1 ... S ee Te x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OFAPPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOF TEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 8 - 2 8 6 - CV DAV I D P E AR L AP P E L L ANT V . D A LE A BSH I RE A PPELL EE

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 67TH DI STRI CT CO URT O F TARRA NT CO UN TY

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### MEMORANDU M OPI NI ON 1

----- ----- -- Thi s i s an i nt er l ocu t or y a ppe al f r om t he t r i al co urt ’ s or derde nyi ng appel l antD avi d Pear l ’ s speci al appear ance and m ot i on t o di sm i ss an i nt er net d e fa m a ti o n c l a i m fi l e d b ya p p e l l e e D a l e A b s h i re . W e re v e r s e th e tri a l c o u rt’s or derand di sm i ss t he case.2 I . B a c k g rou n d F a c ts D al e Abshi r e b r oughts ui tag ai ns tD avi d Pe ar l al l egi ng t hatPea r l m ade se ver al de f am at or y s t at em ent s on t he Yahoo! Fi nan ce A X A i nt er net“ m es sa ge boa r d” or“bul l et i n boa r d” ( t he M es sa ge Boar d) be t w ee n M ar ch 16, 2006 , an d O ct ober27 , 20 06 . T h o se s tatem ent s i ncl uded l angu age ofa gr aphi c sexual n a tu re a n d a t ti m e s re fe re n c e d A b s h i re ’s p ri o r e m p l o y m e n t i n T e x a s , A b s h i re ’s a l l e g e d s e x u a l h a ra s s m e n t o f w o m e n in t h e w o rk p l a c e i n T e x a s , a n d A b s h i re ’s a l l e g e d re s u l ti n g te rm i n a ti o n . O n e s u c h s ta te m e n t re a d s : D a l e A b sh i re, fo rm e r M O N Y ag e n t ba se d i n T e x a s w a s fo u n d g u i l ty off i ndl i ng [ sic ] c h i c k s i n th e F T . [ sic ] W o rth o ffice . N ow , M r . A bs hi r e ha s bee n s pot t ed i n t he Bel vue ps ych . w ar d, re c o v e ri n g fro m th e B U T T p o u n d i n g M O N Y g a v e h i m . Y E P , D a l e A b s h i re . A n o th e r a l l e g e d l yd e fa m a to rys ta te m e n t b yP e a rl re a d s i n p a rt: Yes, m y na m e i s D al e Abshi r e. I w ast er m i nat ed f r om M O N Y i n t he m i d 1 9 9 0 's , b e c a u s e I c o u l d n ’t k e e p m yp e n i s i n m yp a n ts . I sex ua l l y ha r a s s e d m a ny w om e n i n t he Te xa s of f i c e s , a nd w as t er m i ant ed [ sic ] fo r c a u s e . Pr i ort o a n d d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d o ft i m e , Ab s h i r e h a d p o s t e d n u m er ous m e ss a g e s o n the M e ss a g e B o a rd a c c u sing M O N Y ( M u tu a l o f N e w Y o rk), o r i ts s u c c e s s o rA X A , o fc o n s p ir in g w it h n u m e r o u s p o lit ic a l f ig u r e s t o c o m m it f r audu l entand i l l egal act i vi t i es. A bshi r e post ed t hese m essages t o i ncr ease3

