1 ... S eeTe x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 8 - 0 9 6 - CV
CH AR L E S L AM ARB E DI NGH AUS AP P E L L ANT V . A N D REA L. A D A M S A PPELL EE

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### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- I . I nt r oduc t i on I n t hr ee i ssues, A ppel l antC har l es Lam arBed i ngh aus assert s t hatt he t r i al
c o u rt e rre d i n g ra n ti n g a fa m i l yv i o l e n c e p ro te c ti v e o r d e r a g a i n s t h i m . W e a f f i r m.2 II . F a c tu a la n d P ro c e d u ra lH i s to ry Si xt y- se ven - yea r - ol d Bedi ngha us and A ppe l l eeA ndr ea L. A dam s dat ed f or appr oxi m at el y t en m onths. Si x m onths af t e rt he r el at i onshi p ended , A dam s f i l ed an appl i cat i on f ora pr ot ect i ve or der agai nst Bed i ngh aus. A dam s pr ovi ded evi dence t hatBed i ngh aus t ook t he f ol l ow i ng act i ons:

• S ent60 0 to 80 0 em a il s ort extm essages t o A dam s aft er t heybr okeup.

• S enta t ext t o A dam s sayi ng, “Justdon’ teverr el ax because t h a t ’s w h e n I w ill g e tm y c h a n c e a n d g e ty o u I w ill . . . . I’ ll al w ays be ar oun d, cl ose, w ai t in g fo r m y opp ort uni t y t o get e v e n w i th y o u .”

• Sentan em ai l t o Adam s sa yi ng, “So now you w i l l s uf f ert he con se que nce s t hatyou s o w el l de se rve, ” “[ Y ]o u ’ l l pa y f or y o u r s i n s ,”a n d “ I w i l l g e t y o u .”

• S e n ta n in v o ic e t o A d a m ss h o w in g t h a th e h a d h ir e d a n d p a id a p ri v a te i n v e s ti g a to r to fo l l o w h e r.

• H i r ed a pr i vat e i nvest i ga t ort o w at ch A dam s and f axed A dam s i nf or m at i on f r om t he pr i vat e i nvest i gat or s.

• Pr i nt ed der ogatory st at em en ts abou tA dam s and sentt hem to h e r re l a ti v e s , n e i g h b o rs , fri e n d s , a n d e m p l o y e r.

• C r eat ed and/ orpost ed bl ogs on t he i nt er nett hatr ef er enced A d a m s .
• O b ta i n e d A d a m s ’ste l e p h o n e n u m b e r a fte r s h e c h a n g e d i t.

• Th r eat ened A dam s i nt o unb l ocki ng herem ai l addr ess so t hat h e c o u l d c o n ti n u e to c o n ta c t h e r.3

• C a m e o n to A d a m s ’sp ro p e rtya n d s ta k e d o u tth e c h i l d re n ’s hom e w her e Adam s w asem pl oye d.

