution
Center ((281) 342-5000), the Alternate Dispute Resolution Section of the
State Bar of Texas (http://www.texasadr.org/), and other groups. The parties
are not required to use a mediator recommended or listed by these groups.
All communications relating to the mediation are confidential and not subject to
disclosure, except as set forth by law. See id. § 154.073 (Vernon 2011). The Clerk
of this Court, however, will file this order, any objection to this order, and the
completed “Parties’ Notification to Court of Mediator” with the other documents
filed in this appeal that are available for public inspection.
Unless expressly authorized by the disclosing party, the mediator may not
disclose to either party information given in confidence by the other and shall at all
times maintain confidentiality with respect to communications relating to the
subject matter of the dispute. See id. § 154.053(b). Unless the parties agree
otherwise, all matters, including the conduct and demeanor of the parties and their
counsel during the settlement process, are confidential and may never be disclosed
to anyone, including this Court. See id. § 154.053(c).
The Court will consider the agreed fee for the mediator’s services to be
reasonable and tax that fee as a cost of the appeal unless the parties agree to
another method of payment. See id. § 154.054.
/s/ Gordon Goodman
Justice Gordon Goodman
Acting Individually