Bell v. Matthews Hope Foundation et al

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
GALVESTON DIVISION
LEE ANN BELL,
Plaintiff.
V.
MATTHEWS HOPE FOUNDATION,
et al.,
Defendants.
§
§
§
§
§
§
§
§
§
§
CIVIL ACTION NO. 3:25-cv-00125
MEMORANDUM OPINION, ORDER, AND RECOMMENDATION
Pending before me is Defendant IntegraNet Physician Resource, Inc.’s
Motion to Dismiss or, Alternatively, Motion for Summary Judgment. Dkt. 15. In
her response to that motion, Plaintiff Lee Ann Bell requests that she “be granted
leave to amend to plead additional specifics regarding IntegraNet’s involvement”
with her claims. Dkt. 17 at 4.
Bell has never amended her complaint, and it would be an abuse of
discretion not to allow her to do so. See Ass’n of Am. Physicians & Surgeons Educ.
Found. v. Am. Bd. of Internal Med., 103 F.4th 383, 395 (5th Cir. 2024).
Accordingly, I grant Bell leave to amend her complaint. See Talbert v. Am. Risk
Ins. Co., Inc., 405 F. App’x. 848, 851 (5th Cir. 2010) (holding that a motion to
amend the pleadings is a non-dispositive matter that may be ruled on by a
magistrate judge).
Bell has until Friday, February 20, 2026 to file her amended complaint.
CONCLUSION
Because I have granted Plaintiff leave to amend her complaint, I recommend
that IntegraNet’s motion to dismiss (Dkt. 15) be denied as moot. IntegraNet may
file a responsive pleading and/or move to dismiss the amended complaint by
March 13, 2026.
United States District Court
Southern District of Texas
ENTERED
February 10, 2026
Nathan Ochsner, Clerk
Case 3:25-cv-00125 Document 19 Filed 02/10/26 in TXSD Page 1 of 2

2
The 	parties 	have 	14 	days 	from 	service 	of 	this 	Memorandum 	and
Recommendation to file written objections. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C); Fed. R.
Civ. P. 72(b)(2). Failure to file timely objections will preclude appellate review of
factual findings and legal conclusions, except for plain error.
Signed this ___ day of February 2026.
______________________________
ANDREW M. EDISON
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Case 3:25-cv-00125 Document 19 Filed 02/10/26 in TXSD Page 2 of 2