In Re DAP

267 S.W.3d 485, 2008 Tex. App. LEXIS 7169, 2008 WL 4354712
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedAugust 26, 2008
Docket14-06-00975-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 267 S.W.3d 485 (In Re DAP) 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 DAP, 267 S.W.3d 485, 2008 Tex. App. LEXIS 7169, 2008 WL 4354712 (Tex. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

267 S.W.3d 485 (2008)

In the Interest of D.A.P.

No. 14-06-00975-CV.

Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (14th Dist.).

August 26, 2008.

*486 Keith Alexander Gross, Kemah, for appellant.

Rosalind W. Curtis, Pasadena, Sallee S. Smyth, Richmond, Veronica Bridget Dorsey, Houston, for appellees.

Panel consists of Justices FOWLER, FROST, and SEYMORE.

OPINION

CHARLES W. SEYMORE, Justice.

In this suit affecting the parent-child relationship, the trial court issued an order pertaining to child custody and support. Appellant, Joni Lynn Bishop, appeals the trial court's decision regarding custody. In three issues, Bishop contends the trial court (1) lacked subject-matter jurisdiction to modify a Washington state court custody order, (2) violated her due process rights by modifying a child custody order without providing notice or a hearing, and (3) lacked personal jurisdiction to modify parental rights previously determined by a Washington state court. The trial court's unchallenged child support order is affirmed. We reverse and remand the trial court's order pertaining to custody of D.A.P.

I. BACKGROUND

On July 10, 1998, the Superior Court of Yakima County, Washington entered a decree dissolving the marriage of Joni Bishop and appellee, Antonio Piccardo, who are the natural parents of D.A.P. The Washington court found Piccardo substantially refused to perform parenting functions or willfully abandoned D.A.P. The Washington court further found that Piccardo's involvement or conduct adversely affected D.A.P.'s best interests because of the absence or substantial impairment of emotional ties. Under the Washington decree, D.A.P. was to reside with Bishop during the school year and all holidays. Any visitation by Piccardo would be at Bishop's discretion, and Bishop was granted the sole right to make major decisions regarding D.A.P.'s education, health care, and religious activity. However, the Washington state court did not order payment of child support, ostensibly because it did not have personal jurisdiction over Piccardo.

On December 7, 2005, the Attorney General of Texas filed a petition in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, seeking a child support order against Piccardo. The State alleged that Piccardo is the father of D.A.P. Additionally, the State alleged that D.A.P. resides in Washington state with Bishop. Piccardo filed an original answer and a counter-suit seeking a modification of the Washington custody order. In his counter-suit, Piccardo alleged that D.A.P. resided in Harris County, Texas and stated *487 that Texas courts had jurisdiction over the parties. He requested that the Texas trial court render a standard possession order.

On June 6, 2007, the Texas trial court held an unrecorded hearing and rendered a decision on the merits of the petition and counter-petition. The Texas court found Piccardo was the father of D.A.P. and owed a duty of support and entered an order requiring Piccardo to pay child support. Additionally, the Texas court appointed Bishop and Piccardo as joint managing conservators of D.A.P. and entered a standard possession order.

Subsequently, Bishop filed a motion for new trial. The motion was overruled by operation of law. This appeal ensued.

II. SUBJECT-MATTER JURISDICTION

In her first issue, Bishop contends this court should vacate the trial court's custody order because the trial court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction to modify the Washington court's custody order. As explained below, on the record before us, we cannot grant this relief.

The trial court has subject-matter jurisdiction to modify a custody order of a foreign court if there are sufficient facts satisfying the requirements of section 152.203 of the Family Code. See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 152.203 (Vernon 2002 & Supp.2008). Whether a trial court has subject-matter jurisdiction is a question of law subject to de novo review. Westbrook v. Penley, 231 S.W.3d 389, 394 (Tex.2007). Generally, absent a complete record of the proceedings, reviewing courts must presume that the evidence before the trial judge was adequate to support the decision. Simon v. York Crane & Rigging Co., 739 S.W.2d 793, 795 (Tex.1987); see, e.g., Middleton v. Nat'l Family Care Life Ins. Co., No 14-04-00428-CV, 2006 WL 89503, at *2 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] Jan. 17, 2006, pet. denied) (mem.op.) (holding that, because appellate record did not contain a complete trial record, appellate court would presume omitted portions are relevant to disposition of appeal and support trial court's judgment); Robertson v. Tex. Dep't of Transp., No. 03-00-00167-CV, 2000 WL 1228025, at *1-2 (Tex.App.-Austin Aug. 31, 2000, no pet.) (not designated for publication) (holding that, in case in which parties agreed no record would be made of the proceedings during one day of a bench trial, appellate court did not have a complete record due to the absence of a record from that day and that, absent an agreed record or compliance with Rule 34.6(c) of the Rules of Appellate Procedure, appellate court will presume the omitted portions of the record support the trial court's judgment).

Texas has adopted the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act ("Uniform Act") which governs subject-matter jurisdiction of courts that deal with child custody disputes. See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. §§ 152.001-.371 (Vernon 2002 & Supp.2008). Generally, under the Uniform Act, the court that makes the initial child custody determination will retain exclusive continuing jurisdiction over ongoing custody disputes. Saavedra v. Schmidt, 96 S.W.3d 533, 541-42 (Tex.App.-Austin 2002, no pet.). Texas state courts lack subject-matter jurisdiction to modify the child custody determinations of a court in another state unless the requirements of section 152.203 of the Family Code are satisfied. See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 152.203.

Under section 152.203, a Texas court must have jurisdiction under section 152.201(a)(1) or (a)(2) of the Family Code. *488 Tex. Fam.Code Ann § 152.203.[1] In addition, one of the following provisions must be satisfied: (1) the court of the other state must determine it no longer has exclusive continuing jurisdiction or that a Texas court would be a more convenient forum; or (2) a Texas court or a court of the other state must determine that the child, the child's parents, and any person acting as a parent do not presently reside in the other state. Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 152.203; In re S.L.P., 123 S.W.3d 685, 688 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 2003, no pet.).

Therefore, there are potential fact patterns under which the trial court could have jurisdiction under the Uniform Act. Although Bishop alleges in her brief that she currently lives in Washington with D.A.P., arguments in briefs are not evidence. Castano v. San Felipe Agric., Mfg., & Irr. Co.,

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

Related

Peralta v. Heights Medical Center, Inc.
485 U.S. 80 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Westbrook v. Penley
231 S.W.3d 389 (Texas Supreme Court, 2007)
Castano v. San Felipe Agricultural, Manufacturing, & Irrigation Co.
147 S.W.3d 444 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2004)
Saavedra v. Schmidt
96 S.W.3d 533 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2002)
Kao Holdings, L.P. v. Young
261 S.W.3d 60 (Texas Supreme Court, 2008)
In the Interest of S.A.V.
837 S.W.2d 80 (Texas Supreme Court, 1992)
Walker v. Packer
827 S.W.2d 833 (Texas Supreme Court, 1992)
Simon v. York Crane & Rigging Co., Inc.
739 S.W.2d 793 (Texas Supreme Court, 1987)
in the Interest of S.L.P., a Minor Child
123 S.W.3d 685 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003)
In the Interest of D.A.P.
267 S.W.3d 485 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2008)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
267 S.W.3d 485, 2008 Tex. App. LEXIS 7169, 2008 WL 4354712, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-dap-texapp-2008.