Reported / Citable
Background
Raul Olivas sued American Economy Insurance Company in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The order does not describe the underlying claims or defenses.
At a July 27, 2026 status conference, both parties appeared through counsel. Pending matters included Olivas’s request to exceed the page limit for a motion concerning a continued Rule 30(b)(6) deposition and sanctions, an expedited-consideration or hearing request, and a request to continue trial and modify pretrial deadlines or alternatively hold a status conference.
The Court’s Holding
The court granted Olivas’s opposed motion for leave to exceed the page limit for his motion to compel a continued Rule 30(b)(6) deposition and for sanctions (Dkt. 21). American Economy may file a response of no more than 20 pages by August 10, 2026, and Olivas may file a reply of no more than five pages by August 17, 2026.
The court dismissed as moot two specified filings: Olivas’s motion for expedited consideration or a hearing (Dkt. 22) and his motion to continue trial and modify pretrial deadlines, or alternatively for a status conference (Dkt. 26). The order does not state that the underlying motion to exclude R. Bryan Hash or the underlying motion to compel was dismissed or denied.
The court also stated that it would enter an amended scheduling order resetting trial for December 7, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Olivas may exceed the page limit for his motion addressing the continued Rule 30(b)(6) deposition and sanctions.
- The insurer’s response is due August 10, 2026, and Olivas’s optional reply is due August 17, 2026, subject to the court’s page limits.
- Only Dkts. 22 and 26 were dismissed as moot, and the order provides no reason for that disposition.
- Trial will be reset to December 7, 2026 through an amended scheduling order.
Why It Matters
The order establishes the briefing schedule and expanded page limits for a discovery-and-sanctions motion while disposing of two ancillary procedural requests as moot. It does not decide the merits of the referenced motion to exclude an expert or motion to compel.
For counsel, the immediate significance is procedural: the parties have firm August briefing deadlines, and the court has announced a new December 7, 2026 trial date.