A plea in abatement is a pleading by the defendant, as a response to the plaintiff’s claim, used to allege facts that arose outside of the petition and provides reasons, other than lack of venue or jurisdiction, for why the case should not proceed or why the case should be dismissed. A plea in abatement alleges that it is unnecessary for the court to hear the matter because, regardless of the facts stated in the petition, the plaintiff cannot recover. (Tex. R. Civ. P. 85; Augustine v. Nusom, 671 S.W.2d 112, 115.)