In Re Frank Jackson v. the State of Texas

ACCEPTED
15-25-00235-CV
FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS
AUSTIN, TEXAS
1/5/2026 12:00 AM
No. 15-25-00235-CV CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
CLERK
In the Fifteenth Court of Appeals FILED IN
15th COURT OF APPEALS

Austin, Texas AUSTIN, TEXAS
1/5/2026 12:00:00 AM
CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
Clerk

IN RE FRANK JACKSON,
Relator

On Petition for Writ of Mandamus to the
Texas Business Court, Eleventh Division, Houston, Texas
No. 25-BC11B-00032

REAL-PARTY-IN-INTEREST
NORMAN THOMAS BARRAS, JR.’S
RESPONSE TO MOTION FOR TEMPORARY RELIEF

Anthony G. Buzbee David George
Texas Bar No. 24001820 Texas Bar No. 00793212
Thomas Colby Holler THE GEORGE APPELLATE LAW FIRM
Texas Bar No. 24126898 440 Louisiana, Suite 900
Mitchell W. Blasio Houston, Texas 77002
Texas Bar No. 24138469 Tel. (832) 850-1113
THE BUZBEE LAW FIRM dgeorge@georgeappeals.com
J.P. Morgan Chase Tower
600 Travis, Suite 7300
Houston, Texas 77002
Tel. (713) 223-5393
tbuzbee@txattorneys.com
choller@txattorneys.com
mblasio@txattorneys.com
www.txattorneys.com
IR

Counsel for Real-Party-in-Interest
Norman Thomas Barras, Jr.
This Court should deny Defendant/Relator Frank Jackson’s

motion for temporary relief, as well as his mandamus petition.

Plaintiff Norman Thomas Barras, Jr. has filed his response to

Jackson’s mandamus petition.1 Because the mandamus petition

has been fully briefed and is ready to be decided, there is no need

for this Court to grant temporary relief staying any trial court

proceedings.

As Barras explains in his mandamus response, this Court

should deny Jackson’s mandamus petition. The trial court did not

clearly abuse its discretion when it denied Jackson’ Rule 91a motion

to dismiss because he did not conclusively establish his attorney-

immunity affirmative defense:

• Jackson did not conclusively establish that all of
his challenged conduct was the provision of
legal services involving the unique office,
professional skill, training, and authority of an
attorney; and

• Jackson did not conclusively establish that all of
his challenged conduct was within an
adversarial context in which Barras and

1 Barras Mandamus Resp. (filed Jan. 4, 2026).

2
Jackson’s client did not share the same
interests.2

Each of these provides an independent ground to deny Jackson’s

motion to dismiss.3 Jackson’s failure to conclusively establish either

ground is fatal to his attorney-immunity affirmative defense.

If this Court were to grant any temporary relief, it should be

limited solely to Barras’ claims against Jackson. Barras’ claims

against Defendants The Reynolds and Reynolds Company and

Dorothy Brockman should continue unabated.

2 See Barras Mandamus Resp. at 22-30.

3 Haynes & Boone v. NFTD, LLC, 631 S.W.3d 65, 81 (Tex. 2021)

3
Respectfully submitted,

/s/ David George
Anthony G. Buzbee David George
Texas Bar No. 24001820 Texas Bar No. 00793212
Thomas Colby Holler THE GEORGE APPELLATE LAW FIRM
Texas Bar No. 24126898 440 Louisiana, Suite 900
Mitchell W. Blasio Houston, Texas 77002
Texas Bar No. 24138469 Tel. (832) 850-1113
THE BUZBEE LAW FIRM dgeorge@georgeappeals.com
J.P. Morgan Chase Tower
600 Travis, Suite 7300
Houston, Texas 77002
Tel. (713) 223-5393
tbuzbee@txattorneys.com
choller@txattorneys.com
mblasio@txattorneys.com
www.txattorneys.com
Counsel for Real-Party-in-Interest
Norman Thomas Barras, Jr.

4
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify that on January 4, 2026, I served a copy of the
foregoing document upon the following counsel of record via
electronic filing:

Gregg Costa
Sydney A. Scott
Jack B. DiSorbo
GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP
811 Main Street, Suite 3000
Houston, Texas 77002
Counsel for Defendant/Relator Frank Jackson

Honorable Grant Dorfman
Presiding Judge
Texas Business Court
Eleventh Division
301 Fannin Street
Houston, Texas 77002
Respondent

/s/ David George
David George

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
This document contains 246 words, excluding the caption,
signature blocks, and certificates. This motion was prepared using
Microsoft Word for Mac version 16.90.22016 in 14 point (12 point in
footnotes) Century Schoolbook (Arial headings) font.

/s/ David George
David George

5
Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system
on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing
certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a
certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

David George on behalf of David George
Bar No. 793212
6226d830-c50e-4ea2-8bb1-c71ad4164354@us.efiling.clio.com
Envelope ID: 109627229
Filing Code Description: Response
Filing Description: Real Party in Interest Norman Barras Response to
Motion for Temporary Relief
Status as of 1/5/2026 7:06 AM CST

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

David George dgeorge@georgeappeals.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: The Reynolds and Reynolds Company

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Jordan Kazlow 24101994 jkazlow@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Ruben Garza 24127735 rgarza@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

David Genender dgenender@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Maria C.Rodriguez mcrodriguez@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: Dorothy Brockman

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Jordan Kazlow 24101994 jkazlow@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Ruben Garza 24127735 rgarza@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Maria C.Rodriguez mcrodriguez@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

David Genender dgenender@mwe.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: NormanThomasBarras, Jr.

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Anthony Buzbee 24001820 tbuzbee@txattorneys.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Thomas Holler 24126898 choller@txattorneys.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT
Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system
on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing
certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a
certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

David George on behalf of David George
Bar No. 793212
6226d830-c50e-4ea2-8bb1-c71ad4164354@us.efiling.clio.com
Envelope ID: 109627229
Filing Code Description: Response
Filing Description: Real Party in Interest Norman Barras Response to
Motion for Temporary Relief
Status as of 1/5/2026 7:06 AM CST

Associated Case Party: NormanThomasBarras, Jr.

Thomas Holler 24126898 choller@txattorneys.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Mitchell Blasio 24138469 mblasio@txattorneys.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: Frank Jackson

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Sydney Scott SAScott@gibsondunn.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Jack DiSorbo JDiSorbo@gibsondunn.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

TX-MAO TX-MAO pacer-tx@gibsondunn.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Gregg Costa GCosta@gibsondunn.com 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: Honorable Grant Dorfman

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Honorable Grant Dorfman BCDivision11B@txcourts.gov 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT

Jackie Struss Jackie.Struss@txcourts.gov 1/4/2026 12:18:13 PM SENT