• To l d A dam s t hathe saw her w h il e she w as vacat i oni ng at t he H or seshoe C asi no i n B ossi erC i t y, Loui si ana. A sa re s u l t o f th e fo re g o i n g , A d a m s s o u g h t a s s i s ta n c e fro m B e d i n g h a u s ’s f am i l y, hi s att or ney , and t he pol i ce . Furt her , Bedi ngha us st at ed at t r i alt hathe
w ant ed t o hurt A dam s as he had been hurt and t hat he bel i eved A dam s “f or ced h im ” t o t a k e s o m e o fh is a c t io n sb yn o ta p o lo g iz in g t o h im . D u r in g t h e h e a r in g , t h e t r ia l c o u rtf o u n d t h a tt h e t h r e a t sc o n t a in e d in
var i ous m essages const i t ut ed f a m il y vi ol ence and t hatf am i l y vi ol ence had
occur r ed i n t he pastand w as l i kel y t o be com m i t t ed i n t he f ut ur e. H e t hen g ra n te d A d a m s ’sp ro te c ti v e o rd e r. S eeTe x . F a m . Cod e Ann . §§ 8 1. 001, 8 5 .0 0 1 ( V e rno n 2 0 0 5 ). T h e p rote c ti v e o rde r pro h i b i ted B e d i n g h a u s, w i th
res p e c t t o A d a m s, f r o m (1 ) c o m m i tti n g an yac t i n ten d e d to re su l t i n , o r t o c o n s t it u t e a t h r e a tt h a tre a s o n a b lyp la c e s h e r in f e a r o f , p h y s ic a l h a r m , b o d ily i n j u ry, as sa u l t, o r se x u a l as sa u l t; ( 2 ) c o m m u n i c a ti n g d i rec tl yw i th h e r or w i th
m em bers ofhe rf am i l y i n a t hr ea t eni ng orha r as si ng m ann er , i ncl udi ng t he i nt e r ne t ; ( 3) c om m un i c a t i ng a th r e a ta ga i ns th e rt hr ou gh a nyp e r s on ; ( 4)
c o m m u n ic a t in g w it h h e rin a n y m a n n e r , in c lu d in g b u t n o t lim it e d t o e le c t r o n ic
com m uni cat i ons; ( 5) engagi ng i n cond uctt o har as s , a n n o y, al ar m , abuse, t or m ent , orem bar r as s; ( 6) goi ng t o orne arhe rr es i den ce orpl ac e o f4

em pl oy m e n t o r b us i nes s; an d ( 7) pos se ss i ng af i r ea r m oram m uni t i on. The
courtal so m ade sevent een f i ndi ngs off act , i ncl udi ng t he f ol l ow i n g t hat Bed i ngh aus chal l enges: 5. Respo nden t , C har l es Lam ar Beg i ngh aus, has com m i t t ed act s t hat w er e t hr eat s t hat r easonabl y pl aced A ppl i cant , A ndr ea L. A dam s, i n fea r of i m m i n e n t ph y sica l h a rm , b o d i l yi n j u ry, o r as sa u l t. 6 . A fter t e rm i n a ti o n o f t h e p a rt i e s’ d a ti n g rel a ti o n sh i p , R e sp o n d e n t, C har l es Lam ar Bed i ngh aus r epet i t i vel y contact ed A ppl i cant , A ndr ea L. A dam s, t hr ough t el eph oni c an d el ec t r oni c c om m uni ca t i on. A p p lic a n tre q u e s t e d t h a tC h a r le sL a m a r B e d in g h a u ss t o p h is c o n tac t bu t C h a rl e s L a m a r B e g i n h a u s d i d n o t sto p tha t co n d u c t. 7 . Res ponde nt , Char l esLa m arBegi ngha us , co nt ac t ed an exhus ban d, an em pl oye r , f am i l y a nd f r i end s ofA ndr ea L. A dam s and m ade der ogatory st at em ent s aboutA ndr ea L. A dam s. 8 . R e s p o n d e n t, C h a rl e sL a m a r B e d i n g h a u s , c o m p i l e d d e ro g a to ry s t a t e m e n t sa b o u t A n d r e a L . A d a m s a n d p u b lic ly p o s t e d t h e m o n h is I nt er netbl og, w her e t hey w er e avai l abl e t o t he pub l i c. 9. Bet w ee n t he dat e o fs ervi c e o ft he i ni t i alpr ot ec t i ve or deron Res ponde nt , Char l esLa m arBegi ngha us , an d t he dat e o ft he hea r i ng o n J a n u a ry1 8 , 2 0 0 8 [,] o n th e a p p l i c a ti o n fo r a p r o t e c ti v e o rd e r, R espond ent , C har l es Lam arBed i ngh a u s , cont i nued t o contact A ppl i cant , A ndr ea L. A dam s. 10. The p r ot ec t i ve or der hea r i ng w as con duc t ed ove rt he cou r seof tw o h e a ri n g d a te s , th o s e b e i n g J a n u a ry1 8 , 2 0 0 8 [,] an d F e b ru a ry 14, 2008 . W he n th e C o u rtr e c e s s e d t hec a s e o n Ja nu a ry 18, 2 0 0 8 , th e J u d g e i n stru c ted b o th p a rt i e s i n o p e n co u rtn o t t o c on t a c tt heo t he rp a rt y. D u ri n g t her e c e s sb e t w e e n Ja nu a ry 18, 20 08 [ , ] and Febr uar y 14 , 20 08 , Respo nden t , C har l es Lam ar Bedi ngha us , vi ol at ed t he C ourt’s i ns t r uct i onsan d c ont ac t ed t he A p p l i c a n t.5

