UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

BEAUMONT DIVISION

UNITED STATES and STATE OF 

TEXAS ex rel. DANIEL W. ELLIOTT, 

M.D. and LISA A. MINSLOFF, M.D.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

SOUTHEAST TEXAS MEDICAL 

ASSOCIATES, LLP et al.,

Defendants.

No. 1:23-CV-00329

DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL

RELATORS’ MOTION TO EXTEND DEADLINE TO 

FILE AMENDED PLEADINGS WITHOUT LEAVE OF COURT

On October 20, 2023, the Court entered an Order Granting in Part Defendants’ 

Joint Motion for a Temporary Stay of Discovery. (Dkt. No. 114). Specifically, the Court 

ordered that “[a]ll discovery, except discovery related to the pending dispositive motions,

are stayed.” Id.

Only four days later, Relators served a small number of narrowly tailored Requests 

for Production, Requests for Admission, and Interrogatories on some Defendants that 

specifically reference issues that those Defendants argue in their pending motions to dismiss.

Defendants categorically refused to produce documents or provide responses to those 

requests. As explained in Relators’ simultaneously filed Motion to Compel (Dkt. No. 117), 

Relators have conferred with Defendants, but unfortunately, the parties are at an impasse 

and require court intervention. 

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Currently, the deadline for Relators to file amended pleadings without leave of court 

is January 3, 2024. (Dkt. No. 108). Given the upcoming holidays, Relators understand that 

the Court likely cannot rule on the Motion to Compel until well into the new year. Thus, 

Relators likely will not be able to amend their complaint with the benefit of discovery 

related to the pending dispositive motions by the January 3, 2024 deadline. 

Due to this timing, Relators request a sixty-day extension to the deadline for Relators 

to file amended pleadings and ask that the Court order Relators to file amended pleadings 

without leave of court by March 4, 2024. Defendant Southeast Texas Medical Associates, 

LLP and the individual doctor defendants are unopposed to this relief. The remaining 

defendants, however, oppose the requested extension.

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Dated: December 14, 2023 Respectfully submitted,

REESE MARKETOS LLP

By: /s/ Joshua M. Russ

Joshua M. Russ 

Texas Bar No. 24074990 

josh.russ@rm-firm.com

Joel W. Reese

Texas Bar No. 00788258

joel.reese@rm-firm.com

Adam Sanderson 

Texas State Bar No. 24056264 

adam.sanderson@rm-firm.com 

Andrew O. Wirmani

Texas Bar No. 24052287

andrew.wirmani@rm-firm.com

Tyler J. Bexley 

Texas Bar No. 24073923

tyler.bexley@rm-firm.com 

Brett S. Rosenthal

Texas Bar No. 24080096

brett.rosenthal@rm-firm.com 

Allison N. Cook

Texas Bar No. 24091695

allison.cook@rm-firm.com

750 N. Saint Paul St. Ste. 600

Dallas, Texas 75201-3201

Telephone: (214) 382-9810

Facsimile: (214) 501-0731

MASTROGIOVANNI MERSKY & FLYNN, P.C.

 

By: /s/ Joseph J. Mastrogiovanni 

Joseph J. Mastrogiovanni, Jr.

Texas Bar No. 13184380

jmastro@mastromersky.com

2001 Bryan Street, Suite 1250

Dallas, Texas 75201

Telephone: (214) 922-8800

Facsimile: (214) 922-8801

ATTORNEYS FOR RELATORS

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of this document was filed on December 

14, 2023, through the ECF system, and will thereby be sent electronically to the registered

participants as identified on the Notice of Electronic Filing.

 /s/ Allison N. Cook

Allison N. Cook

CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE

I hereby certify that I conferred with counsel for Defendants. Southeast Texas 

Medical Associates, LLP; Muhammad Aziz, M.D.; James Holly, M.D.; Mary Castro, M.D.; 

Michael Thomas, M.D.; Syed Anwar, M.D.; Caesar Deiparine, M.D.; Ronald Palang, M.D.; 

Absar Qureshi, M.D.; and Dean Halbert, M.D. are unopposed to the relief requested. The 

remaining Defendants are opposed to the relief requested in this motion.

 /s/ Tyler J. Bexley

Tyler J. Bexley

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