Gerald Stevens v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided November 30, 2015·No. 03-15-00676-CR·Published

Opinion

November 30, 2015

No oral argument requested

Nos. 03-15-00675-CV,

03-15-00676-CV

(Houston-sized progress!)

In The

COURT OF APPEALS

THIRD DISTRICT OF TEXAS

GERALD STEVENS,

Respondent (JP) - Appellant/Respondent (de novo) - Appellant, v.

STATE OF TEXAS,

Plaintiff- Appellee/Plaintiff- Appellee.

(Brief Due: Nov. 23,2015)

On Interlocutory Appeal from COUNTY COURT AT LAW NUMBER 5 OF TRAVIS COUNTY

Nos. C-l-CR-15-100025, C-l-CR-15-100026 STEVENS v. STATE (both should be CV)

On consolidated appeal (trial de novo) from consolidated trial in the JP Court in Austin, STATE v. STEVENS

STEVENS'S BRIEF

GERALD STEVENS r^RECEIVEDN 3117 Fontana Drive NOV 3 0 2015 Austin, Texas 78704

THIRD COURT OFAPPEALS

V.JEFFR£yp,iffl£y

Identity of Parties and Counsel Appellant Appellee

GERALD STEVENS STATE OF TEXAS 3117 Fontana Drive Austin, Texas 78704 By: COUNTY ATTORNEY jstvs@startmail.com P.O. Box 1748 Austin, TX 78767

Record References

There are five components.

03-15-675-CV is "R.675.page_number(s)."

03-15-675-CV "1st Supplemental" is "R.675.Supp.l.page_number(s)."

03-15-676-CV is "R.676.page_number(s)."

03-15-676-CV "1st Supplement" is "R.676.Supp.l.page_number(s)."

The Transcript is Tr.page_number(s).

Where the item is identical in both Records, "(both)," reference is made to whichever Record has that document. See the Records correlation Index in the Appendix.

Appellant's Brief (STEVENS) ii No Notice. No commercial nexus.

Table of Contents

STEVENS'S BRIEF j Identity of Parties and Counsel jj Record References jj Index of Authorities vii Statement of the Case xii Nature of the Case xii Course of Proceedings xii JP court xii County court - on appeal/trial de novo xiii JP Court Disposition xiii County Court Disposition xiii

No Oral Argument Requested xiii Issues Presented xiv

Statement of Facts 1 No Evidence 1 STATE'S Facially Insufficient Pleading(s) 2 No Service 2 Summary of the Argument 2 One more time, no evidence 2 One more time, no personal jurisdiction 3 One more time, no competent pleading 3

Appellant's Brief (STEVENS) iii No Notice. No commercial nexus.

One more time, no Service 3 One more time, no subject matter jurisdiction 4 One more time, no standing 4 Fortunately, the stay is automatic 4

Argument 4 No Personal Jurisdiction 4 Issue 1: Was it error to deny the Special Appearance? 4 STATE filed no original pleading 4 Nothing signed by an attorney for STATE 4 No Affidavit 5 STATE served no original pleading 5 Not liable in capacity charged - no commercial nexus 7 "Complaint" asserts only legal conclusions 8 What does "Transportation" mean? The elements 8 Removing people and/or property 9 From one place to another 9 ** For hire. ** 9 Under the choice of law of the "place" called "this state." 10 No evidence - which would look/sound like this 10 What does "Vehicle" mean? The elements 10 What does "Motor Vehicle" mean? The elements 11

Appellant's Brief (STEVENS) iv No Notice. No commercial nexus.