11 . Fam i l y vi ol ence i s l i kel y t o occuri n t he f ut ur e. Thi s app ea l by Bedi ngha usf ol l ow ed. I I I . Legaland Fact ualSu ff i ci ency I n hi s f i r st t w o i ss ues , Bedi ngha usco m pl ai nst hatt he t r i alco urter r ed by gr ant i ng t he f am i l y vi ol enc e pr ot ec t i ve or derbe ca us e t he evi den cei s l ega l l y a nd fa c tu a l l yi n s u fficie n t to s u p p o rt th e o rd e r. A . St andar d ofRev i ew W e m a ys u s ta i n a l e g a l s u fficie n c yc h a l l e n g e o n l yw h e n (1 ) th e re c o rd di scl oses a com pl et e absence ofevi dence of a vi t al f act ; ( 2) t he courti s bar r ed by r ul es ofl aw orofevi dence f r om gi vi ng w ei ght t o t he onl y evi dence off er ed to p ro v e a v i ta l fa c t; (3 ) th e e v i d e n c e o ffe re d to p ro v e a v i ta l fa c t i sn o m o re th a n a m e re s c i n ti l l a ; o r (4 ) th e e v i d e n c e es tab l i sh e s c o n c l u sive l ythe o p p o sit e o f a v i ta l fa c t. Uni

royal G oodr

i ch Ti re Co. v. Marti

nez , 977 S . W . 2d 328, 334 (T e x . 1 9 9 8 ), cert. denied, 5 2 6 U . S . 1 0 4 0 (1 9 9 9 ); R o b e rt W . C a l v e rt, “ No Evi den ce ” and

“ I ns uf f i ci ent Evi den ce ” Poi

nts of Er ror, 38 T e x. L . Re v. 361, 3 6 2

– 6 3 ( 1 9 6 0 ). I n d e term i n i n g w h e th e r t h e re i s l e g a l l ysu ffi c i e n t ev i d e n c e to
su pportt he f i ndi ng unde r r evi ew , w e m us tco ns i derev i den cef avo r abl e t o t he f i ndi ng i fa r ea so nab l e f ac t f i nde r cou l d and di sr ega r d evi den ceco nt r ary t o t he fi n d i n g u n l e s s a re a s o n a b l e fa c tfin d e r c o u l d n o t. Cent. Ready Mi x Concrete Co.6

v. I slas , 2 2 8 S .W .3 d 6 4 9 , 6 5 1 (T e x . 2 0 0 7 ); City of Kel ler v. W i l son , 168 S .W .3 d 8 0 2 , 8 0 7 , 8 2 7 (T e x . 2 0 0 5 ). W h e n rev i e w i n g an as se rt i o n th a t th e e v i d e n c e i s fa c tu a l l yi n su ffi c i e n t t o su pporta f i nd i n g, w e s etas i de t he f i ndi ng on l y i f , aft erco ns i der i ng a nd
w e i g h i n g a l l o f th e e v i d e n c e in th e re c o rd p e rti n e n t to th a t fi n d i n g , w e d e te rm i n e th a t th e e v i d e n c e s u p p o rti n g th e fi n d i n g i s s o w e a k , o r s o c o n tra ry t o t he over w hel m i ng w ei ght ofal l t he evi dence, t hatt he answ ershoul d be set
a s i d e a n d a n e w tri a l o rd e re d . Pool v. Ford Motor

