348-318681-20 FILED

TARRANT COUNTY
4/18/2024 4:46 PM
THOMAS A. WILDER
DISTRICT CLERK
CAUSE NO. 348-318681-20

KRISTI ELLIS, AS NEXT FRIEND OF § IN THE DISTRICT COURT

A.D, A MINOR CHILD, §
§
Plaintiff, §
v. § TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS
§
§
GATEWAY CHURCH, §
§
Defendant. § 348th JUDICIAL DISTRICT

FINAL JUDGMENT DISPOSING OF ALL CLAIMS

On this day came to be heard the above-entitled and numbered cause, and appeared Plaintiff

Kristi Ellis as Next Friend of A.O., a Minor, by and through her attorney. A.O. (the "Minor") also

appeared through Lynne Nash, the duly appointed Guardian Ad Litem, Lynne Nash. Defendant

Gateway Church appeared by and through its attorneys ofrecord. All parties having waived a jury,

it was announced to the Court that an agreement for settlement of all matters in controversy,

approved and recommended by the parties and the Guardian Ad Litem, had been entered, subject

to the approval of the Court; and

It was then announced, subject to the approval of the Court, a compromise and settlement

was being made of disputed claims and that the parties entered into a confidential Compromise

Settlement Agreement and Release in full settlement of all claims of Plaintiff against Defendants.

It was further announced that said Compromise Settlement Agreement and Release was being

made on disputed claims against Defendants and that Defendants denied any liability to the

Plaintiff. Defendants agreed to enter into the compromise settlement agreement solely to buy

peace, without admitting any liability.

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 The Court having heard the pleadings and evidence finds as follows:

I. The terms of the Compromise Settlement Agreement and Release are understood
by all parties to this suit, and all of them have agreed to such terms;

2. The Compromise Settlement Agreement and Release is in the best interest of the
minor, A.D.;

3. Such sums as are awarded to the Plaintiff A.D., a minor, by the Court in this
Judgment are accepted in full and final payment of any and all claims and causes
of action which may have been asserted or might be asserted for damages against
Defendant Gateway Church alleged to have been sustained by Plaintiff A.D., a
minor in the incident which forms the basis of this suit;

It is therefore ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant Gateway

Church shall pay or have paid on their behalf to the Minor the sums set forth in the confidential

Compromise Settlement and Release Agreement which has been presented to and approved by this

Court. These sums are to be apportioned in accordance with the terms of the Guardian Ad Litem

Report.

It is further ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the sum awarded to the

Minor, A.D. be t\AP"

a. ~ e d d i r e ~ f t E n i s , • ~ of A.D ..'...

OR M,f-
b. ~ P a i d into the Registry of the Court for the use and benefit of the Minor. The

Court Clerk is ORDERED to place these funds into a savings account, certificate of deposit or

interest-bearing account at an institution authorized by Section 142.004 of the Texas Property

Code for the use and benefit of the Minor. The funds may be withdrawn without further Order of

this court when the Minor reaches the age of eighteen (18), upon presentation of a birth certificate,

Social Security card, and/or other appropriate identification that provides appropriate proof that

the Minor has reached the age of eighteen (18). It is further ORDERED that the Tarrant County

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District Clerk shall add any future deposits to the original sum awarded to said Minor A.D. without

further Order of the Court.

It is further ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED by this Court that the amounts

payable pursuant to the Confidential Settlement and Release Agreement shall constitute damages

received on account of personal physical injuries or physical sickness within the meaning of

Section 104(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended and that no portion of such

amounts shall constitute property damages, exemplary damages, or punitive damages.

It is further ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED by this Court that reasonable fees

are to be awarded to the Guardian Ad Litem, Lynne Nash, in the amount of

$__~~'6---'Q'-------· Such Guardian Ad Litem fees shall be taxed against Defendant

and shall be paid directly to the Guardian Ad Litem.

It is further ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the Guardian Ad Litem,

Lynne Nash, is hereby released and discharged from any further duties as Guardian Ad Litem for

the Minor, A.D.

As this Judgment has been fully and finally paid, satisfied, and discharged in full, it is

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED by the Court that Defendant Gateway Church and its

respective agents, employees, servants, representatives, insurers, successors, and assigns (as more

fully defined in the Confidential Settlement and Release Agreement approved by the Court) stand

fully released and discharged of and from all liabilities, claims, demands and causes of action of

whatsoever nature asserted or which might have been asserted herein, known or unknown, accrued

or to accrue, arising from or in any manner growing out of the occurrence made the basis of this

suit, and no execution shall ever issue against Defendants.

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 It is further ORDERED that any and all claims and causes of action of the Plaintiff not

previously disposed of against Defendant be and are hereby DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.

All relief not expressly granted herein is hereby DENIED.

SIGNEDthis Lg4k-dayof ~ , 2024.

JU~

AGREED AS TO FORM:

Isl Lindsey M. Rames

Lindsey M. Rames
Texas State Bar No. 24072295
lindsey@rameslawfirm.com
RAMES LAW FIRM, P.C.
3710 Rawlins Street #975
Dallas, Texas 75219
Telephone: (214) 884-8860
Facsimile: (888) 482-8894
ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFFS

Isl Paul J. Downey

MACDONALD DEVIN MADDEN
KENEFICK & HARRIS, P.C.
Paul J. Downey
State Bar No. 24080659
pdowney@macdonalddevin.com
12770 Coit Rd.
11th Floor
Dallas, TX 75251
214.744.3300 (Telephone)
214.747.0942 (Facsimile)
ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
GATEWAY CHURCH

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 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.

Envelope ID: 86831867

Filing Code Description: No Fee Documents
Filing Description: Notice to Clerk Pursuant to TRCP 21c
Status as of 4/18/2024 4:54 PM CST

Associated Case Party: TAHIRAKHANMERRITT

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Nathan Schwartz nathan@leboeuflaw.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Nicole Leboeuflaw nicole@leboeuflaw.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: KRISTIELLIS

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Tahira KhanMerritt tahira@tkmlawfirm.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Lindsey Rames 24072295 lindsey@rameslawfirm.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Kristi Ellis kellis79@icloud.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Jonathan WHARTON jonwhartonlaw@gmail.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Kristi Ellis Kellis79@gmail.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Steven Wright steven@stevenwrightlaw.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Jennifer DLeBlanc jleblanc@macdonalddevin.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

David MMacdonald dmacdonald@macdonalddevin.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Tannis MStone tstone@macdonalddevin.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Nicole TLeBoeuf nicole@leboeuflaw.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Crystal Charles crystal@stevenwrightlaw.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM ERROR

Admin LeBoeuf admin@leboeuflaw.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Associated Case Party: THEGATEWAY CHURCH

 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.

Envelope ID: 86831867

Filing Code Description: No Fee Documents
Filing Description: Notice to Clerk Pursuant to TRCP 21c
Status as of 4/18/2024 4:54 PM CST

Associated Case Party: THEGATEWAY CHURCH

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

David Macdonald 12755300 dmacdonald@macdonalddevin.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Paul Downey pdowney@macdonalddevin.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Teresa Biederman tbiederman@macdonalddevin.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT

Dustin Gaines dustin@mglawteam.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM ERROR

Associated Case Party: AD

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Lynne MNash lynne@nashlegalsolutions.com 4/18/2024 4:46:10 PM SENT