In Re AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP v. the State of Texas

ACCEPTED
15-25-00088-CV
FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS
AUSTIN, TEXAS
8/18/2025 3:30 PM
No. 15-25-00088-CV CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
CLERK
FILED IN
15th COURT OF APPEALS
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS
FOR THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM
AUSTIN, TEXAS CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
Clerk

IN RE: ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Relator

Original Proceeding from the 71st Judicial District Court
in Harrison County, Texas
The Honorable Brad Morin, Presiding

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE SUR-REPLY IN FURTHER RESPONSE TO PETITION
FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS

Samuel F. Baxter Mark Lanier
Jennifer L. Truelove Zeke DeRose
McKool Smith, P.C. Jonathan Wilkerson
104 East Houston, Suite 300 THE LANIER FIRM
Marshall, Texas 75670 10940 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N, Suite 100
(903) 923-9000 Houston, TX 77064
Fax: (903) 923-9099 (800) 723-3216
Fax: (713) 659-2204

Attorneys for Plaintiffs and Real-Parties-
in-Interest SCEF, LLC and Lynne Levin-
Guzman
Real-Parties-in-Interest (“Plaintiffs”) respectfully request leave to file a

short surreply in further response to Relator AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP’s

(“Astra”) petition for writ of mandamus. The proposed surreply is attached hereto

as Exhibit A.

In support of their motion, Plaintiffs state as follows:

• Prior to filing their response to Astra’s mandamus petition, Plaintiffs

amended their pleadings to add voluminous facts supporting venue in

Harrison County.

• In their response to Astra’s mandamus petition, Plaintiffs explained that

(i) under Rule 65 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, the filing of

the amended petition moots Astra’s mandamus petition; (ii) Astra’s 20-

month delay in seeking mandamus triggers laches; and (iii) Astra’s

petition fails because the record before the Court is different from that

at issue in In re Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC, 711 S.W.3d 732 (Tex. App.—

15th Dist. 2025, orig. proceeding), including because Astra waived

certain arguments.

• In its reply in support of its mandamus petition, Astra (i) argues that

this Court may not look to the operative pleading to resolve Astra’s

mandamus challenge; (ii) laches does not apply; and (iii) Sanofi is “on

all fours” with this case and waiver does not apply.

1
Plaintiffs did not have an adequate opportunity to respond to Astra’s reply

arguments and thus this Court does not have the benefit of Plaintiffs’ views on these

questions. Plaintiffs respectfully seek leave to file the attached, eight-page surreply.

Plaintiffs sought Astra’s consent to this motion for leave. Astra advised that it

takes no position on the matter.

2
Dated: August 18, 2025 Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Sam Baxter /s/ Mark Lanier
Samuel F. Baxter (co-lead Mark Lanier (co-lead counsel)
counsel) Zeke DeRose
sbaxter@mckoolsmith.com Jonathan Wilkerson
Jennifer L. Truelove THE LANIER FIRM
jtruelove@mckoolsmith.com 10940 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N
MCKOOL SMITH P.C. Houston, TX 77064
104 East Houston, Suite 300 (800) 723-3216
Marshall, Texas 75670 Fax: (713) 659-2204
(903) 923-9000
Fax: (903) 923-9099

ATTORNEYS FOR
PLAINTIFF/REAL-PARTY-IN-
INTEREST HEALTH SELECTION
GROUP, LLC

3
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

The undersigned hereby certifies that a true and correct copy of the above and

foregoing document has been served on August 18, 2025 to counsel of record.

/s/ Samuel F. Baxter
Samuel F. Baxter

4
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.

Envelope ID: 104513977
Filing Code Description: Motion
Filing Description: MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE SUR-REPLY IN
FURTHER RESPONSE TO PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS
Status as of 8/18/2025 3:36 PM CST

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Kennon L.Wooten kwooten@scottdoug.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Angela Goldberg agoldberg@scottdoug.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Jonathan Wilkerson 24050162 jonathan.wilkerson@lanierlawfirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Melissa Smith 24001351 melissa@gillamsmithlaw.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

William Peterson 24065901 willpete@gmail.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Samuel Baxter 1938000 sbaxter@mckoolsmith.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Brian McBride 24002554 scott.mcbride@morganlewis.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Zeke DeRose 24057421 zeke.derose@lanierlawfirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Jennifer Truelove 24012906 jtruelove@mckoolsmith.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Alex Brown 24026964 alex.brown@lanierlawfirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Lynne Kurtz-Citrin 24081425 lynne.kurtz-citrin@oag.texas.gov 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Jonathan Bonilla 24073939 Jonathan.Bonilla@hhs.texas.gov 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

W. Mark Lanier 11934600 jrm@lanierlawfirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Heidi Rasmussen 24090345 heidi.rasmussen@morganlewis.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Nadia Burns 24041176 nadia.burns@oag.texas.gov 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Ruth Adams radams@scottdoug.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Paige Cheung 24116193 paige.cheung@oag.texas.gov 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Steve McConnico smcconnico@scottdoug.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Jordan Kadjar jkadjar@scottdoug.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

John Dodds john.dodds@morganlewis.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Erica Jaffe erica.jaffe@morganlewis.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

W. Mark Lanier WML@LanierLawFirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 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.

Envelope ID: 104513977
Filing Code Description: Motion
Filing Description: MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE SUR-REPLY IN
FURTHER RESPONSE TO PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS
Status as of 8/18/2025 3:36 PM CST

Case Contacts

W. Mark Lanier WML@LanierLawFirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Vivian Egbu vivian.egbu@oag.texas.gov 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Lauren Sibley lauren.sibley@oag.texas.gov 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Steven Strauss steven.strauss@morganlewis.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

joel leach jleach@mckoolsmith.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

denise lopez dlopez@mckoolsmith.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Cynthia Lu cynthia.lu@oag.texas.gov 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM ERROR

Angel Devine adevine@mckoolsmith.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Radu Lelutiu rlelutiu@mckoolsmith.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Ryan McCarthy ryan.mccarthy@morganlewis.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Bradie Williams bradie.williams@morganlewis.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Joshua Morrow josh@lkcfirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Scott Keller scott@lkcfirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Andrew Davis andrew@lkcfirm.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT

Cathy Hodges catherine.hodges@aporter.com 8/18/2025 3:30:28 PM SENT