Phillips v. City of Houston Texas

993 S.W.2d 357, 1999 Tex. App. LEXIS 3222, 1999 WL 250786
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 29, 1999
DocketNo. 14-98-00663-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 993 S.W.2d 357 (Phillips v. City of Houston Texas) 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
Phillips v. City of Houston Texas, 993 S.W.2d 357, 1999 Tex. App. LEXIS 3222, 1999 WL 250786 (Tex. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

OPINION

DON WITTIG, Justice.

Appellant, Claire Phillips, appeals from a motion for summary judgment in favor of appellees, City of Houston and Former Chief of Police Sam Nuchia (the City).1 Appellant asserts the trial court erred by granting the City’s summary judgment based on a finding that the hearing examiner did not exceed his jurisdiction. We hold the trial court was correct in its ruling, and therefore, affirm the trial court’s judgment.

Procedural Facts

Initially, the issue was whether appellant was guilty of activities violating civil service rules and the Texas Penal Code. Appellant, a Houston Police Officer, was being investigated for possible civil service and penal code violations. On April 10, 1992, Officer Osburn saw appellant, a part owner, working at her bar, C. Phil’s Piano Bar and Grill (C. Phil’s). Located in C. Phil’s was an electronic poker machine. The evidence reveals this machine was being used for illegal gambling activities. See Tex. Pen.Code Ann. § 47.04, 47.06 (Vernon 1994). The April 10 th incident was the result of an investigation prompted by a January 6,1992 complaint.

To suspend appellant, the City was required to do so no later than 180 days after it learned of the violation. See Tex. Loc. Gov’t.Code Ann. § 143.117(d) (Vernon Supp.1999). The City is .entitled, however, to issue an indefinite suspension after the 180-day period following the discovery of the act “if the department head considers delay necessary to protect a criminal investigation of the person’s conduct” and files a statement describing the investigation and its objectives within 180 days after the act with the attorney general. Id. at § 143.1017(h).

The City filed its statement with the attorney general on August 5, 1992, less than 180 days from the found violation of April 10, 1992. As a result, the City continued its investigation and indefinitely suspended appellant on Jan 27, 1993. The City suspended appellant for being untruthful in her administrative statement, for keeping a gambling place, and for possessing a gambling device or equipment.

Appellant rejected her option to appeal her suspension to the Civil Service Commission. Rather, she chose to appeal to an independent third party examiner, thereby waving all rights to an appeal in a district court. Id. at 143.1016(a). The only exception to the district court waiver is that “the arbitration panel was without jurisdiction or exceeded its jurisdiction or that the order was procured by fraud, collusion, or other unlawful means.” Id. at 143.1016(j). Consequently, appellant filed suit in district court asserting that the hearing examiner exceeded his authority and for declaratory relief. The City filed a motion for summary judgment asserting the hearing examiner did not exceed his authority, and appellant responded to the contrary. The trial court granted the City’s motion for summary judgment.

[359]*359Standard of Review

The standard of review in this case is two tiered. We must first determine whether the district court had jurisdiction. Then, we must apply the traditional summary judgment standard. Because appellant was unable to establish that the district court had jurisdiction, we will only elaborate on the standard of review regarding jurisdiction. Further, appellant did not challenge summary judgment as the proper method for addressing these issues. Therefore, we need not further discuss the summary judgment standard.

By statute, the Legislature gives the hearing examiner the same duties and powers as the commission. Tex. Loc. Gov’t.Code Ann. § 143.1016(f). The hearing examiner may investigate, report on all matters relating to the enforcement and effect of this Chapter and any rules adopted under it, and shall determine if the Chapter and rales are being obeyed. Id. at 148.009(a). Therefore, the hearing examiner must have the ability to apply the facts to the rules and determine if he is obeying them. Lindsey v. Fireman’s and Policeman’s Civil Serv. Comm’n., 980 S.W.2d 233, 236 (Tex.App.-Houston [14 th Dist.] 1998, pet. denied); Nuchia v. Tippy, 973 S.W.2d 782, 786 (Tex.App.-Tyler 1998, no pet.) (“examiner was authorized to make a determination of fact”).

The review of the District Court’s jurisdiction is a question of law for the appellate court. See Mayhew v. Town of Sunnyvale, 964 S.W.2d 922, 928 (Tex. 1998), petition for cert. filed, 67 U.S.L.W. 3149 (U.S. Aug. 6, 1998) (No. 98-249). Similarly, if the facts are undisputed then our review of whether the hearing examiner abused his discretion is de novo because we would only be reviewing whether the statutes as a matter of law are applicable to the undisputed facts. To the contrary, if the facts are disputed and involve the witnesses’ credibility, then we must give deference to the hearing examiner in determining whether he abused his discretion in applying the controverted facts to the statutes. We should not disturb the hearing examiner’s findings or authority without a clear showing of an abuse of discretion. See Lindsey, 980 S.W.2d at 236. Accordingly, although the question of jurisdiction is one of law, any disputed facts favoring jurisdiction vel non by the hearing officer must be reviewed by the abuse standard.

Analysis

In his fifth and sixth points of error, appellant contends the trial court erred in finding the hearing examiner did not exceed his jurisdiction. Specifically, she argues the hearing examiner exceeded his jurisdiction because (1) the 180-day period ran from the complaint, January 6, 1992, not the found violation, April 10, 1992, resulting in an untimely letter to the attorney general; (2) the extension letter to the attorney general lacked necessary specificity; and (3) the extension to suspend, based on the attorney general letter, was faulty because no delay was necessary to protect the criminal investigation of appellant’s conduct since she had already been arrested and was well aware of the criminal investigation. Because appellant’s fifth and sixth points fail to demonstrate that the trial court had jurisdiction, we will not address her other points of error.

Complaint or Violation

Appellant argues that the 180-day period ran from the day of the complaint, January 6, 1992, not the day of the found violation.

The department, head may suspend a ... police officer under this section only if the person viólales a civil service rule. However, the department head may not suspend a ... police officer later than the 180th day after the date the department head discovers or becomes aware of the civil service rule violation. If ... it is alleged that the ... police officer under investigation committed another violation ... connected with the first [360]*360alleged violation, the 180-day period prescribed by this subsection does not begin again ... if the second violation in question does not involve untruthfulness ..., and therefore the department head may not suspend a ... police officer for the second violation later than the 180th day after the date the department discovers or becomes aware of the original violation.

Tex. Loc.

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Bluebook (online)
993 S.W.2d 357, 1999 Tex. App. LEXIS 3222, 1999 WL 250786, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/phillips-v-city-of-houston-texas-texapp-1999.