tr a ffi c to h i s w e b sit e s d e tai l i n g h i s a l l e g a ti o n s o f c o n sp i rac yan d i l l e g a l ac ti v i ty by M O N Y and A X A . Pear l i s an em pl oyee of A X A and a r esi dent ofK i ngs Par k, N ew Y or k, an d h e d o e s no tdi sput e t hathe m ade t he st at em ent s ofw hi ch Ab s h i r e c o m p l a i n s i n r e s p o n s e t o Ab s h i r e ’ s c o m m e n t s a b o u tAXA a n d M ONY. It i s u n d i s p u te d th a t P e a rl w a s p h y s i c a l l y l o c a te d a t h i s h o m e i n N e w Y o rk w hen m aki ng t he al l eged st at em ent s, t hatA bshi r e w as a r esi dent ofTexas at al l t i m esr el eva ntt o t he l i t i gat i on, and t hatPear l had been pr ovi ded i nf or m at i on t hatA bshi r e r esi ded i n T exas. I ti s f urt herundi sput ed t hat P e a rl ’ s al l eged con t ac t s w i t h Tex asar e l i m i t ed t o hi s M es sa ge B oa r d pos t i ngs r ef er enc i ng Tex as and t hatPear l has neverm ai nt ai ned a bank acco unt i n T exas, condu ct ed per so nal bus i nes s w i t hi n Tex as , kn ow i ngl y pu r cha se d a ny t ang i bl e i t em s or ot her per so nal pr ope rt y f r om Texa s, pai d any t axe s i n Texa s, orow ned , l ea se d, r ent ed, orcont r ol l ed any r eal orper sonal pr opert y i n T exas. Based o n t hese undi sput ed f act s, Pear l f i l ed a speci al appear ance i n w hi ch he cl ai m ed t hat t he cou rt l ac ke d per so nal j ur i sd i ct i on ov erhi m an d m ove d f or di sm i ssa l . Abshi r e a l l ege d i n r es pons e t hatPea r l “ di d bus i nes s”i n Tex as by c o m m i ttin g a to rt, i n w h o l e o r i n p a rt, i n T e x a s a n d th a t P e a rl ’s M e s s a g e B o a rd2 ... A tno p oi ntha s A bs hi r e sp ec i f i ca l l y al l ege d w het herTexa s cou rt s hav e

gen er al ors pec i f i c j ur i sd i ct i on, orbot h, ove r Pea r l . H ow eve r , A bs hi r e h asnot m a d e a n ya tt em ptt o est abl i sh, and w e f i nd no evi denti ar y basi s f or , gener al j ur i sd i ct i on.

3 ... S eeT e x . C i v . P ra c . & R e m . C o d e A n n . § 5 1 .0 1 4 (a )(7 ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 8 ). 4 ... Moki

MacRiver

Exp editi

onsv. D rugg , 221 S . W . 3d 569, 574 ( Tex. 2 0 0 7 ); BM CSoft ware Bel g. , N. V. v. Marchand, 83 S. W . 3d 789, 793 ( Tex. 2 0 0 2 ); Glencoe Cap ital Partners I I , L. P. v. G er

nsbacher, 269 S. W . 3d 157, 163 (T e x . A p p .— F o rt W o rth 2 0 0 8 , n o p e t.).

5 ... A m . Type Culture Col lecti on, I nc. v. Colem an , 83 S. W . 3d 801, 807 (T e x . 2 0 0 2 ), cert. denied, 5 3 7 U .S . 1 1 9 1 (2 0 0 3 ); Glencoe Capital, 269 S. W . 3d a t163. 4 st at em ent s es t abl i sh ed j ur i sd i ct i on i n Tex asbe ca us e t heyex pr es sl y m ent i on Tex as and w er e ai m ed atTexas r eader s, i ncl udi ng A bshi r e. 2 Fol l ow i ng a h e a ri n g, t he t r i al courtdeni ed Pear l ’ s speci al appear ance w i th o u t m a k i n g a n yfi n d i n g s o f fa c t o r c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w . T h i s i n te rl o c u to ry app ea l f ol l ow ed. 3

I I . Bur den of Pl eadi ng and Standar d ofRev i ew T h e p l a i n ti ff b e a rs the i n i ti a l b u rde n o f plea d i n g su ffi c i e n t al l e g a tio n s to b r in g a n o n re s i d e n t d e fe n d a n t w i th i n th e p ro v i s i o n s o f th e T e x a s l o n g -a rm st at ut e. 4U pon f i l i ng a speci al appear ance, t he non r esi dent def endan tassum es th e b u rde n o f n e g a ti n g a l l b a se s o f pe rso n a l j u ri sd i c ti o n all e g e d b ythe p l a i n ti ff. 5 I n ot herw or ds , t he def end antm us tdi sp r ove t he exi stenc e o fm i ni m um contact s suf f i ci entt o est abl i sh per sonal j ur i sdi ct i on overi t — gener al , speci f i c,6 ... A m . TypeC ulture Col lec ti on , 83 S . W . 3d a t807; Glencoe Capital, 269 S. W . 3d a t163.

