Steve Veigel v. Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, Inc.

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided November 21, 2016·No. 03-16-00353-CV·Published

Opinion

ACCEPTED 03-16-00353-CV 13916912 THIRD COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS 11/21/2016 9:56:14 PM JEFFREY D. KYLE CLERK NO. 03-16-00353-CV

FILED IN IN THE COURT OF APPEALS 3rd COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD JUDICIAL DISTICT OF TEXAS AUSTIN, TEXAS at AUSTIN 11/21/2016 9:56:14 PM JEFFREY D. KYLE Clerk

STEVE VEIGEL, Appellant/Defendant

v.

TEXAS BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION FOUNDATION, INC. Appellee/Plaintiff

Appealed from the County Court at Law No. 1 of Travis County, Texas

APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF

APPELLANT

STEVE VEIGEL, PRO SE

105 Quince Street Hereford, Texas 79045 (806) 231-1008 SVeig@aol.com

APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF page 1 of 21 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page COVER PAGE .....................................................................................................1 REPLY TO APPELLEE’S STATEMENT OF FACTS ................................................. 5 REPLY TO APPELLEE’S SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT .................................... 7 REPLY TO APPELLEE’S AGRUMENT ISSUE 1 ..................................................... 9 REPLY TO APPELLEE’S ARGUMENT ISSUE 2 ................................................... 14 REPLY TO APPELLEE’S ARGUMENT ISSUE 3 ................................................... 17 REPLY TO APPELLEE’S CONCLUSION ............................................................. 18 CONCLUSION AND PRAYER FOR RELIEF ......................................................... 20 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE ....................................................................... 21 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE............................................................................... 21

APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF page 2 of 21 INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

Statutes TEX. ADMIN. CODE TIT. 4, § 3.502 ................................................................. 13

TEX. ADMIN. CODE TIT. 4, § 3.70 ................................................................... 13 TEX. ADMIN. CODE TIT. 4, § 3.75 .............................................................. 6, 14

TEX. AGRIC. CODE § 74.101 ............................................................................ 5

TEX. AGRIC. CODE § 74.109 .......................................................................... 11

TEX. AGRIC. CODE § 74.115 ...................................................................... 6, 14 TEX. AGRIC. CODE § 74.127 ............................................................................ 8 TEX. AGRIC. CODE § 74.129 .......................................................................... 11

TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 16.061 ..................................................... 4, 7

TEX. TAX. CODE § 171.2515............................................................................ 6

TEX. TAX. CODE § 171.252........................................................................ 6, 15 TEX. TAX. CODE § 171.255.............................................................................. 6 Other Authorities 50 Tex. Jur. 3d Limitation of Actions § 20 .................................................. 11

Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation Self Evaluation Report to the Texas Sunset Commission ................................................................... 8 Constitutional Provisions TEX. CONST. ART. III, § 52 ............................................................................. 4

TEX. CONST. ART. XVI, § 59 .......................................................................... 4 TEX. CONST. ART. XVI, § 68 .................................................................... 4, 12

APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF page 3 of 21 TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF THE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS:

COME NOW, the APPELLANT named herein in the above styled and

numbered appeal, and present the Court the following APPELLANT’S REPLY

BRIEF to APPELLEE’S BRIEF filed on October 31, 2016.

SUMMARY OF THE APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF 1. In contradiction to the clear intent of the Texas Legislature and the

Texas Constitution, APPELLEE’S BRIEF essentially request this Court to

ignore the expressed requirements of Tex. Civ. Prac & Rem. Code § 16.061

and declare APPELLEE to be a qualifying “political subdivision” exempt from

any statute of limitations by judicial fiat.

2. APPELLEE’S BRIEF does not deny that APPELLEE’S formation was only

authorized and continued pursuant to Article XVI, Section 68 of the Texas

Constitution instead of pursuant to Section 52, Article III, or Section 59,

Article XVI, Texas Constitution required of qualifying “political

subdivisions” under Tex. Civ. Prac & Rem. Code § 16.061.

3. APPELLEE’S BRIEF does not cite any legal authority that the Texas

Legislature or the Texas Constitution expressly holds or provides that

APPELLEE is a “political subdivision” as there is none. Instead, both the

governing Texas Agriculture Code [“TEX. AGRI. CODE”] Chapter 74 and

Texas Administrative Code Title 4 [“4 TAC”], Chapter 3 have clear

APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF page 4 of 21 provisions that the Legislature provided that the APPELLEE is a single

statewide quasi-government entity and a government unit in certain respects,

but is not and does not function as separate local political subdivisions in

each eradication zone exempt from statutes of limitations. Unlike political

subdivisions, the APPELLEE is expressly “acting under the supervision and

control of the commissioner” of agriculture and the Texas Department of

Agriculture and is not governed by a separate locally elected and/or

appointed board for each eradication zone.

4. Quite simply, APPELLEE’S claims to collect debts are barred by the

four year limitations statute as the APPELLEE is not exempt for such statutes

of limitations.

REPLY TO APPELLEE’S STATEMENT OF FACTS

5. APPELLEE’S BRIEF’S Statement of Facts [Appellee’s Brief p. 1-2] does

not assert that APPELLEE is a political subdivision or deny that it is instead a

quasi statewide government entity/unit acting under the supervision and

control of the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Commission

of Agriculture pursuant to TEX. AGRIC. CODE § 74.101(a)(1). [APPELLANT’S

BRIEF p. 18-22.]

APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF page 5 of 21 6. APPELLEE states that “Veigel Farms, Inc. (“Veigel Farms”) is a Texas

corporation that farmed cotton for commercial production from 1999 to

2002… and, therefore, was subject to assessments… The Foundation levied

assessments against Veigel Farms … as a result of its cotton farming

operation…”. [APPELLEE’S BRIEF p. 1]. However, it is undisputed that

APPELLEE only seeks to collect assessments including penalties and interest

for the 1999 and 2001 cotton crops which were undisputedly grown during

the time from August 27, 1996 until September 26, 2002 wherein Veigel

Farms, Inc. had lost its corporate privileges to legally transact any business

in Texas pursuant to Tex. Tax Code § 171.2515. As such, pursuant to Tex.

Tax Code § 171.255(b) Veigel Farms, Inc. is to be treated as a general

partnership consisting of Bob and Steve Veigel individually instead of a

corporation authorized to do business in Texas including growing cotton in

1999 and 2001. [APPELLANT’S BRIEF p. 8, 10, and 14]

7. APPELLEE states “[b]y letters dated March 8, 2000 and May 20, 2003

the Foundation demanded payment from Veigel Farms … and advised that

the Foundation will [sic] take legal action…”. [APPELLEE’S BRIEF p. 1.]

However, such letters did not comply with TEX.

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