Void, is void.

October 31, 2018

The appellant in In re Knies challenged an order about an award of attorneys’ fees in connection with a discovery matter, entered four months after the trial court’s plenary power expired. The Fifth Court found that it had no jurisdiction over this void order, reasoning: “Judicial action taken after the expiration of the court’s jurisdiction is a nullity, and any orders signed outside the court’s plenary jurisdiction are void. We have no jurisdiction to consider the merits of an appeal from a void order.” (citation omitted). (Of course, in reaching that conclusion, the Court necessarily held that the order was void, which is basically the relief appellant was requesting by a different path.) No. 06-18-00919-CV (Oct. 30, 2018) (mem. op).