7 ... Mi chi ana Easy Livi

n' Coun try, I

nc. v. Holten , 168 S. W . 3d 777, 785 (T e x . 2 0 0 5 ); Glencoe Capital, 269 S. W . 3d a t163.

8 ... Moki

Mac , 2 2 1 S .W .3 d a t 5 7 4 ; BM CSo ftwa re , 8 3 S . W . 3 d a t7 9 4; Luxury Travel

So urcev. A m . A i

r l i nes, I nc. , 276 S . W . 3d 154, 160– 61 ( Tex. A p p .— F o rt W o rth 2 0 0 8 , n o p e t.).

9 ... BM CSo ftwa re , 8 3 S .W .3 d a t 7 9 4 ; Glencoe Capital, 26 9 S. W . 3d at 163–6 4.

10 ... BM CSo ftwa re , 8 3 S .W .3 d a t 7 9 5 ; Glencoe Capital, 2 69 S. W . 3d at 1 6 4 ; Luxury Travel

So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t161.

5 o r bo th

— a s a l l e g e d b ythe p l a i n ti ff. 6 A b se ntal l egat i ons ofany speci f i c, p u rpo se fu l ac t t h rou g h w h i c h the d e fen d a n t ca n b e sa i d to h a v e so u g h t a benefi tby avai l i ng i t sel foft he j uri sd i c t i on, evi dence t hata def endan ti s a nonr es i den ti s su f f i ci entt o m ee ti t s bur den . 7 W het hera t r i al courthas per sonal j ur i sdi ct i on ov era def endan ti s a q u e s t i o n o fl a w. 8H ow ever , a t r i al courtm ay be r equi r ed t o r esol ve di sput ed quest i ons of f act bef or e r esol vi ng t he j ur i sdi ct i on i ssue. 9 W h e n t h e tri a l c o u rt d o e s n o t i s s u e e x p re s s fi n d i n g s o f fa c t a n d c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w , a n d th e re c o rd on app e a l inc l udes both t he r epor t er ’ s r ecor d and t he cl er k’ s r ecor d, t he t r i al c o u rt ’s im p lie d f in d in g s a r e n o t c o n c lu s iv e a n d m a y b e c h a lle n g e d f o rt h e ir f ac t ual an d l ega l s uf f i ci enc y. 10 I f f i ndi ngs of f ac tar e n oti ss ued , t he r evi ew i ng c o u rt sh o u l d a ss u m e th a t th e tr i a l c o u rtfou n d all fac tu a l d i sp u tes fav o rab l e to11 ... A m . TypeCulture Col lec ti on , 8 3 S .W .3 d a t 8 0 6 ; BM CSo ftwa re , 83 S . W . 3d at79 5 ( noti ng t hatsi m pl y m or e t han a sci nt i l l a ofevi dence w i l l def eat a n o -e v i d e n c e c h a l l e n g e ).

12 ... Luxury Travel

So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t161. 13 ... BM CSo ftwa re , 8 3 S .W .3 d a t 7 9 5

– 9 8 ; Glencoe Capital, 269 S. W . 3d a t164.

14 ... Moki

Mac , 2 2 1 S .W .3 d a t 5 7 4 ; Luxury Travel So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t161. 6 i ts o rd e r. 11 W e m ay r evi ew t he t r i al co urt ’ s r esol ut i on ofdi sput ed f acti ssues fo r l e g a l an d fac tu a l su ffi c i e n c yu n d e r t h e sa m e sta n d a rds o f r e v i e w tha t w e a p p lyin re v ie w in g a ju r y ’s o rt r ia l c o u rt ’s f in d in g s o ff a c ta tt r ia l. 12I ft he t r i al c o u rt ’s e x p r e s s o rim p lie d f in d in g s a r e s u p p o rt e d b ys u f f ic ie n te v id e n c e , o rif t he m at er i al f act s ar e und i sput ed, w e deci de as a m at t erofl aw w het hert hose f ac t s neg at e a l l ba se s f orpe r so nal j ur i sd i ct i on. 13 I I I . Pe r so nalJur i sd i ct i on Texa s co urt s m ay as se rtpe r so nal j ur i sd i ct i on ov era nonr es i den t def end anti f( 1) t he Texa s l ong- ar m s t at ut e a ut hor i z est he exe r ci seof j ur i sd i ct i on, an d ( 2 ) the ex er ci seofj ur i sd i ct i on i s con si st entw i t h f ede r al an d st at e const i t ut i onal due- pr ocess guar ant ees. 1415 ... T e x . C i v . P ra c . & R e m . C o d e A n n . § § 1 7 .0 4 1

