Reported / Citable
Background
Donald Watkins and other plaintiffs sued Cassandra Kovalkevich and other defendants in the Eastern District of Texas. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services defendants, defendants Bloomer and Brown, and defendant Robertson each moved to dismiss the plaintiffs’ amended complaint.
The matter was referred to a magistrate judge under 28 U.S.C. § 636. On August 10, 2026, the magistrate judge recommended granting all three dismissal motions, dismissing the case with prejudice, denying leave to amend, and denying unaddressed relief as moot. Plaintiffs timely objected.
The Court’s Holding
District Judge Amos L. Mazzant conducted a de novo review of the plaintiffs’ objections and adopted the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation as the court’s findings and conclusions.
The court granted the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services defendants’ motion to dismiss, Bloomer and Brown’s motion to dismiss, and Robertson’s motion to dismiss. It dismissed the plaintiffs’ case with prejudice, denied leave to amend, and denied as moot any relief not previously granted.
Key Takeaways
- All three pending motions to dismiss the amended complaint were granted.
- The dismissal was with prejudice, ending the case in the district court.
- The court denied plaintiffs leave to amend after adopting the magistrate judge’s recommendation.
Why It Matters
The order fully resolves the action at the district-court level. It also shows the court’s acceptance, after de novo review of timely objections, of the magistrate judge’s recommendation on dismissal and amendment.