Johnny Partain v. State of Texas

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided June 23, 2025·No. 15-25-00005-CV·Published

Opinion

No. 15-25-00005-CV

FILED IN 15th COURT OF APPEALS

In The AUSTIN, TEXAS 6/23/2025 4:14:39 PM

Fifteenth Court Of Appeals CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk

JOHNNY PARTAIN Appellant

v.

STATE OF TEXAS Appellee

EXHIBITS (Appellant’s Emergency Motion To Dissolve The Injunction)

JOHNNY R. PARTAIN 7020 N 16th Street McAllen, Texas 78504 956-240-1821 No. 15-25-00005-CV

In The Fifteenth Court Of Appeals

EXHIBITS (Appellant’s Emergency Motion To Dissolve The Injunction)

Exhibit 1 - Plaintiff State Of Texas’s Motion For Contempt And Show Cause

Order

Exhibit 2 - Defendant’s Response To Texas’ Motion For Contempt

Exhibit 3 - Order for Hearing

Exhibit 4 - Verification 5/27/2025 3:02 PM EXHIBIT 1 Velva L. Price District Clerk Travis County CAUSE NO. D-1-GN-24-002560 D-1-GN-24-002560 Melissa Romero

State of Texas § In the District Court Plaintiff, § § v. § Travis County, Texas § Johnny Ray Partain § Defendant. § 126th Judicial District

PLAINTIFF STATE OF TEXAS’S MOTION FOR CONTEMPT AND SHOW CAUSE ORDER

On December 19, 2024, the 353rd District Court of Travis County declared the Financing

Statement (“Financing Statement”) filed by Johnny Ray Partain (“Partain”) which claims a

security interest in all State property fraudulent, void, and unenforceable. The Court entered a

permanent injunction (“the Permanent Injunction”) against Partain and permanently enjoined

him from enforcing or attempting to enforce the Financing Statement and from taking actions to

interfere with State property. Despite the Permanent Injunction, Partain violated, and continues

to violate, the Permanent Injunction by attempting to sell the State’s land on Ebay and Facebook.

The State now files this Motion for Contempt and Show Cause Order pursuant to Rule 692 of the

Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and would show the Court as follows:

I. STATEMENT OF THE CASE

1. On October 6, 2023, Partain filed a Financing Statement with the Texas Secretary of State

claiming he has a security interest in all State property. Exhibit D p. 2, attached hereto and

incorporated by reference.

2. Between October 6, 2023 and December 19, 2024, Partain attempted to enforce the

security interest listed in the Financing Statement by filing fraudulent transfer statements

Plaintiff State of Texas’s Motion for Contempt and Show Cause Order 1 and general warranty deeds purporting to convey State property from and to himself.

Partain then sent “enforcement” letters to private companies with active leasehold

agreements on State lands demanding payments to be made directly to him. Partain further

indicated his intention take and destroy the lessors property should they fail to remit their

payments directly to him.

3. April 4, 2024, the State filed its Original Petition alleging Partain violated Texas Business

and Commerce Code § 9.5185 by filing a fraudulent Financing Statement claiming a

security interest in all State property.

4. On November 4, 2024, the State filed its First Amended Petition and Request for

Temporary Restraining Order, Temporary Injunction, and Permanent Injunction. The

State also requested the Court declare the Financing Statement fraudulent, void, and

unenforceable and order its release.

5. On December 19, 2024, the 353rd Travis County District Court declared the Financing

Statement fraudulent, void and unenforceable, ordered its release, and entered the

Injunction against Partain. In relevant part, the Permanent Injunction states as follows:

Plaintiff State of Texas’s Motion for Contempt and Show Cause Order 2 Exhibit A p. 3.

6. Partain appealed the ruling but did not request a stay of the Permanent Injunction. See

generally Partain Notice of Appeal.

II. STATEMENT OF FACTS

7. On or about May 5, 2025, the State reviewed Partain’s Ebay and Facebook pages and

discovered Partain had listed State property for sale on his Facebook and Ebay pages.

8. On March 5, 2025, Partain listed 9.17 acres of State land for sale on Facebook.

Exhibit B p. 2, attached hereto and incorporated by reference.

9. Partain listed the same State land for sale on Ebay.

Plaintiff State of Texas’s Motion for Contempt and Show Cause Order 3 Exhibit C p. 2, attached hereto and incorporated by reference.

10. Partain falsely claimed he is the owner of the land, there are no liens, and title is clear.

Exhibit C p.2.

11. The land Partain listed for sale is not owned by Partain. The land is owned by the State by

and through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division. Partain has no right to or interest in the

land. See Exhibit A.

Plaintiff State of Texas’s Motion for Contempt and Show Cause Order 4 III. VIOLATIONS OF THE PERMANENT INJUNCTION

12. The State repeats and re-alleges the facts stated above.

13. Partain violated the Permanent Injunction by attempting to sell State land on Ebay and

Facebook.

14. The posts on Ebay and Facebook are clear violations of the Permanent Injunction’s

prohibition on interference with State property.

15. As such, attempting to sell State property on Ebay and Facebook is a violation of the

Permanent Injunction causing Partain to be in contempt of court.

IV. CONTEMPT AUTHORITY

16. Texas Government Code 21.002(b) authorizes courts to punish contempt by levying a fine

of not more than $500.00 for each act of contempt. TEX. GOV’T CODE ANN. 21.002(b).

Section 21.002(b) also authorizes courts to punish contempt by confinement in the county

jail for not more than six months or both such a fine and confinement in jail. Id. The purpose

of civil contempt is to persuade the contemnor to obey the Court’s order. See Ex parte

Werblud, 536 S.W.2d 542, 545 (Tex. 1976).

17. Because Partain violated the Permanent Injunction issued by the Court, the State

respectfully requests that this Court find Partain in contempt of court. The State requests

Partain be fined $500.00 for each contemptuous violation of the Permanent Injunction.

V. PRAYER

Plaintiff State of Texas respectfully requests Defendant Johnny Ray Partain be cited to

appear herein in accordance with Rule 692 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure to show cause for

why he should not be held in contempt of court for disobeying the Permanent Injunction issued by

this Court on December 19, 2024.

Plaintiff State of Texas’s Motion for Contempt and Show Cause Order 5 Plaintiff State of Texas also respectfully requests that upon hearing, this Court will find

Defendant Johnny Ray Partain in contempt of court and will punish Defendant Johnny Ray Partain

accordingly by fining him $500 for each act of contempt found by the Court.

Respectfully submitted,

KEN PAXTON Attorney General of Texas

BRENT WEBSTER First Assistant Attorney General

RALPH MOLINA Deputy First Assistant Attorney General

AUSTIN KINGHORN Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation

KIMBERLY GDULA Chief for General Litigation Division

/s/ Ali Thorburn ALI THORBURN Texas Bar No. 24125064 Assistant Attorney General General Litigation Division Office of the Attorney General P.O. Box 12548, Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711-2548 (512) 475-4392 | FAX: (512) 320-0667 ali.thorburn@oag.texas.gov

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