R & G Transportation, Inc. A/K/A and D/B/A R & G Transportation v. Fleetmatics ( 2015 )

ACCEPTED
01-14-00891-CV
FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
HOUSTON, TEXAS
7/14/2015 3:20:39 PM
CHRISTOPHER PRINE
CLERK
NO. 01 – 14 – 00891 – CV
_______________________________________________________
FILED IN
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS 1st COURT OF APPEALS
HOUSTON, TEXAS
FOR THE FIRST DISTRICT
7/14/2015 3:20:39 PM
HOUSTON, TEXAS
CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
_______________________________________________________
Clerk
R & G TRANSPORTATION, INC. A/K/A and D/B/A R & G TRANSPORTATION
Appellant,
v.
FLEETMATICS
Appellee.
_______________________________________________________
On appeal from the Civil County Court at Law No. 3 for Harris County, Texas
The Honorable Linda Story, Judge Presiding
_______________________________________________________
APPELLANT’S BRIEF
_______________________________________________________
Derek H. Deyon – Counsel For Appellant
The Deyon Law Group, P.L.L.C.
2211 Norfolk, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77098
(713) 481 – 7420 (Phone)
(713) 714 – 8670 (Fax)
ddeyon@deyonlawgroup.com
State Bar No. 24075862
NO ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED
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IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL
Appellant certifies that the following is a list of all the parties and attorneys to the
trial court’s order appealed from:
1. Appellant:
R & G Transportation, Inc. a/k/a and d/b/a R & G Transportation.
2. Appellants’ Trial Counsel:
Derek H. Deyon, The Deyon Law Group, PLLC, 2211 Norfolk, Suite 600,
Houston, Texas 77098.
3. Appellant’s Appellate Counsel:
Derek H. Deyon, The Deyon Law Group, PLLC, 2211 Norfolk, Suite 600,
Houston, TX 77098.
4. Appellee:
Fleetmatics.
5. Appellee’s Trial Counsel:
John D. Totz, Totz Ellison & Totz, P.C., 2211 Norfolk, Suite 510, Houston,
Texas 77098.
6. Appellee’s Appellant Counsel:
John D. Totz, Totz Ellison & Totz, P.C., 2211 Norfolk, Suite 510, Houston,
Texas 77098.
7. Trial Court:
The Honorable Judge Linda Story presiding over the Civil County Court at
Law No. 3 for Harris County, Texas.
s/Derek H. Deyon
__________________________
DEREK H. DEYON
Attorney for Appellants
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Identity of Parties and Counsel……….……………………………………….……. 1
Table of Contents………..…………………………………..……………………… 2
Index of Authorities………………………………………………………………… 3
Statement of the Case…………………………………………………………………….
4
Statement Regarding Oral Argument………………………………………………. 4
Issue Presented…………………………………………..………………………… 4
Statement of Facts…………………………………………………………………… 5
Summary of the Argument………………………………………………………………..
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5–6
Argument………………………………………………………………………………….
I. The Trial Court Erred In Overruling Appellant’s Motion for New Trial…………. 6
Prayer…………………………………………………………………………………6
Attorney Signature………………………………………………………………….. 7
Certificate of Service………………………………………………………………… 7
Certificate of Word Count………………………………………………………….. 7
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INDEX OF AUTHORITIES
CASES
Craddock v. Sunshine Bus Lines, Inc., 133 S.W.2d 124, 126 (Tex. 1939)…………….. 5, 6
Dolgencorp of Tex., Inc. v. Lerma, 288 S.W.3d 922, 925-27 (Tex. 2009)…………….. 6
Estate of Pollack v. McMurrey, 858 S.W.2d 388, 391 (Tex. 1993)………………….… 6
In re R.R., 209 S.W.3d 112, 114 (Tex. 2006)…………………………………………… 6
Ivy v. Carrell, 407 S.W.2d 212, 214 (Tex. 1966)………………………………………. 6
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TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF THE FIRST COURT OF APPEALS:
COMES NOW, R & G Transportation, Inc. a/k/a and d/b/a R & G Transportation
as Appellant, and submits this brief in support of its request to reverse the Civil County
Court at Law No. 3 for Harris County, Texas’ (“trial court”) grant of Fleetmatics’
(“Appellee”) Final Judgment in Trial Cause No. 1042703.
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
On April 11, 2014, Appellee filed its First Amended Petition against Appellant for
breach of contract. Clerk’s Record p. 4 (cited hereafter as “CR at p.). On April 29, 2014,
Appellee served Appellant with citation through the Secretary of the State. CR at p. 17.
