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In The

Court of Appeals

Ninth District of Texas at Beaumont

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NO. 09-13-00382-CV

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IN RE MUJTABA ALI KHAN

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Original Proceeding

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MEMORANDUM OPINION

Mujtaba Ali Khan seeks mandamus relief from an interlocutory trial court 

order enforcing a partial summary judgment. The case in the trial court is a dispute 

over the ownership and control of Xenon Anesthesia of Texas, P.L.L.C. (“Xenon 

Texas”). Haroon Chaudhry and Xenon Health L.L.C. (“Xenon Health”) sued Khan 

and Xenon Texas for breach of contract, tortious interference with existing 

contract, and specific performance. Khan and Xenon Texas have been enjoined 

from making any expenditures or incurring any indebtedness outside the ordinary 

course of business or from transferring or encumbering any ownership interests of 

Xenon Texas. See Xenon Anesthesia of Tex. P.L.L.C. v. Xenon Health L.L.C., No. 
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09-12-00553-CV, 2013 WL 1279408, at *4 (Tex. App.—Beaumont Mar. 28, 2013, 

no pet.).

On June 20, 2013, the trial court signed an order granting Chaudhry’s 

motion for summary judgment on Chaudhry’s claims against Khan, ordered Khan 

to transfer Xenon Texas to Chaudhry “as soon as practicable,” and required Khan 

to provide certain information to Chaudhry within thirty days. After an 

enforcement hearing, the trial court on August 9, 2013, ordered Khan to execute an 

Equity Interest Assignment Agreement that assigns to Chaudhry all of Khan’s 

interest in Xenon Texas and replaces Khan with Chaudhry as the sole member and 

manager of the company. The trial court denied Khan’s request for a severance or 

for permission to appeal. 

Khan contends that the trial court abused its discretion by ordering 

compliance with a partial summary judgment before the final judgment is signed. 

Generally, a party has a right to suspend the enforcement of a judgment during an 

appeal. See Tex. R. App. P. 24.1; In re Tarrant Cnty., 16 S.W.3d 914, 918 (Tex. 

App.—Fort Worth 2000, orig. proceeding). The party’s right to supersede the 

judgment and maintain the status quo for purposes of appeal may be lost forever 

where the trial court allows partial enforcement of the judgment before final 

judgment is entered. Id. at 919. Specific performance of an agreement to transfer 
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ownership and control of Xenon Health from Khan to Chaudhry is a significant 

part of the ultimate relief being sought in this case. By compelling Khan to 

effectuate the transfer before an appealable judgment has been signed, the trial 

court has deprived Khan of his right to obtain appellate review before the judgment 

is enforced. The trial court abused its discretion and the relator lacks an adequate 

remedy by appeal. Id. at 920. 

We conditionally grant the petition for writ of mandamus . We are confident 

the trial court will vacate its order of August 9, 2013. The writ shall issue only if 

the trial court fails to comply.

PETITION CONDITIONALLY GRANTED.

PER CURIAM

Submitted on September 3, 2013

Opinion Delivered September 26, 2013

Before Gaultney, Kreger, and Horton, JJ.