– .0 4 5 (V e rn o n 2 0 0 8 );

BM CS o ftwa re , 8 3 S .W .3 d a t 7 9 5 ; Luxury Travel So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t161. 16 ... T e x . C i v . P ra c . & R e m . C o d e A n n . § 1 7 .0 4 2 ; BM CS o ftwa re , 83 S .W .3 d a t 7 9 5 ; Luxury Travel So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t161. 17 ... T e x . C i v . P ra c . & R e m . C o d e A n n . § 1 7 .0 4 2 (2 ); Moki Mac , 221 S. W . 3d at574. The l i stofa cti vi t i es setf ort h i n s ec t i on 17. 042 i s not e x c l u s i v e . BM CSo ftwa re , 83 S . W . 3d a t795.

18 ... Moki

Mac , 221 S . W . 3d at575 ( qu ot i ng G uardi an Royal

Exch. Ass ura n c e, Ltd. v. E ngl i shCh i n a Cl a ys, P. L . C. , 815 S . W . 2d 223, 226 ( Tex. 1 9 9 1 )). 7 A . T e x a s L o n g -A rm S tatu te The Tex asl ong- ar m s t at ut e g ove r ns Texa s cou rt s’ ex er ci seofj ur i sd i ct i on overnonr esi dent def endan t s. 15 That st at ut e per m i t s Texas cour t s t o exer ci se j ur i sdi ct i on over a non r esi dent def endan t w ho “ does busi ness” i n T e xas. 16 Pert i nent t o t hi s case, a nonr esi dent “does busi ness” i n T exas i fi t“com m i t s a to rt i n w h o l e o r i n p a rt i n th i s s ta te .” 17 B . D u eP roc e ssan d M i n i m u m C o n tac ts Eve n i fa nonr es i den t ’ s ac t i vi t i esco ns t i t ut e “d oi ng bu si nes s”unde rt he T e x a s l o n g -a rm s ta tu te , T e x a s c o u rts m a y e x e rc i s e p e rs o n a l j u ri s d i c ti o n o v e r a nonr es i den tde f end antonl y “ asf arast he f ede r al co ns t i t ut i ona l r equ i r em ent s of d u e p ro c e s s w i l l a l l o w .” 18T h e re fo re , th e re q u i re m e n ts o f th e T e x a s l o n g -a rm st at ut e ar e sat i sf i ed i fan assert i on of j ur i sd i ct i on accor ds w i t h f eder al19 ... Moki Mac , 221 S. W . 3d a t575. 20 ... I nt 'l Shoe Co. v. W

ashi ngton , 3 26 U . S. 310, 316, 66 S . Ct . 154, 1 5 8 (1 9 4 5 ) (c i ta ti o n o m i tte d ); see al so Moki Mac , 221 S. W . 3d a t575. 21 ... Ha n s o n v. D en ckla , 357 U. S. 235, 253, 78 S . Ct . 1228 , 1240 ( 195 8) ( quot i ng I

nt 'l ShoeCo. , 3 2 6 U .S . a t 3 1 9 , 6 6 S . C t. a t 1 5 9 ); Moki Mac , 2 2 1 S .W .3 d a t 5 7 5 ; Mi chi ana , 168 S. W . 3d a t784. 22 ... Moki

Mac , 2 2 1 S .W .3 d a t 5 7 5 ; Mi chi ana , 1 68 S. W . 3d at785 ( ci t i ng Bur ger K i ng Co r p. v. Ru dzewi

cz , 471 U. S. 462, 475, 105 S. Ct . 2174 , 2183 (1 9 8 5 )); Luxury Travel So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t162. 23 ... Moki

