Opinion filed March 12, 2015

In The

Eleventh Court of Appeals __________

No. 11-13-00078-CV 

__________

RICKY LEE STROBLE, Appellant

V.

SGT. HAROLD ROBINSON ET AL., Appellees

On Appeal from the 259th District Court

Jones County, Texas

Trial Court Cause No. 022887

M E M O R A N D U M O P I N I O N

Ricky Lee Stroble is in the custody of the State of Texas at the French M. 

Robertson Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; he is a convicted sex 

offender. In his petition, Stroble alleged that on May 29, 2012, Appellees1

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Appellees are Sgt. Harold Robinson, Officer Felix Vigil, Warden Richard Leal, and Officer 

Linda Richey.
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confiscated certain folders of his that contained some 160 photographs of partially 

dressed girls, including color catalogs for which Stroble had paid $89.2 

Stroble filed this lawsuit pro se and in forma pauperis. In his petition, he 

apparently sought to have his property returned and also sought relief for trespass 

to personal property, conversion, theft of personal property, and intentional 

infliction of emotional distress and mental anguish. He sought “[a]ctual and 

unliquidated damages” in an unspecified amount. As provided for in Chapter 14 of 

the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, the trial court dismissed the lawsuit 

without holding a hearing. TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE ANN. ch. 14 (West 2002 

& Supp. 2014). Stroble appeals; we affirm.

The legislature enacted Chapter 14 specifically to govern in forma pauperis

inmate proceedings. See id. § 14.002. The main purpose of the legislation is to 

provide trial courts with a mechanism whereby the toll of frivolous inmate 

litigation on judicial and state resources might be reduced. Sanders v. Palunsky,

36 S.W.3d 222, 226 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2001, no pet.). In 

furtherance of that purpose, the statute provides for dismissal of frivolous inmate 

lawsuits, even before service is had upon the defendants, if it appears to the trial 

court that the claim is frivolous or malicious. See CIV. PRAC. & REM. § 14.003(a); 

Gross v. Carroll, 339 S.W.3d 718, 722 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2011, no 

pet.).

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The photographs and other property alleged to have been confiscated in this case are apparently 

not the same ones that Stroble alleged were confiscated by other correctional officers on June 1, 2012, 

and on June 4, 2012. Stroble filed lawsuits in connection with those items also. As it did in this case, the 

trial court dismissed those lawsuits, and Stroble appealed the dismissals to this court. We have this day 

affirmed those dismissals. See Appellate Cause Nos. 11-13-00106-CV and 11-13-00166-CV. Stroble has 

filed two cases in the federal courts, which he alleges to be filed under cause numbers 1-11-CV-108-C 

and 1-12-CV-055-BL, and one case in justice court. Those cases are unrelated to the cases in our court 

and appear to be based upon different facts. 
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We review a dismissal order in lawsuits of this nature for an abuse of 

discretion. Hickson v. Moya, 926 S.W.2d 397, 398 (Tex. App.—Waco 1996, no 

writ). A trial court abuses its discretion when it acts arbitrarily, unreasonably, or 

without reference to any guiding rules and principles. Downer v. Aquamarine 

Operators, Inc., 701 S.W.2d 238, 241–42 (Tex. 1985). When the trial court does

not specify the grounds for dismissal, we will affirm the decision if any theory is 

meritorious. See Walker v. Gonzales Cnty. Sheriff’s Dep’t, 35 S.W.3d 157, 162

(Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2000, pet. denied).

Trial courts have broad discretion to determine whether a case should be 

dismissed because (1) prisoners have a strong incentive to litigate, (2) the 

government bears the cost of an in forma pauperis suit, (3) sanctions are not 

effective, and (4) the dismissal of unmeritorious claims accrues to the benefit of 

state officials, courts, and meritorious claimants. See Montana v. Patterson, 894 

S.W.2d 812, 814–15 (Tex. App.—Tyler 1994, no writ).

To determine whether a lawsuit is malicious or frivolous, a court may 

consider whether (1) the realistic chance of ultimate success is slight, (2) there is

no arguable basis for the claim in law or in fact, (3) it is clear that the party cannot 

prove facts that will support the claim, or (4) the claim is substantially similar to a 

previous claim filed by the inmate in that the claim arises from the same operative 

facts. CIV. PRAC. & REM. § 14.003(b). When an inmate claims relief under an 

indisputably meritless legal theory, the claim has no arguable basis in law. 

Leachman v. Dretke, 261 S.W.3d 297, 304 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2008, no pet.). 

A suit in which the defendants are immune from suit provides an example of such 

a meritless legal theory. Birdo v. Ament, 814 S.W.2d 808, 809 (Tex. App.—Waco 

1991, writ denied). 

Stroble appears to have sued Appellees in their individual capacities. Suits 

against a government employee in his individual capacity are foreclosed if the 
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employee was acting within the scope of his employment. Franka v. Velasquez, 

332 S.W.3d 367, 381 (Tex. 2011). As alleged in his petition, Stroble’s claims were 

based on conduct committed by Appellees within the general scope of their 

employment and could have been brought against the governmental unit; Stroble 

has not alleged that Appellees were acting otherwise. See CIV. PRAC. & REM.

§ 101.106(f) (West 2011); Franka, 332 S.W.3d 367. Pursuant to Section 

101.106(f), such a “suit is considered to be against the employee in the employee’s 

official capacity only.” Therefore, we review this case as one against Appellees in 

their official capacities.

Because a suit against a government employee is, in effect, a suit against the 

State, sovereign immunity defeats subject-matter jurisdiction unless the State 

consents to the suit. The Texas Tort Claims Act provides for such a waiver in 

limited circumstances. The Act provides for waiver of immunity from suit in those 

instances in which the claimant alleges “personal injury [or] death . . . caused by a 

condition or use of tangible personal or real property.” CIV. PRAC. & REM.

§ 101.021(2). Stroble has not alleged that he was injured as a result of the 

condition or use of tangible personal or real property. Furthermore, the Act does 

not waive immunity for intentional torts. See id. § 101.057(2) (Act does not apply 

to claims “arising out of assault, battery, false imprisonment, or any other 

intentional tort.” (emphasis added)); Tex. State Technical Coll. v. Wehba, No. 11-

05-00287-CV, 2006 WL 572022, at *2 (Tex. App.—Eastland Mar. 9, 2006, no 

pet.) (mem. op.); Gen. Elec. Co. v. City of Abilene, 795 S.W.2d 311, 313 (Tex. 

App.—Eastland 1990, no writ). Stroble has alleged intentional torts only.

Because Appellees are entitled to immunity from suit and because Stroble

has not shown that immunity has been waived, there is no arguable basis in law for 

his claim. We cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion when it 

dismissed Stroble’s lawsuit, and we overrule his issues.
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We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

JIM R. WRIGHT

CHIEF JUSTICE

March 12, 2015

Panel consists of: Wright, C.J.,

Willson, J., and Bailey, J.