Mr. Jarndyce, I presume.

An unusual application of Hughes tolling appeared in White Nile Software v. Travis. The issue of who was entitled to act on behalf of a potential legal-malpractice client remained unresolved for a whopping seven years:

“Thus, rather than coming to a conclusion in 2011, White Nile’s legal malpractice claims in state court were in a legal limbo while Mandell’s bankruptcy proceedings continued, pending a final determination of authority or capacity to take action on behalf of White Nile …  This issue was only resolved when the order of the bankruptcy court that Mandel had no shares in White Nile became final in October 2018.”

The Fifth Court concluded that this potential claims was tolled, quoting Hughes: “Where “a person is prevented from exercising his legal remedy by the pendency of legal proceedings, the time during which he is thus prevented should not be counted against him in determining whether limitations have barred his right.” No. 05-20-00354-CV (Aug. 29, 2022) (mem. op.).