in Re Brandon Socie and Abril Socie

CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 24, 2018
Docket01-18-00414-CV
StatusPublished

This text of in Re Brandon Socie and Abril Socie (in Re Brandon Socie and Abril Socie) 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
in Re Brandon Socie and Abril Socie, (Tex. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

ACCEPTED 01-18-00414-CV FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 5/24/2018 11:25 AM CHRISTOPHER PRINE 01-18-00414-CV CLERK

NO. _________

FILED IN 1st COURT OF APPEALS IN THE COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS ______ JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5/24/2018 11:25:19 AM HOUSTON, TEXAS CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk ______________________________________________

In re BRANDON SOCIE and ABRIL SOCIE, Relators

______________________________________________

Original Proceeding From The 165th Judicial District Court Of Harris County, Texas ______________________________________________

PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS

Christopher M. Cammack State Bar No. 03682100 7324 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1446 Houston, Texas 77074 Telephone: (713) 960-1921 Telecopier: (713) 960-1922 E-mail: cmc@cammack-law.com

ATTORNEY FOR RELATORS, BRANDON SOCIE and ABRIL SOCIE IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

1. The Relators, are Plaintiffs and Judgement Creditors in the trial court.

Their trial and appellate counsel is Christopher M. Cammack, Attorney at Law,

7324 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1446, Houston, Texas 77074, phone # 713-960-

1921, fax # 713-960-1922, E-mail: cmc@cammack-law.com.

2. The Respondent, and Presiding Judge in the trial court, is URSULA

A. HALL, 165th Judicial District Court, Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201

Caroline, 12th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, phone # 832-927-2365, fax #

unknown.

3. A Real Party In Interest, and Judgment Defendant in the trial court, is

KIRBY CONSTRUCTION OF TEXAS, L.L.C. d/b/a UBUILDIT, c/o Registered

Agent, Michael Maldonado, 5306 Carefree Drive, League City, Texas 77373,

phone # 832-992-9466.

i TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL……………………………………….i

TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………..ii

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES………………………………………………………iii

STATEMENT OF THE CASE…………………………………………………….1

ISSUE PRESENTED……………………………………………………………...2

1. Did the trial court violate its ministerial duty of considering and ruling on a party’s Motion, to wit, Relator’s Motion to Compel Deposition Appearance of Michael W. Maldonado?..................2

STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION……………………………………………….2

STATEMENT OF FACTS…………………………………………………………2

ARGUMENT………………………………………………………………………3

PRAYER…………………………………………………………………………...4

CERTIFICATION…………………………………………………………………5

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE…………………………………………………….5

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE WITH TRAP 9.4(i)………………………...6

AFFIDAVIT OF EVIDENCE, RELATORS’ COUNSEL………………….…….7

APPENDIX………………………………………………………………………..8

Final Judgment……………...………………………………………..App. #1

Deposition Subpoena, served on witness……………….....................App. #2

ii. Certificate of Non-Appearance…………………………………..…..App. #3

Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel Deposition Appearance………………App. #4

Notice of Submission…………………………………………...……App. #5

Order Compelling Deposition Appearance ………………………….App. #6

First Amended Order Compelling Deposition Appearance…………App. #7

Second Amended Order Compelling Deposition Appearance………App. #8

Third Amended Order Compelling Deposition Appearance………...App. #9

Summary of Events page, District Clerk’s Office…………………..App. #10

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES Cases

City of Galveston v. Gray, 93 S.W.3d 587, 592-93 (Tex. App. – Houston [14th] 2002, pet. denied)…………………………………………………..3 In re Birdwell, 224 S.W.3d 864 (Tex. App. – Waco 2007 no pet.)………………..4