What does "Drive" (in its various grammatical forms) mean? The elements 12

What does "Operate" (in its various grammatical forms) mean? The elements 13

If STATE would serve a pleading so that such could be addressed, it'd be plain that STATE has never pled a claim 14

Lack of Notice goes beyondjust lack of personaljurisdiction 14 In short, all that is in the making here is a voidjudgment 14

No Subject Matter Jurisdiction 15 Issue 2: Was it error to deny the Plea to the Jurisdiction? 15 No pleading 15 No standing 16 STATE'S silence from the threshold 16

There's no evidence of "transportation." 16 Going deeper into the definition - "transport." 17 Black's Law Dictionary 17

Webster's Dictionary 1828 17 Hinton 19 Bearden 19 A broad definition, and the reason for such 20 "Transports" in the context of "farm labor contractor." 20

"Transports" and controlled substances - distinguishing "how" and "why." 21

Appellant's Brief (STEVENS) v No Notice. No commercial nexus.

"Transports" and taxes 22 "Transports" and Prohibition-era intoxicating liquors 23 "Transports" and concealed weapons 24 In sum, the Transp. Code regulates commerce only 24

The algebraic dependence of these otherterms on "transportation." 25 Subject matter jurisdiction can't be "agreed to." 25

Relieving STATE of Burden; Irrebuttable presumptions 25 Use of irrebuttable presumptions violates Due Process 26 The rulings are void 27

Request for Relief 27 Certificate of Service 29 Certificate of Compliance 29 Appendix Contents i County Court i Index (to .pdf file page numbers ofRecord(s)) i

Appellant's Brief (STEVENS) vi No Notice. No commercial nexus.

Index of Authorities

Cases

Alalunga Sport Fishers, Inc. v. County ofSan Diego, 247 Cal. App. 2d 663 (Cal.

App. 4th Dist. 1967) 22, 23 Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., All U.S. 242 (1986) 26 Armstrong v. Manzo, 380 U.S. 545 (1965) 6, 15 Austin v. New Hampshire, 420 U.S. 656, 668 (1975) (Blackmun, J., dissent) 14 Bailey v. Alabama, 219 U.S. 219 (1910) 8 Bearden v. United States, 320 F.2d 99 (5th Cir. 1963) 20 Berheide, United States v., 421 F.3d 538 (7th Cir. 2005) 8 BlandIndep. Sch. Dist v. Blue, 34 S.W.3d 547 (Tex. 2000) 27 Boddiev. Connecticut, 401 U.S. 371 (1971) 15 Brown v. OaklawnBank, 718 S.W.2d678 (Tex. 1986) 7 Brown v. State, 122 S.W.3d 794, 799 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003) 26 Burns v. UnitedStates, 501 U.S. 129(1991) 7 City ofKeller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802 (Tex. 2005) 16 ClevelandBd. ofEduc. v. LaFleur, 414 U.S. 632 (1974) 26 Commercial Equip. Leasing Co., Smith v., 678 S.W.2d 917 (Tex. 1984) 15 Computize, Inc., v. NHS Comm. Group, Inc., 992 S.W.2d 608 (Tex. App—

Texarkana 1999, no. pet) 5 Cornell Steamboat Co. v. United States, 321 U.S. 634, 641 (1944) (Frankfurter, J., dissent) 9 Cosio, Chicago, R. I. & G. Ry. Co. v., 182 S.W. 83 (Tex. Civ. App. - Amarillo 1916, no writ) 9 County Court of Ulster County v. Allen, 442 U.S. 140 (1979) 26 Cuellarv. United States, 553 U.S. 550 (2008) 21 DellDev. Corp. v. Best Indus. Unif Supply Co., Inc., 743 S.W.2d 302 (Tex.

App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1987, writ denied) 5 Deposit Guaranty Natl Bank v. Roper, 445 U.S. 326, 344 (1980) (Powell, J., and Stewart, J., dissent) 14 Diebold, United States v., 369 U.S. 654 (1962) 26

Appellant's Brief (STEVENS) vii No Notice. No commercial nexus.

Dragich v. County ofLos Angeles, 30 Cal.App.2d 397, 86 P.2d 669 (Cal. App.

