Opinion ID: 895218
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Anti-suit Injunction

Text: The court of appeals held that because its summary judgment was improper and its proceedings should have been abated, the district court could not enter an anti-suit injunction. 267 S.W.3d at 84-85. A court may exercise its discretion to issue an anti-suit injunction in four circumstances: 1) to address a threat to the court's jurisdiction; 2) to prevent the evasion of important public policy; 3) to prevent a multiplicity of suits; or 4) to protect a party from vexatious or harassing litigation. Gonzalez v. Reliant Energy, Inc., 159 S.W.3d 615, 623 (Tex.2005). The party seeking the injunction must show that `a clear equity demands' the injunction. Golden Rule Ins. Co. v. Harper, 925 S.W.2d 649, 651 (Tex.1996) (per curiam) (quoting Christensen v. Integrity Ins. Co., 719 S.W.2d 161, 163 (Tex.1986)). Because we hold that the probate court lacks jurisdiction over Fernandez's heirship claims, we do not foresee a continuing threat of Fernandez resuming this litigation in other courts. Accordingly, while we disagree with the court of appeals' reasoning, we affirm the portion of the judgment that the district court's anti-suit injunction be reversed and the Trust's request for injunctive relief be denied. See Univ. of Tex. v. Morris, 162 Tex. 60, 344 S.W.2d 426, 429 (1961) (recognizing that this Court is not constrained to the trial court record at the time an injunction was issued when events subsequent to the issuance of an anti-suit injunction render the cause for injunctive relief entirely moot or academic); see also Gannon v. Payne, 706 S.W.2d 304, 307 (Tex.1986) (The circumstances of each situation must be carefully examined to determine whether the [anti-suit] injunction is required to prevent an irreparable miscarriage of justice.).