In re Guetersloh, 326 S.W.2d 737 (Tex. App. – Amarillo 2010, no pet.)…………4

In re Molina, 94 S.W.3d 885 (Tex. App. – San Antonio 2003, no pet.)…………..3

In re Prudential, 148 S.W.3d 124, 135-36 (Tex. 2004)……………………………4

In re Sarkissian, 243 S.W.3d 860 (Tex. App. – Waco 2008, no pet.)……………..3

In re Sepeda, 143 S.W.3d 871 (Tex. App. – El Paso 2004, no pet.)………………3

In re TDFPS, 210 S.W.3d 609, 612 (Tex. 2006)…………………………………..4

Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833, 839 (Tex. 1992)……………………………...4

iii. Rules, Statutes, and Constitutional Provisions

Tex. Gov’t Code § 22.221(b)………………………………………………………1 Tex. R. Civ. P. 621a………………………………………………………………...4

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

The underlying proceeding, Case No. 2015-70244, is a Deceptive Trade

Practices Act case, over the construction of a new residence, that resulted in a Final

Judgment in favor of BRANDON SOCIE and ABRIL SOCIE against KIRBY

CONSTRUCTION OF TEXAS, L.L.C.

Respondent, URSULA A. HALL, is the presiding judge of the 165th

Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas. The relief which Relator seeks is

that the Respondent be ordered to rule upon Relators’ Motion to Compel (post-

judgment) Deposition Appearance of Michael W. Maldonado, which Motion was

on the court’s submission docket of November 27, 2017.

ISSUE PRESENTED Did the trial court violate its ministerial duty of considering and ruling on a

party’s Motion, to wit, Relators’ Motion to Compel Deposition Appearance of

Michael W. Maldonado?

STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION

Jurisdiction exists pursuant to Tex. Gov’t Code § 22.221(b).

1 STATEMENT OF FACTS

The trial court awarded a Final Judgment to Relators on March 30, 2016 for

$118,457.60 in actual damages and $10,000.00 in attorney’s fees (Appendix #1).

A member of the Judgment Debtor, KIRBY CONSTRUCTION OF TEXAS,

L.L.C. d/b/a UBUILDIT, one Michael Wayne Maldonado, was subpoena’d to

appear for post-judgment deposition on July 28, 2017 (Appendix #2), yet Mr.

Maldonado did not appear, per the Certificate of Non-Appearance (Appendix #3).

Relators filed a Motion to Compel Deposition Appearance (Appendix #4)

and set same for submission on November 27, 2017 (Appendix #5), accompanied

by a proposed Order Compelling Deposition Appearance bearing a date certain for

the witness to appear for deposition (Appendix #6). However, per the Events

summary page of the District Clerk’s Office (Appendix #10), no ruling was made

contemporaneous with the submission date, and continuing to the present.

On December 20, 2017, Relators filed a First Amended Order Compelling

Deposition Appearance, along with a filing letter (Appendix #7), bearing a date

certain for the witness to appear for deposition, 30 days later.

On January 29, 2018, Relators filed a Second Amended Order Compelling

Deposition Appearance, along with a filing letter (Appendix #8), bearing a date

certain for the witness to appear for deposition, 18 days later.

2 On March 7, 2018, Relators filed a Third Amended Order Compelling

Deposition Appearance, along with a filing letter (Appendix #9), bearing a date

certain for the witness to appear for deposition, 35 days later. Still, there has been

no ruling, per the Events summary page of the District Clerk’s Office (Appendix

#10) and the Affidavit of Evidence attached hereto from Relators’ counsel.

ARGUMENT

When a Motion is properly filed and pending, a trial court’s act of

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Related

In Re Prudential Insurance Co. of America
148 S.W.3d 124 (Texas Supreme Court, 2004)
In Re Sepeda
143 S.W.3d 871 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2004)
In Re Birdwell
224 S.W.3d 864 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2007)
In Re Molina
94 S.W.3d 885 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003)
In Re Texas Department of Family & Protective Services
210 S.W.3d 609 (Texas Supreme Court, 2006)
City of Galveston v. Gray
93 S.W.3d 587 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2002)
In Re Sarkissian
243 S.W.3d 860 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2008)
Walker v. Packer
827 S.W.2d 833 (Texas Supreme Court, 1992)
Texas-New Mexico Pipeline Company v. Linebery
326 S.W.2d 733 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1959)

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