Marcus Everette Harper v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice

CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 23, 2015
Docket07-14-00397-CV
StatusPublished

This text of Marcus Everette Harper v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice (Marcus Everette Harper v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marcus Everette Harper v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice, (Tex. 2015).

Opinion

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CAUSE N0.07-l4-00397-CV

MARCUS EVERETTE HARPER v § COURT OF APPEALS Plaintiff

V; § SEVENTH DISTRICT OF

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

CRIMINAL JUSTICE §POTTER COUNTY,TEXAS U Defendant's ET,.AL gm §§ x

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MoTIoN FOR AMEND JAN 23 2015 !/ ky

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Comes now Marcus E.Harper, hereafter referred to as Plaintiff would like to Amend this request for apointment of counsel, and medical negligence, negligence, or gross negligence, also this cause

No. O7-l4-OO397-CV to his motion that was filed on November 14,2014.

On 12-31-08 Plaintiff filed this suit because he was serverely burnded and disfigured for life; also the medical doctor, and staff on Bill Clements Unit failed to follow medical care instruction that cause his leg to get infected so further medical care was need- ed to contain the infection. He was rushed back to the medical Burn Center in lubbuck where skin graft was needed to contain the infec-

tion. Under medical negligence, malpractice, and gross negligence.

On 30th dat of Oct, 2014 Honorable Judge Ana Estevez dismissed this portion malpractice in error claiming that TX.Civ.Prac.and Remedies Code 74.351 expert report requirement was not met by me.

I filed a motion to object under article 74.352 Discovery sanc- tion if the defendants do not come with the discovery within forty five days I can file sanctions from the judge.(R.l/p.8-9)

The defendants stated that I had to Hire an expert report(R.l p.9:15-22). '

I The rule provide that responses and objection to requests for production of documents are to be served within 30_days of the re~ quest unless Court grants a shorter or longer time. Rule 34,Fed.R. Civ. P. the defendants however, wiated almost 4 years before respond- ing, with obtaining or even seeking permission from the court or

agreement from the Plaintiff,for this delay.

II

The allegation of denial of medical care amount to "intentionally

interfering with the treatment once prescribed," which the supreme Court has specifically cited as an example of unconstitional deli- berate indiference to prisoner'medical needs Estelle v.Gamble 429 U.S.97 105,97 S,ct. 285 (l976)

~Medical need; Some Courts have held that a serious medical need is one that has been diagnosed by a physician as mandating treatment or one that is so obvious that even alay person would easily recog- nize the necessity for a doctors attention. Hill v.Dekalb Regil Youth Det.Ctr . 40 F.3d ll76,1187 (llth Cir.l994) Courts usually agree that the medical nedd must be"one that if left unattended, poses a sud- stantial risk of serious harm." Taylor v. Adams, 22l F.3d.1254,1258 (llth Cir.200). to overcome qualified immunity (l) your rights were violated: (2) the right that was violated was clearly established; and (3) the defendant was personally responsible for the violation of your rights.

Under Texas Case Law,the fact that an action for on intentional Tort is barred, does not prevent an injured Party from pursuing a

claim for simple negligence arising out of the same fact Hucher v.

City of Beaumont E.D. TeX.ZOOl, 144 F.Supp. 2d.696 at 708. There is no impediment to a proper characterization of negligence see Huong 96l F.Supp at 1008. where the fact may show that duty improperly or negligently use tangible personal property during care that resulting

in an injury. III

‘Plaintiff request appointment of counsel for an indigent liti-

gant," the factual complexity of the case,the ability of the indi- `gent to investigate facts, existence if conflicting testimony, to present his claim" Abdullah V.Gunter,949 F.2d 1032, 1035 (8th cir. l99l). In adition Court have suggested that most important factor is whether the case appears to have merit, Carmona v. U.S. BUreall of Prisons 243 F.3d.629, 632 (2d Cir.2001) n

.Plaintiff has infirmed to trial Court that this is also, Medical care claim; it will need medical expert witness and to cross-examine medical witness (see motion 12-3l-08). The presence of medical or other issues requiring expert testimony supports the appointment of counsel Mantqomerv v} Pinchak 294 F.3d.492,503-O4 (3rd Cir.2002); Moore v.Madus, 976 F2d 268, 272 (5th CIR.l992), Jackson v.CountV of Mclean 953 F.2d.lO70,lO73 (7th Cir.l992)

Plaintiff is incarcerated and has no ability to investgate the

' 2

facts. For example, he is unable to identify,locate,and interview inmates and medical witness who were at the seen of incident. see Parham v.Johnson 126 F.3d 454,459 (3d Cir.l997) (holding counsel should have been oppointed because prisoner's lack of legal exper- iense and the complex discovery rules clearly put him at a dis ad- vantage in countering the defendant's discovery tactics... This discovery rule prevented him from hiring an expert report., but however there is a doctor physician repdg that clearly states med- ical staff failed to follow wedical instruction that cause my in- fection. the existence of these credibility issues supports the a- appointment of counsel Steele v.Shan 87 F.3d 1266, 1271 (llth.Cir. 1996).

Hendricks v.Coughlin, 114 F.3d 390,394 (2d Cir.l997) (holding complexity of supervisory liability supported appointment of counsel In adition, the plaintiff has asked for a jury trial,which requires mush greater legal skill than the plaintiff has or can develop. Solis v. County of Los Angeles, 514 F.3d.946,958 (9th Cir.2008) (prisoner with eighth grade education and no legal trianing is "ill~suited" to conduct a jury trial.

Plain language statute requiring submission of expert report at outset of (Health Care Provider Liability)Claim contamplates that the expert's opinions may be Amended or supplemented as discovery is completed in the lawsuit.Schmidt v.Dobose 259 S.W.3d 214 (App.

9th Dist.2008). Plaintiff requested counsel to assist him in pre paring and

filing an expert re port in support of his health care liability action against prison. Unlike in Banknead v.Spence 314 S.W.3d 464 he did not request counsel until the eve of the statutory deadline meaning any lack of meaningful time laid solely at inmate's feet

befcause of his delay in requesting the appointment of counsel.

IV Discovery 74.351 NOTE: 74 In a Health Care Liability claim oral depositions of parties are barred and only two oral deposition are allowed before the expert report is serve In Re Lumsden 291 S.W.3d 456 (App.14 dist. 2009)

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Related

In Re Memorial Hermann Hospital System
209 S.W.3d 835 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2006)
In Re Allan
191 S.W.3d 483 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2006)
Bankhead v. Spence
314 S.W.3d 464 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2010)
In Re Lumsden
291 S.W.3d 456 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2009)
Schmidt v. Dubose
259 S.W.3d 213 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2008)
Abdullah v. Gunter
949 F.2d 1032 (Eighth Circuit, 1991)

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