Judge Puts Independent Managers in Charge of Camp Mystic Bankruptcy Case

November 2, 2026 · Hunt, Texas · Published by Beverly Law

What was reported

Attorney Mark Andrews was appointed independent manager of Camp Mystic, LLC, and retired Judge Craig A. Gargotta was appointed independent director of Natural Fountains Properties, Inc., which owns the camp’s real estate, KSAT reported.

The fiduciaries have exclusive control over how the camp handles the lawsuits, whether to sell its assets and how it responds to a pending Texas Rangers investigation, according to KSAT. The station reported that the Eastland family, which owns the camp, cannot remove them and that only the court can, for serious misconduct such as fraud or gross negligence.

Any settlement of the lawsuits filed by parents, any sale or use of the bankruptcy estate’s property and the use of cash outside the ordinary course of business still need court approval, the Express-News reported. The judge found that the new structure, which the camp and the Eastlands adopted voluntarily, resolves conflicts of interest in the case, according to the newspaper. KSAT reported that the court made no finding that anyone in the Eastland family did anything wrong.

Parents suing the camp, the creditors committee and the U.S. Trustee Program had asked the court to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee, the Express-News reported. CBS Texas reported that the judge declined, reasoning that the fiduciaries reach the same goal by removing the Eastlands from decision-making.

The parents of most of the victims have filed five lawsuits against the camp, related businesses and several Eastland family members, raising claims of wrongful death and gross negligence, according to the Express-News. KUT reported in October that Lopez ruled the wrongful death lawsuits may resume Nov. 9, lifting a pause that took effect when the owners filed for Chapter 11 in June.

What this means for your case

In Texas, a wrongful death lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the death under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. When a defendant files for bankruptcy, the automatic stay in 11 U.S.C. § 362 generally pauses lawsuits against the debtor unless the bankruptcy court grants relief from the stay. In a Chapter 11 case, the court sets the deadline for filing proofs of claim under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3003(c)(3). More information about Texas injury and wrongful death claims is on our Texas page. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys.

Related pages

Injury news · Texas wrongful death and survival claims · Injury claims when the defendant files bankruptcy · Texas · Law Blog

Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys. Last reviewed: November 7, 2026.