Mac , 2 2 1 S .W .3 d a t 5 7 5 ; Mi chi ana , 168 S. W . 3d a t785 ( quot i ng Bur

ger Ki ng , 4 7 1 U .S . a t 4 7 5 , 1 0 5 S . C t . a t2 1 8 3 ); s e ea l s o L ux ury 8 due- pr ocess l i m i t at i ons. 19U nderf eder al due- pr ocess r equi r em ent s, per sonal j ur i sd i ct i on i s pr ope rw hen t he nonr es i den tde f end antha s es t abl i sh ed m i ni m um c o n tac ts w i th the foru m sta te, an d the ex e rci se o f j u ri sd i c tio n c o m p o rt s w i th

“ tra d i ti o n a l n o ti o n s o f fa i r p l a ya n d s u b s ta n ti a l j u s ti c e .” 20 M i ni m um co nt ac t s ar e s uf f i ci entf orpe r so nal j uri sd i ct i on w hen t he nonr es i den tde f end ant“ pur pos ef ul l y a vai l s i t se l foft he pr i vi l egeofco nduc t i ng ac t i vi t i esw i t hi n t he f or um St at e, t hus i nvok i ng t he ben ef i t s and pr ot ec t i ons of i ts l a w s .” 21 The Texa s Supr em e Courts t at est hatt her e a r e t hr ee pa rt s t o a “p ur pos ef ul av ai l m ent ” i nqui r y: ( 1) O nl y t he def end ant ’ s con t ac t s w i t h t he f or um ar e r el eva nt , not t he uni l at er al ac t i vi t y ofan ot herpa rt y ora t hi r d pe r so n; 22 ( 2) Th e cont act s r el i ed upo n m ustbe “pur posef ul ” r at hert han m er el y f ort ui t ous; 23 a n dTravel

So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t162. 24 ... Moki

Mac , 221 S . W . 3d at575 ( quot i ng Michi ana , 16 8 S . W . 3d at 7 8 5 ); see al

so Luxury Travel

So urce , 276 S. W . 3d a t162. 25 ... S ee , e. g. , Mi

chi ana , 168 S. W . 3d a t785. 26 ... Mi chi ana , 1 68 S. W . 3d a t7 84( ci t i ng Ha n s o nv. D en ckla , 357 U. S. at25 3, 78 S. C t . at12 40 ) ( em phasi s suppl i ed i n t he Mi chi anao p i n i o n ). 9 ( 3) The “ def end antm us ts ee k s om e b ene f i t , ad van t ageorpr of i tby ‘a v a i l i n g ’ i ts e l f o f th e j u ri s d i c ti o n .” 24 T h e n o n r e s id e n td e f e n d a n t ’s c o n d u c tm u s ts a t is f ye a c h o ft h e s e t h r e e c r it e r ia t o est abl i sh j ur i sdi ct i on i n t he f or um st at e. 25 I V . Pur pos ef ulA vai l m ent I n one i ssue, Pear l ar gues t hatt he t r i al courter r ed by den yi ng hi s speci al app ea r anc e bec au se he di d notpur pos ef ul l y a vai l hi m se l foft he pr i vi l egeof c o n d u c ti n g a c ti v i ti e s i n T e x a s . H e c o n te n d s t h a t h i s c o n ta c ts w i th T e x a s w e re in it ia t e d b yA b s h ir e a n d , t h u s , f o rt u it o u s ra t h e rt h a n p u r p o s e f u l a n d t h a th e d id notpur pos ef ul l y di r ec thi s com m ent s t o a Texa s f or um . I n Mi chi ana t he Texa s Supr em e Courts ai d: Forhal fa cent ur y, t he t ouch st one ofj ur i sdi ct i onal due pr ocess has been “pur posef ul avai l m ent . ” Si nce Ha n s o nv. D en ckla , “ itis es se nt i ali n e ac h c as e t hatt her e b e som e a ctby w hi ch t he def endant pur

posef ul ly avai l s i t s e l fo ft h e p r i v i l e g e o fc o n duc t i ng ac t i vi t i es w i t hi n t he f or um St at e, t hus i nvok i ng t he ben ef i t s and p ro te c ti o n s o f i ts l a w s .” 2627 ... Id. at785 ( quot i ng Keeton v. Hustler Magazi ne, I nc. , 465 U. S. 770, 7 7 4 , 1 0 4 S . C t. 1 4 7 3 , 1 4 7 8 (1 9 8 4 )).

