Texas Racing Commission v. Toby Keeton

10/21/2025 1:39 PM
Velva L. Price
District Clerk
Travis County
Cause No. D-1-GN-25-002549 D-1-GN-25-002549
Selina Hamilton

TOBY KEETON, § IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF
FILED IN
Plaintiff, § 15th COURT OF APPEALS
§ AUSTIN, TEXAS
v. § TRAVIS COUNTY,
10/21/2025 TEXAS
3:46:38 PM
§ CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
Clerk
TEXAS RACING COMMISSION, §
Defendant. § 353RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT

NOTICE OF APPEAL TO THE FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS

1. Cause No. D-1-GN-25-002549, styled Toby Keeton v. Texas Racing

Commission, was filed in the 353rd Judicial District Court of Travis County, Texas.

2. On October 9, 2025, the Hon. Aurora Martinez Jones, presiding of the

126th District Court of Travis County, signed an order denying Texas Racing

Commission’s (Commission) Plea to the Jurisdiction with respect to Toby Keeton’s

(Keeton) due-process and rule-applicability challenge. The Court also determined

that Keeton alleged facts sufficient to support a claim that the Commission’s

application of Texas Occupations Code section 2034.002, including the resulting

application of 16 Texas Administrative Code sections 307.62, 319.3, and 319.304, was

unconstitutional.

3. The Commission desires to appeal the October 9, 2025, order that denied

its Plea to the Jurisdiction.

4. This interlocutory appeal is permitted pursuant to Texas Civil Practice

and Remedies Code section 51.014(a)(8). Pursuant to Texas Rule of Appellate

Procedure 28.1(a), this interlocutory appeal is an accelerated appeal.
Respectfully Submitted,

KEN PAXTON
Attorney General of Texas

BRENT WEBSTER
First Assistant Attorney General

RALPH MOLINA
Deputy First Assistant Attorney General

AUSTIN KINGHORN
Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation

ERNEST C. GARCIA
Chief, Administrative Law Division

/s/ Lauren McGee
LAUREN MCGEE
State Bar No. 24128835
Assistant Attorney General
Administrative Law Division
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
P.O. Box 12548, Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711-2548
Telephone: (512) 475-3203
Lauren.McGee@oag.texas.gov

ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT TEXAS RACING
COMMISSION

TEXAS RACING COMMISSION’S NOTICE OF APPEAL
Cause No. D-1-GN-25-002549; Toby Keeton v. Texas Racing Commission. Page 2 of 3
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the above and foregoing Notice
of Appeal has been served on October 21, 2025, in compliance with Texas Rule of Civil
Procedure 21a to the following party:

CLARK O. BREWSTER
State Bar No. 786841
JOSEPH C. DE ANGELIS
Admitted Pro Hac Vice
Brewster & De Angelis, PLLC
2617 E. 21st Street
Tulsa, OK 74114
Telephone: (918) 742-2021
cbrewster@brewsterlaw.com
jcdeangelis@brewsterlaw.com

DON GRIFFIN, JR.
State Bar No. 08456975
Vinson & Elkins, LLP
845 Texas St., Ste 4700
Houston, TX 77002-2946
Telephone: (713) 758-3508
dgriffin@velaw.com

ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF
TOBY KEETON

/s/ Lauren McGee
LAUREN MCGEE
Assistant Attorney General

TEXAS RACING COMMISSION’S NOTICE OF APPEAL
Cause No. D-1-GN-25-002549; Toby Keeton v. Texas Racing Commission. Page 3 of 3
Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system
on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing
certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a
certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

Jennifer Foster on behalf of Lauren McGee
Bar No. 24128835
jennifer.foster@oag.texas.gov
Envelope ID: 107104614
Filing Code Description: Notice of Appeal
Filing Description: NOTICE OF APPEAL
Status as of 10/21/2025 3:38 PM CST

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Jennifer Foster Jennifer.Foster@oag.texas.gov 10/21/2025 1:39:34 PM SENT

Marissa Rodriguez Marissa.rodriguez@traviscountytx.gov 10/21/2025 1:39:34 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: TEXAS RACING COMMISSION

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Lauren McGee lauren.mcgee@oag.texas.gov 10/21/2025 1:39:34 PM SENT

Canon ParkerHill canon.hill@oag.texas.gov 10/21/2025 1:39:34 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: TOBY KEETON

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Clark Brewster cbrewster@brewsterlaw.com 10/21/2025 1:39:34 PM SENT

Joseph DeAngelis jcdeangelis@brewsterlaw.com 10/21/2025 1:39:34 PM SENT

Don Griffin 8456975 dgriffin@velaw.com 10/21/2025 1:39:34 PM SENT