Co. , 715 S. W . 2d 629, 635 (T e x . 1 9 8 6 ) (o p . o n re h ’g ); Gar za v. A lvi

ar, 3 9 5 S .W .2 d 8 2 1 , 8 2 3 (T e x . 1 9 6 5 ); I nre K i ng ’s E sta te , 1 5 0 T e x . 6 6 2 , 2 4 4S .W .2 d 6 6 0 , 6 6 1 (1 9 5 1 ). B. Fam i l y V i ol ence U nde rt he Texa s Fam i l y Code, “ f am i l y vi ol enc e”i s def i ned t o i ncl ude “dat i ng vi ol ence, ” w hi ch i n t ur n i s def i ned as
an ac tby an i ndi vi dua l t hati s aga i ns tan ot heri ndi vi dua l w i t h w hom t h a tp e r s o n h a so rh a sh a d a d a t in g re la t io n s h ip a n d t h a tis i nt ended t o r esul t i n physi cal har m , bodi l y i nj ur y, assaul t , orsexual a ss a u l t o r t h a t is a t h r e a t t h a t r e a s o n a b ly p la c e s t h e in d iv id u a l in f earofi m m i nent physi cal har m , bodi l y i nj ur y, assaul t, orsexual assaul t , butdoes n oti ncl ude defensi ve m easur es t o pr ot ect o n e se l f. T e x . F a m . C o d e . A n n . § § 7 1 .0 0 4 (3 ), 7 1 .0 0 2 1 (a ) ( V e r n o n 2 0 0 5 ) ( e m p h a s is
s u p p l i e d ) . B e c a u s e o f t h e d i sj u n c t i v e “ o r ” b e t we e n t h e t wo p h r a s e s o ft he “dat i ng vi ol ence” def i ni t i on, t hat t er m i ncl udes a t hr eatw i t hou tan act ual act7

ofvi ol enc e. Fu rt her , t he def i ni t i on i m pl i es t hat t he “t hr ea t ” dep end s upon t he
re a s o n a b l e b e l i e f o f th e p e rs o n w h o i sth e o bj e c t o f th e t h r e a t . See i d. § 7 1 .0 0 2 1 (a ). H er e, A dam s gave t he f ol l ow i ng u n c ontr overt ed t est i m ony that B e d i n g h a u s ’sa c ti o n sp l a c e d h e r i n fe a r o f i m m i n e n t p h y s i c a l h a rm : A . . . . I ’m a fra i d . I n e v e r k n o w fro m o n e m i n u te to th e n e x t.

. . . . Q . A nd yo u bel i eve t hatt o be a t hr eatofphysi cal vi ol ence? A . I do.

. . . . Q . Does t he f ac tt hatyou kn ow heha s f i r ea r m s f r i ght en you? A . Yes , i tdi d.

. . . . Q . But i n addi t i on t o t hat , w er e t her e a num berofot hert hi ngs t hat he t hr ea t ene d t o do? A . Y es. Q . A nd di d som e o f th o s e cause you t o be i n f earofphysi cal h a r m? A . Y es. Q . W er e y ou a f r ai d t hatyou m i ghts uf f erbodi l y i nj ury? A . Y es.8

Q . W er e y ou c onc er ned t hathem i ghtas sa ul tyou ? A . Y es. Q . D i d em a i l refer to h e w o u l d g e t t o y o u - - I ’ m g o in g to par aphr ase sl ig h t l y, buthe w oul d gett o you w hen yo u l east e x p e c ted i t? A . Yes , i tdi d. Q . A nd r ef ert o t hati tw oul d be i n t he f ut ur e? A . Y es. T h e re c o r d , a s p r e v io u s ly p a rt ia lly r e c o u n t e d , isre p le t e w it h re a s o n a b le bas esf orhe rf ea r , i ncl udi ng be i ng f ol l ow ed by p r i vat e i nve st i gat or s hi re d by Bed i ngh aus; Bed i ngh aus havi ng been on her pr opert y and atherpl ace ofw or k;
a n d B e d i n g h a u s ’se m a i l ss ta ti n g “ I [ w i l l ] g e t e v e n w i th y o u fo r w h a t y o u d i d ,”