28 ... Mi chel v. Rocke t Eng'

g Cor p. , 4 5 S .W .3 d 6 5 8 , 6 7 7 (T e x . A p p .— F o rt W o rth 2 0 0 1 , n o p e t.); see al so Jo h n s Hop ki

n s Un iv. v. Na th , 238 S. W . 3d 492, 5 0 1

– 0 2 (T e x . A p p .— H o u s to n [1 4 th D i s t.] 2 0 0 7 , p e t. d e n i e d ); J. A . Ri ggs Tractor Co. v. Ben tley , 209 S . W . 3d 322, 332 ( Tex. A pp. — Texa r ka na 200 6, no p e t.). 29 ... Mi

chel, 45 S . W . 3d a t677. 10 I n de t er m i ni ng pu r pos ef ul av ai l m ent , t he nonr es i den t ’ s ac t i ons m us t notbe t he re s u l t o f th e a c ti o n s o f a n o th e r p a rtyo r a n o n p a r ty , n o r m a yth e yb e a m e re f ort ui t y: “ a def end antw i l l notbe h al ed i nt o a j ur i sd i ct i on s ol el y ba se d on c o n ta c ts th a t a re ‘ra n d o m , i s o l a te d , o r fo rtu i to u s .’” 27 T o d e term i n e w h e th e r i n tern e t ac ti v i ty c o n sti tu tes p u rpo se fu l av a i l m e n t, Texa s cou rt s hav e c har ac t er i z ed su ch ac t i vi t y w i t hi n one oft hr ee ca t ego r i eson a sl i di ng scal e. 28“ A tone en d oft he sc al e a r e w ebs i t escl ea r l y us ed f or t r ans ac t i ng bu si nes s ove rt he I nt ernet such asen t er i ng i nt o c ont r ac t s and know i ng and r epeat ed t r ansm i t t i ng of f i l es ofi nf or m at i on, w hi ch m ay suf f i ce to e s ta b l i s h m i n i m u m c o n ta c ts w i th i n a s ta te .” 29 A tthe otheren d ar e “passi ve” w ebs i t esused onl y f oradvert i si ng overt he i nt er net , “w hi ch ar e nots uf f i ci ent t o est abl i sh m i ni m um cont ac t s eve n t hough t heyar e acc es si bl e t o r es i den t s of30 ... Id . 31 ... Id . 32 ... See g eneral

ly Revel

l v. Li dov , 317 F. 3d 467, 472 ( 5t h Ci r . 2002 ) ( not i ng t hat , be ca us e “ t he [ w eb si t e’ s] vi si t or m ay part i ci pat e i n a n ope n f or um hos t ed by t he w ebs i t e, ” i t“ i s t hus i nt er ac t i ve, an d w e m us tev al uat e t he ext ent o f th i s i n te ra c ti v i ty ” ).

