Certain proceedings involving an impaired insurer are stayed, deadlines under Texas civil and appellate rules are tolled during the stay, and the court has exclusive power to enforce the stay.
Sec. 462.309. STAY OF PROCEEDINGS; CERTAIN DECISIONS NOT BINDING. (a) To permit the association to properly defend a pending cause of action, a proceeding in which an impaired insurer is a party or is obligated to defend a party in a court in this state, other than a proceeding directly related to the receivership or instituted by the receiver, is stayed for: (1) a six-month period beginning on the later of the date of the designation of impairment or the date an ancillary proceeding is brought in this state; and (2) a subsequent period as determined by the court, if any. (b) The stay applies to each party to the proceeding and the proceeding is stayed for all purposes. (c) A deadline imposed under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure or the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure is tolled during the stay. Statutes of limitation or repose are not tolled during the stay, and any action filed during the stay is stayed upon the filing of the action. (d) The court in which the delinquency proceeding is pending has exclusive jurisdiction regarding the application, enforcement, and extension of the stay and may issue an injunction or another similar order to enforce the stay. (e) The commissioner may bring an ancillary conservation proceeding under Section 443.401 for the purpose of determining the application, enforcement, and extension of the stay to an impaired insurer that is not domiciled in this state. (f) With respect to a covered claim arising from a judgment, order, decision, verdict, or finding based on the default of an impaired insurer or an impaired insurer's failure to defend the insured, the association, on the association's own behalf or on behalf of an insured and on application, shall be entitled to: (1) have the court or administrator that made the judgment, order, decision, verdict, or finding set aside the judgment, order, decision, verdict, or finding; and (2) defend the claim on the merits. Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 727 (H.B. 2017), Sec. 1, eff. April 1, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B. 2636), Sec. 3B.011(a), eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 9.011(a), eff. September 1, 2007.