Court Opinion

ID: 9368613
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-06 07:08:06.740385+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:09.358291
License: Public Domain

COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE
                           FIRST DISTRICT OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON

                                   ORDER TO REINSTATE

Appellate case name:          Hira Azhar v. Mohammad Ali Choudhri

Appellate case number:        01-20-00169-CV

Trial court case number:      2015-36895

Trial court:                  312th District Court of Harris County, Texas

        On September 22, 2022, we granted Appellee Mohammad Ali Choudhri’s appellate
counsel’s motion to withdraw and continue the case deadlines. We further removed the
case from this Court’s oral argument and submission docket, suspended the supplemental
briefing deadlines set by this Court’s September 1, 2022 order, and abated the appeal to
allow Choudhri time to secure new counsel. We reserved the right to reinstate this case
upon our own motion and notified the parties that the supplemental briefing on the issues
identified in this Court’s September 1 order would be due, on behalf of both Appellant Hira
Azhar and Choudhri, within 30 days from the date of reinstatement. On December 6, 2022,
attorney Gregg J. Costa of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, filed a notice of appearance on
behalf of Choudhri.
       On January 27, 2023, Azhar filed a motion to reinstate this appeal citing Choudhri’s
appearance of counsel. Accordingly, we grant Azhar’s motion to reinstate and reinstate
this appeal on this Court’s active docket. The parties are ordered to file supplemental
briefing on the issues identified below. Both Azhar and Choudhri’s supplemental briefs
shall be due no later than 30 days from the date of this order, or Thursday, March 2,
2023. The supplemental briefing should be limited to the identified issues and may not,
without leave of court, be longer than 5,000 words if computer-generated and 15 pages if
not.
   1. Has there been a determination of ownership of marital property made by any court
      in any jurisdiction?
   2. Has there been a division of marital property made by any court in any jurisdiction?
   3. Did the Pakistani courts have jurisdiction to divide marital property located in
      Texas?
   4. If there has been no division of martial property, and assuming Appellant’s property
      division claims under Chapter 9 of the Family Code are barred by res judicata, who
      holds title to the marital property? What effect does a finding that Appellant’s
      Chapter 9 property division claims are barred by res judicata have on the ownership
      of the marital property?
   5. Assuming Appellant’s property division claims under Chapter 9 of the Family Code
      are barred by res judicata, would Appellant be prohibited from pursuing separate
      partition claims under Chapter 23 of the Property Code as a tenant in common?
       After receipt of the supplemental briefing, the Court will determine whether and
when to reset this case for submission on the briefs or for oral argument in accordance with
the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure. See TEX. R. APP. P. 39.1, 39.7, 39.8.
       It is so ORDERED.

Judge’s signature: /s/ Amparo Guerra
                   Acting individually      Acting for the Court

Date: January 31, 2023

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