1939) 22,23 Dubai Petroleum Co. v. Kazi, 12 S.W.3d71 (Tex. 2000) 25 Elkins v. Moreno, 435 U.S. 647 (1978) 26 Fed. Underwriters Exch. v. Pugh, 141 Tex. 539, 174 S.W.2d 598 (1943) 25 Fuentes v. Shevin, 407 U.S. 67 (1972) 7, 15 Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S. 410 (2006) 5 Globe Leasing, Inc. v. Engine Supply & Mach. Serv., 437 S.W.2d 43 (Tex. Civ.

App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1969, no writ) 5 GoDaddy.com, LLC v. Toups, 429 S.W.3d 752 (Tex. App.—Beaumont 2014, pet.

denied) 8 Hallv. State, 661 S.W.3d 101 (Tex. Crim. App. 1983) 26 Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507 (2004) 7, 15 Hammellv. State, 198 Ind. 45 (Ind. 1926) 23 Harris v. Hardeman, 55 U.S. (14 How.) 334 (1852) 15 Heckman v. Williamson County, 369 S.W.3d 137 (Tex. 2012) 25 Heiner v. Donnan, 285 U.S. 312 (1932) 26 Hinton, United States v., 222 F.3d 664 (9th Cir. 2000) 19 In re E.R., 335 S.W.3d 816, 826 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2011, pet. granted) (dissent, MURPHY, J.), rev W(dissent fully supported) 385 S.WJd 552 (Tex. 2012) 6 In re Marriage ofPeace, 631 S.W.2d 790 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1982, no writ).... 6 In re Vlasak, 141 S.W.3d 233 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2004, no pet.) 6 In re Winship, 397 U.S. 358(1970) 26 Industrial State Bank v. Wylie, 493 S.W.2d 293 (Tex. Civ. App.—Beaumont 1973, no writ) 5 IntlShoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310 (1945) (opinion by Black, J.) 7, 15 Iqbal, Ashcroft v., 556 U.S. 662, 129 S. Ct. 1937, 173 L. Ed. 2d 868 (2009) 8 Johnson, Connecticut v., 460 U.S. 73 (1983) 26 Jones v. Flowers, 547 U.S. 220 (2006) 7, 15 Kuntoplast ofAm., Inc. v. Formosa Plastics Corp. USA, 937 S.W.2d 455 (Tex.

1996) 5 Lacross, People v., 91 Cal. App. 4th 182 (Cal. App. 3d Dist. 2001) 21

Appellant's Brief (STEVENS) viii No Notice. No commercial nexus.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Gerald Stevens v. State, (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Gerald Stevens v. State (Gerald Stevens v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Lloyd v. Alexander
5 U.S. 365 (Supreme Court, 1803)
Harris v. Hardeman
55 U.S. 334 (Supreme Court, 1853)
Bailey v. Alabama
219 U.S. 219 (Supreme Court, 1911)
Sacramento Navigation Co. v. Salz
273 U.S. 326 (Supreme Court, 1927)
Heiner v. Donnan
285 U.S. 312 (Supreme Court, 1932)
Milliken v. Meyer
311 U.S. 457 (Supreme Court, 1941)
Tot v. United States
319 U.S. 463 (Supreme Court, 1943)
Cornell Steamboat Co. v. United States
321 U.S. 634 (Supreme Court, 1944)
International Shoe Co. v. Washington
326 U.S. 310 (Supreme Court, 1945)
Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co.
339 U.S. 306 (Supreme Court, 1950)
United States v. Diebold, Inc.
369 U.S. 654 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Armstrong v. Manzo
380 U.S. 545 (Supreme Court, 1965)
Leary v. United States
395 U.S. 6 (Supreme Court, 1969)
Sniadach v. Family Finance Corp. of Bay View
395 U.S. 337 (Supreme Court, 1969)
In Re WINSHIP
397 U.S. 358 (Supreme Court, 1970)
Boddie v. Connecticut
401 U.S. 371 (Supreme Court, 1971)
Stanley v. Illinois
405 U.S. 645 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Fuentes v. Shevin
407 U.S. 67 (Supreme Court, 1972)
Cleveland Board of Education v. LaFleur
414 U.S. 632 (Supreme Court, 1974)