“ I w il l g e ty o u re a l g o o d o n e d a yw h e n y o u a r e le a s te x p e c t in g it ,” “ I w ill
a lw a y sb e a ro u n d , c lo s e , w a itin g fo r m yo p p o rt u n ityto g e t e v e n w ith y o u . It
w i l l ha ppe n . . . you ca n ban k on i t . . . w hen you l ea stex pec ti t , ” “[ Y] ou a nd B e n n yB o yare b o th g o i n g to d e e p l yreg r e t t h e an ti c s th a t yo u [ g u y s] tr i e d to pul l , ” “[ T] hi s i s notgoi ng t o e nd w el l , ” “I fyou ev en beg i n to th i n k t hatyou ca n’ t b e h u rt a n y mo r e t h a n y o u h a v e b e e n . . . t h e n , y o u ’ r e v e ryna i ve and in n o c e n t ,” a n d “ I h o p e y o u [d o n ’t ] c h o k e o n y o u r t u r k e y . S a n t a w ill c o m e e a r ly
a t y o u r h o u s e th i sy e a r.”2 ... W e n ee d not add r es s Bedi ngha us ’ s t hi r d i ss ue, i n w hi ch he com pl ai ns

th a t th e tri a l c o u rt a b u s e d i ts d i s c re ti o n b yg ra n ti n g th ep ro te c ti v e o rd e r, because t hi s courtr evi ew s such chal l enges f orsu ff ic ie n cy oft he evi dence, m e a s u re d b y l e g a l a n d fa c tu a l s u fficie n c yc o n te n ti o n s . See Schab an-Maurer v. Maurer- S chaban , 238 S . W . 3d 815, 823 ( Tex. A pp. — FortW ort h 2007, no p e t.); se e al

so Te x. R. App . P. 47. 1. 9 Bed i ngh aus di d not deny at t he hear i ng t hathe i nt ended t o pl ace A dam s i n fea r o f i m m i n e n t p h y sica l h a rm ; rath e r, h e a rgu e d th a t h e d i d n o t i n ten d to cause heract ual physi cal har m . Th i s, how ever , i s nott he r easonabl eness t est p re v i o u s l ya rti c u l a te d . F u rth e r, a l th o u g h h e c o n te n d s th a t h i s s ta te m e n ts a re t a k e n o u to fc o n t e x ta n d o f t e n re f e rt o c o u rta c t io n , n o tp h y s ic a l v io le n c e , h is i nt er pr et at i on of hi s act i ons and t hei rr easonabl e n e s s is li kew i se nott he t est pr evi ous l y di sc us se d. B a s e d o n th e fo re g o i n g , c o n s i d e ri n g th e e v i d e n c e fa v o ra b l e to th e c o u rt’s fi n d i n g s i f a rea so n a b l e fac tfi n d e r co u l d an d d i sre g a rding e v i d e n c e c o n tr a ry to t h e f in d in g u n le s sa r e a s o n a b le f a c t f in d e r c o u ld n o t , w e h o ld t h a tt h e r e isle g a lly suf f i c i e n te v i d e n c e t o s u p p o rtt h e c o u rt ’ sf i n d i n g st h a tf a mi l yv i o l e n c e had
occ ur r ed and w asl i ke l y t o oc cur i n t he f ut ur e. Li ke w i se , aft er con si der i ng a nd
w ei ghi ng al l oft he pert i nent evi denc e, w e cannot say t hatt he evi dence
su p p o rti n g t he cou rt ’ s f i ndi ngsi s so w ea k o rco nt r ary t o t he ove r w hel m i ng
w ei ghtofal l t he evi den cet hati ts houl d be se t as i de and a new t r i alor der ed. W e over r ul e Bed i ngh aus’ s f i r stand second i ssues. 210 I V . Concl us i on H avi ng ov er r ul ed B edi ngh aus ’s di sposi t i ve i ssues, w e af f i r m t he t r i al
c o u rt ’s j u d g m e n t.
B OBM CC OY J U S T I C E PA N EL: LI V I N G S T O N an d M C C O Y, JJ. ; an d W I LL I A M BRI G H A M , J. ( Seni or J u s ti c e , R e ti re d , S i ttin g b yA s s i g n m e n t). DEL I VERE D: F e br ua ry 5, 2009