The Secretary of State was unable to forward the process to Appellant. CR at p. 18. On
July 17, 2014, Appellee secured a Final Default Judgment against Appellant for
$16.468.00 in un – liquidated damages and $5,490.00 in reasonable and necessary
attorney’s fees. CR at pp. 20 – 22. On August 18, 2014, Appellant filed a Motion for
New Trial. CR at p. 23. On November 3, 2014, the court overruled Appellant’s Motion
for New Trial by operation of law. On October 30, 2014, Appellant filed a Notice of
Appeal. CR at p. 27.
STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT
No oral argument is requested because this court’s decisional process can be
accomplished on the briefs alone.
ISSUE PRESENTED
I. Whether the court err in overruling Appellant’s Motion for New Trial.? Yes.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS
On April 11, 2014, Appellee filed its First Amended Petition against Appellant for
breach of contract. Clerk’s Record p. 4 (cited hereafter as “CR at p.). On April 29, 2014,
Appellee served Appellant with citation through the Secretary of the State. CR at p. 17.
On July 17, 2014, Appellee secured a Final Default Judgment against Appellant for
$16.468.00 in un – liquidated damages and $5,490.00 in reasonable and necessary
attorney’s fees. CR at pp. 20 – 22. On August 18, 2014, Appellant filed a Motion for
New Trial mainly on the ground that it never received notice of the suit. CR at p. 23. On
November 3, 2014, the court overruled Appellant’s Motion for New Trial by operation of
law. On October 30, 2014, Appellant filed a Notice of Appeal. CR at p. 27.
SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT
The trial court erred in overruling Appellant’s Motion for New Trial because
Appellant never received notice of suit and because the State of Massachusetts served as
the proper jurisdiction for Appellee’s breach of contract claim per the agreement.
ARGUMENT
I. The Trial Court Erred In Overruling Appellant’s Motion for New Trial.
A court should set aside the default judgment and grant a new trial when a
defendant does not file an answer because of a mistake or an accident and the defendant
can meet the requirements of Craddock v. Sunshine Bus Lines, Inc., 133 S.W.2d 124,
126 (Tex. 1939). Craddock requires the defendant to show: a) that the failure to file an
answer was not intentional or the result of conscious indifference, but was a mistake or
an accident, b) that defendant has a meritorious defense to plaintiff’s cause of action,
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and c) that granting a new trial will not cause delay or otherwise injure the plaintiff.
Dolgencorp of Tex., Inc. v. Lerma, 288 S.W.3d 922, 925-27 (Tex. 2009); In re R.R.,
209 S.W.3d 112, 114 (Tex. 2006); Estate of Pollack v. McMurrey, 858 S.W.2d 388,
391 (Tex. 1993); Craddock, 133 S.W.2d at 126; Ivy v. Carrell, 407 S.W.2d 212, 214
(Tex. 1966).
Here, Appellant failed to file an answer as a result of an accident or mistake
because Appellant never received notice of the suit from The Secretary of State. CR at
p. 18, 24 (stating that the process was returned to The Secretary of State on May 27,
2014). Appellant has a meritorious defense to Appellee’s breach of contract claim
because Massachusetts served as the proper jurisdiction for any breach of contract
claims pursuant to the agreement. CR at p. 10. Appellant’s Motion for New Trial
would not have caused any delay or otherwise injured Appellee because Appellant was
ready for trial. CR at p. 24. In addition, Appellee failed to file a Non – Military
Affidavit before moving for final default judgment. See 50 U.S.C. app. section
521(b)(1). For these reasons, Appellant requests that this honorable court grant
Appellant’s appeal.
WHEREFORE, Appellant respectfully requests that this honorable court reverse
the trial court’s grant of Appellee’s Final Judgment in Trial Cause No. 1042703.
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RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
/s/Derek H. Deyon
__________________________
DEREK H. DEYON
The Deyon Law Group, P.L.L.C.
2211 Norfolk, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77098
(713) 481 – 7320 Phone
(713) 714 – 8670 Fax
TBN 24075862
Attorney for Appellant
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify that a copy of the forgoing document was served on:
John D. Totz
Totz Ellison & Totz, P.C.
2211 Norfolk, Suite 510
Houston, Texas 77098
Via fax to fax number 713 – 275 – 0304 and/or Pro Doc 2 E – Serve after 5:00 p.m. on July
12, 2015.
/s/Derek H. Deyon
__________________________
DEREK H. DEYON
CERTIFICATE OF WORD COUNT
I hereby certify that the foregoing Appellant’s Brief consists of 741 words.
/s/Derek H. Deyon
__________________________
DEREK H. DEYON
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