Brewster v. Roicki

468 S.W.3d 134, 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 4842, 2015 WL 2255145
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 13, 2015
DocketNo. 04-14-00414-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 468 S.W.3d 134 (Brewster v. Roicki) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brewster v. Roicki, 468 S.W.3d 134, 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 4842, 2015 WL 2255145 (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

OPINION

Opinion by:

Patricia O. Alvarez, Justice

Appellant Whitney Brewster, Executive Director of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, asserted immunity from suit in the underlying cause regarding TxDMVs decisions affecting four vehicle titles. The trial court denied her plea to the jurisdiction, and she appeals. Because Appellees raised a fact issue on whether Brewster acted without legal authority, which could invoke the ultra vires immunity exception, we affirm the trial court’s order.

BACKGROUND

Pinnacle Motors applied for marketable titles for three vehicles through the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector (BCTAC). BCTAC issued title receipts for the vehicles, and in 2008, TxDMV issued titles to the three vehicles. In 2009, Pinnacle applied for a bonded title for a 2008 Chrysler Sebring, but TxDMV refused to issue a marketable title because a “[tjitle was previously issued in Michigan and [the vehicle title was] branded as ‘scrap.’ ” In September 2009, TxDMV revoked the three titles it had issued earlier and noted the three vehicle’s titles “should be branded as Non-repairable.”

In 2009, Pinnacle Motors sued Bexar County, BCTAC, and TxDMV.1 Pinnacle complained that TxDMV improperly revoked three titles and refused to issue a fourth, and it sought an administrative hearing to review TxDMVs decision. See Tex. TRAnsp. Code Ann. § 501.052 (West Supp.2014). Following the hearing, Pinnacle, Bexar County, and BCTAC settled the suit. Under the settlement, BCTAC conditionally agreed to “reissue rebuilt salvage titles” to the four vehicles and Pinnacle agreed to dismiss with prejudice its claims against all parties. Pinnacle met the conditions, and BCTAC filed Pinnacle’s [138]*138applications for rebuilt salvage titles, but TxDMV did not issue marketable titles.

In 2013, Pinnacle sued BCTAC, TxDMV, and Whitney Brewster in her official capacity as executive director of TxDMV.2 TxDMV asserted its immunity from suit, the trial court denied its plea to the jurisdiction, and TxDMV appealed. This court dismissed Pinnacle’s claims against TxDMV but did not address Pinnacle’s claims against Brewster.3

In her March 2014 plea to the jurisdiction, Brewster asserts she is immune from suit because her actions were discretionary and lie outside the ultra vires immunity exception. Pinnacle4 insists Brewster violated section 501.052 by refusing to abide by BCTAC’s determination to issue marketable titles, and because she acted without lawful authority, the ultra vires exception waives her immunity from suit.

Ultra Vires Exception, Plea TO THE JURISDICTION

“ ‘[S]uits to require state officials to comply with statutory or constitutional provisions are not prohibited by sovereign immunity”’ but may proceed under the ultra vires exception. Tex. Dep’t of Ins. v. Reconveyance Servs., Inc., 306 S.W.3d 256, 258 (Tex.2010) (per curiam) (quoting City of El Paso v. Heinrich, 284 S.W.3d 366, 372 (Tex.2009)); accord Tex. Dep’t of Transp. v. Sefzik, 355 S.W.3d 618, 620 (Tex.2011) (per curiam). The ultra vires exception waives a government official’s immunity in certain circumstances including where “the officer acted without legal authority.” Heinrich, 284 S.W.3d at 372; accord Sefzik, 355 S.W.3d at 620.

For an ultra vires claim to survive a plea to the jurisdiction, the plaintiff must “allege[ ] facts that affirmatively demonstrate the court’s jurisdiction to hear the cause.” See Tex. Dep’t of Parks & Wildlife v. Miranda, 133 S.W.3d 217, 226 (Tex.2004); see also Heinrich, 284 S.W.3d at 372. If the plaintiffs pleadings demonstrate jurisdiction but the defendant challenges the alleged facts, the trial court must determine whether a jurisdictional fact question exists. See Lubbock Cnty. Water Control & Imp. Dist. v. Church & Akin, L.L.C., 442 S.W.3d 297, 305 (Tex. 2014) (noting the defendant bears the burden “to establish that it is a governmental entity entitled to governmental immunity” and the plaintiff must “establish, or at least raise a fact issue on, a waiver of immunity”); Miranda, 133 S.W.3d at 227. “If the evidence creates a fact question regarding the jurisdictional issue, then the trial court cannot grant the plea to the jurisdiction, and the fact issue will be resolved by the fact finder.” Miranda, 133 S.W.3d at 227-28.

Standard of Review

We may review the denial of a government official’s plea to the jurisdiction. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 51.014(a)(8) (West 2014); Tex. A & M Univ. Sys. v. Koseoglu, 233 S.W.3d 835, 846 (Tex.2007) (applying section 51.014(a)(8) to government officials sued in [139]*139their official capacity); see Miranda, 138 S.W.3d at 221.

We review de novo the question of “whether [the trial] court has subject matter jurisdiction.” Miranda, 133 S.W.3d at 226 (citing Tex. Natural Res. Conservation Comm’n v. IT-Davy, 74 S.W.3d 849, 855 (Tex.2002)). We examine the plea to the jurisdiction evidence like “that of a [traditional] summary judgment.” Id. at 228 (referencing Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a(c)); accord Heinrich, 284 S.W.3d at 372 (citing Miranda). We “take as true all evidence favorable to the nonmov-ant [and] indulge every reasonable inference and resolve any doubts in the non-movant’s favor.” Miranda, 133 S.W.3d at 228 (citation omitted); accord Heinrich, 284 S.W.3d at 372 (citing Miranda).

PaRties’ Arguments

Pinnacle, in its 2013 suit underlying this appeal, asked the trial court to declare that section 501.052 of the Texas Transportation Code makes BCTAC’s hearing determination final and binding on TxDMV. It argues that when BCTAC, after the hearing and as part of the settlement, agreed to “issue” rebuilt salvage titles to all four vehicles, BCTAC “overruled” (1) TxDMV’s revocation of the three previously issued titles and (2) TxDMV’s refusal to issue a fourth title. Pinnacle argues that section 501.052 makes BCTAC’s determination final and binding on TxDMV. Thus, because she failed to issue marketable titles as required by Pinnacle’s settlement agreement with BCTAC, Brewster acted without legal authority and her immunity was waived.

Brewster argues her immunity has not been waived because there is no allegation that she personally took any action that was unlawful, TxDMV has discretion and final authority to determine whether and what type of title should be issued, and Pinnacle’s suit is an impermissible attempt to control state action.

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468 S.W.3d 134, 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 4842, 2015 WL 2255145, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brewster-v-roicki-texapp-2015.