33 ... S ee Mi

chel, 45 S . W . 3d a t677. 34 ... Pear l ar gues t hatA bshi r e i s t hus a “t r ol l ” oran “i nt er nett r ol l . ” W e do no tf i nd t hi s l abel p art i cul ar l y usef ul , b utw e d o note t hatA bshi r e’ s st at ed in t e n tt o p r o m p ta re s p o n s e f r o m a m o n g t h e M e s s a g e B o a r d ’s re a d e r s is sign i fi c a n t. 11 a p a rti c u l a r s ta te .” 30I n t he m i ddl e a r e “ i nt er ac t i ve”w ebs i t es, i n w hi ch a pot ent i al cu st om eran d a hos tco m put erm ay exc han ge i nf or m at i on. 31 Th e i nt er netm essage boar d Pear l used t o pub l i sh hi s st a tem e n ts i s an i nt er ac t i ve w ebs i t e t hatal l ow s us er s t o postand r ea d i nf or m at i on. 32 T h u s , we det er m i ne w het herpur pos ef ul av ai l m entw i t h t he f orum e xi st s bas ed on t he t ype an d de gr ee ofi nt er ac t i on be t w ee n Pe ar l an d t he boa r d. 33 Based o n ourr evi ew oft he r ecor d, w e co n c l u d e thatPear l ’ s i nt er net conn ect i ons w i t h Tex as w er e i n f ort ui t ous r esponse t o t he post i ngs ofa Texas r esi dent, A bshi r e. By hi s ow n adm i ssi on, A b sh i r e pur posef ul l y post ed m e ss a g e s i n an atte m p t t o p rom p t M e ss a g e B o a rd re a d e rs l i k e P e a rl to r es pond, 34and he ackno w l edged t ha t h i s post s had, f r om t i m e t o t i m e, pr ovok ed vi t r i ol i c r es pons es . Ther e i s no e vi den ce t hatPea r l ev erpos t ed any m ess age abou tA bshi r e, excepti n r esponse t o, and short l y f ol l ow i ng, an i n i ti a ti n g p o s t b yA b s h i re . A l th o u g h s o m e s t a te m e n ts re fe re n c e T e x a s , th e re35 ... See Mi chi ana , 16 8 S . W . 3d at78 1– 92 ( f i ndi ng no pur posef ul cont act b e c a u s e th e n o n re s i d e n t d e fe n d a n t’s s a l e i n T e x a s re s u l te d fro m th e m e re f ort ui t y t hatt he pl ai nt i f fha ppe ned t o r es i de i n T ex as and no tf r om an y a ffi rm a ti v e effo rt s b ythe d e fen d a n t) . B e c a u se w e h o l d tha t t h e co n tac ts A b s h i re re l i e s o n w e re m e re l yfo rtu i to u s , w e d o n o t a d d re s s w h e th e r P e a rl s o u g h t s o m e b e n e fi t, a d v a n ta g e , o r p ro fi t b yt h e c o n ta c t. S ee Tex. R. A pp. P. 4 7 .1 ; Mi

ch i a n a, 168 S . W . 3d a t785. 36 ... A b s h i r e a s s e rt s in a c r o s s -p o in tt h a tt h e t r ia l c o u rtim p r o p e r ly adm i t t ed Pear l ’ s af f i davi tt est i m ony o verobj ect i on because i t“cont ai ned l egal con cl us i ons , he a r s a ys t a t e m ent s and s t at em ent s r el at i ng t o a nal ys i s and opi ni on t es t i m ony ofpos t i ng da t a c onduc t ed af t erhi s dep os i t i on. ” B ec au set he o b j e c te d to te s ti m o n yisd u p l i c a ti v e o f th e u n d i s p u te d fa c ts re c i te d h e re i n , w e n e e d n o t re a c h A b s h i re ’s c ro s s -p o i n t. S ee Te x. R. App . P. 47. 1. 12 i s no ev i dence t hatP ear l d i r ect ed hi s st at em ent s atTexas othert han t he f act t hatAbs hi r e h a pp e ne d t o bel oc a t e d i n Te xa s a tt het i m e Pe a r l ’ s m essages w e re p o s te d . B e c a u s e P e a rl ’s i n te rn e t c o n ta c ts w e re i n re s p o n s e to A b s h i re ’s post s, i ti s m er el y f ort ui t ous t hatA bshi r e i s a Texas r esi dent and w as l ocat ed i n T e x a s w h e n P e a rl p o s te d h i s s ta te m e n t s . W e , th e re fo re , h o l d th a t P e a rl ’s i nt er netcont act s w i th T e x as do notconst i t ut e pur posef ul avai l m entunder Mi chi ana. 35 V . Concl us i on F o rt h e fo re g o i n g re a s o n s , w e re v e rs e th e tri a l c o u rt’s d e n i a l o f P e a rl ’s speci al appear ance and di sm i ss t he case. 36 P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: CA YC E, C. J. ; LI V I N G STO N an d GA RD N ER, JJ. DEL I VERE D: J ul y 9, 2009