Opinion ID: 894992
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Appeal of the Interlocutory Order

Text: Before the trial court dismissed Trejo's claims against Villafani, the order denying Villafani's motion for sanctions and dismissal was interlocutory. Under the current version of the MLIIA and the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, a claimant may take an interlocutory appeal of a trial court's grant or denial of these sanctions. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM.CODE §§ 51.014(a)(9), (10), 74.351(b). Such an interlocutory appeal was not available under the version of the MLIIA applicable to this case. See Act of June 2, 2003, 78th Leg., R.S., ch. 204, § 1.03, 2003 Tex. Gen. Laws 847, 849 (adding interlocutory appeal of grants and denials of motions for sanctions under section 74.351 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code). Here, the trial court's denial of Villafani's motion for sanctions and dismissal and Trejo's nonsuit collectively disposed of all the claims between the two parties. See Univ. of Tex. Med. Branch at Galveston v. Blackmon, 195 S.W.3d 98, 101 (Tex.2006) (filing of nonsuit has the effect of rendering the merits of the case moot). Thus, the trial court's severance and dismissal order on the nonsuit became a final judgment for purposes of appeal. See In re Bennett, 960 S.W.2d 35, 38 (Tex.1997) ([T]he signing of an order dismissing a case, not the filing of a notice of nonsuit, is the starting point for determining when a trial court's plenary power expires.); see also Davidoff v. GX Tech. Corp., 134 S.W.3d 514, 515 (Tex.App.-Waco 2004, pet. denied) (holding absence of signed order dismissing counterclaims prevented appeal, as there was no final order, despite filing of nonsuit). The trial court's denial of Villafani's motion for sanctions and dismissal was no longer an interlocutory order and was therefore appealable at that point. See McEwen v. Harrison, 162 Tex. 125, 345 S.W.2d 706, 707 (1961) (hearing an appeal of an interlocutory default judgment, which became final after nonsuit of other parties).