Hagerty Partners Partnership v. Livingston

128 S.W.3d 416, 2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 2022, 2004 WL 385777
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 3, 2004
Docket05-03-00331-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 128 S.W.3d 416 (Hagerty Partners Partnership v. Livingston) 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.

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Hagerty Partners Partnership v. Livingston, 128 S.W.3d 416, 2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 2022, 2004 WL 385777 (Tex. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

OPINION

Opinion by

Justice FRANCIS.

This is an interlocutory appeal from the trial court’s order sustaining the special appearances of Robert L. Livingston and Terence McAuliffe and dismissing them from this lawsuit. Appellant Hagerty Partners Partnership contends the trial court should have asserted jurisdiction over Livingston and McAuliffe. We agree. Because we conclude appellees failed to negate all bases for jurisdiction and have sufficient contacts with Texas to support the exercise of specific jurisdiction, we reverse and remand this cause to the trial court for further proceedings.

On May 4, 2000, appellant, a Texas general partnership, invested $80,000 for 6,400 unregistered units of Media Fusion, L.L.C. based upon Media Fusion’s claims that it had developed the technology to transmit voice, video, and data over electrical power lines. Media Fusion is a Texas limited liability company that was founded by Luke Stewart and Ed Blair in February 1998. Media Fusion’s principal office/headquarters is located in Dallas County. Livingston and McAuliffe are non-employee members of Media Fusion’s board of managers who reside outside of Texas (The parties agree the board of managers is analogous to the board of directors of a corporation).

Appellant filed this lawsuit against Media Fusion, Livingston, McAuliffe, and others after discovering Media Fusion’s technology was not viable and Stewart and Blair apparently misappropriated corporate funds for their personal use. Appellant asserted Livingston and McAuliffe were hable as “control persons” or “aiders” under the Texas Securities Act, because as managers, they were responsible for all misrepresentations and omissions made to induce appellant’s purchase. Appellant also asserted Livingston and McAuliffe were negligent as Media Fusion managers in failing to: (1) exercise reasonable care in performing due diligence with respect to the statements made by Stewart and others about Media Fusion’s technology, (2) investigate Stewart’s background or qualifications, and (3) oversee the Media Fusion’s finances and use of investor money-

Livingston and McAuliffe filed special appearances contesting the trial court’s jurisdiction over them asserting they had no contacts with Texas and had only been to Texas on Media Fusion business for one day. Appellant responded that Livingston and McAuliffe, managers of a Texas limited liability company, committed acts or failed to fulfill duties imposed upon them by Texas law, resulting in harm to appellant, a Texas resident. The trial court granted Livingston and McAuliffe’s special appearances. Appellant brought this interlocutory appeal.

A Texas court may exercise jurisdiction over a nonresident if the Texas long-arm statute authorizes the exercise of jurisdiction and the exercise of jurisdiction is consistent with federal due process guarantees. Schlobohm v. Schapiro, 784 S.W.2d 355, 356 (Tex.1990). A review of the broad language contained within the Texas long-arm statute reveals the exercise of jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant is permissible so long as it complies with the limitations of federal due process. CSR Ltd. v. Link, 925 S.W.2d 591, 594 (Tex.1996). In accordance with these federal due process requirements, we must determine whether the nonresident defendant has purposefully established minimum contacts with Texas and, if so, whether exercise of that jurisdiction *420 comports with notions of fair play and substantial justice. Burger King Corp. v. Rudzewicz, 471 U.S. 462, 474-76, 105 S.Ct. 2174, 85 L.Ed.2d 528 (1985). The “minimum contacts” analysis requires us to determine whether the nonresident defendant purposefully availed himself of the privilege of conducting activities within the forum state, thereby invoking the benefits and protections of its law. See Magic House AB v. Shelton Beverage, L.P, 99 S.W.3d 903, 908 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2003, no pet.).

A defendant’s contacts with the forum state may give rise to either general or specific jurisdiction. Rittenmeyer v. Grauer, 104 S.W.3d 725, 729 (Tex.App.Dallas 2003, no pet.). In the case before us, we limit our review to the issue of specific jurisdiction because appellant has not asserted Livingston or McAuliffe are subject to Texas’s general jurisdiction. Specific jurisdiction exists if the litigation results from injuries arising out of or relating to appellees’ activities “purposely directed” to the forum state and the litigation results from injuries arising out of or relating to those activities. See Magic House, 99 S.W.3d at 908. It is unnecessary for appellees to actually enter Texas so long as they have purposefully directed activities toward this State and the litigation arises from those activities. See Pittsburgh Terminal Corp. v. Mid Allegheny Corp., 831 F.2d 522, 525 (4th Cir.1987). Appellees’ activities, whether they consist of acts within the forum state or conduct outside the forum, must justify the conclusion that they should reasonably anticipate being haled into a Texas Court. See Schlobohm, 784 S.W.2d at 357. The minimum-contacts analysis for specific jurisdiction, being somewhat narrow, focuses on the relationship between the defendant, the forum, and the litigation. See Magic House, 99 S.W.3d at 908. “It is the quality and nature of the defendant’s contacts, rather than their number, that is important to the minimum-contacts analysis.” See Schlobohm, 784 S.W.2d at 357. “Although not determinative, foreseeability is an important consideration in deciding whether the nonresident has purposefully established ‘minimum contacts’ with the forum state.” See BMC Software Belgium N.V. v. Marchand, 83 S.W.3d 789, 793 (Tex.2002).

The plaintiff bears the initial burden of sufficient pleading to bring a nonresident defendant within the provisions of the long-arm statute. Id. at 795. A defendant challenging the court’s exercise of personal jurisdiction must negate all jurisdictional bases alleged. Id. Whether a court may exercise personal jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant is ultimately a question of law that often requires the resolution of factual questions as well. See id. at 794. We review the trial court’s fact findings for legal and factual sufficiency, but conduct a de novo review of its legal conclusions. Id. Where, as here, there are no findings of fact and conclusions of law, we imply all necessary facts from the record to support the trial court’s order. Id. at 795.

The record shows that Livingston was a Media Fusion board member from March 1999 through February 2001. McAuliffe was unanimously approved for membership on the board on October 13, 1999 but apparently discontinued his role with the company in the fall of 2000.

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128 S.W.3d 416, 2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 2022, 2004 WL 385777, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hagerty-partners-partnership-v-livingston-texapp-2004.