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

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 8 - 0 2 3 - CV IN T H E IN T E R E S T O FK .C . A N D R. C . , CH I LDR EN

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FR O M THE 360TH DI STRI CT CO URT O F TARRA NT CO UN TY

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

----- ----- -- A p p e lla n tE r n e s t o W . C a lle n d e ra p p e a l s f r o m a f in a l o r d e rin a s u it a ffe c ti n g th e p a re n t-c h i l d re l a ti o n s h i p . W e a ffir m . Er ne s t o a nd a pp e l l e e Ci nd y L . Cal l e nd e rw e r e d i vo r c e d on Apr i l 6, 2000 . Pur su antt o t he f i nal de cr ee ofdi vor ce , Ci ndy w asap poi nt ed so l e m ana gi ng c o n se rva to r a n d E rne sto w a s a p p o i n ted so l e p o ss e ss o ry c o n se rva to r of the tw o chi l dr en oft he m ar r i age , K. C . an d R. C . A l so , Ci ndy w asap poi nt ed t he per so n2 ... S ee Tex. Fa m . Code A n n. § 156. 101 ( V er non Supp . 2008 ) ( st at i ng

gr oundsf orm odi f i ca t i on ofan or deres t abl i sh i ng con se r vat or sh i p orpos se ss i on a n d a c c e s s ).

3 ... S e ei

d. §§ 201 . 001 –. 209 ( V er non 2002 & Supp. 2008 ) ( aut hor i z i ng t r i al co urtt o r ef ert o a n a ss oci at e j udge an y a sp ec tofa s u i t o v e r w h i ch t he cou rtha s j ur i sd i ct i on unde r Ti t l e 1 ( t he m ar r i ager el at i ons hi p) , Ti t l e 4 ( pr ot ec t i ve o r d e r s a n d f a m ilyv i o l e n c e ), a n d T it le 5 (s u it s a f f e c t in g t h e p a r e n t -c h ild re l a ti o n s h i p )).

4 ... S e ei

d. § 201 . 007 ( V er non Supp . 2008 ) ( del i nea t i ng po w er s of associ at e j udg e and expr essl y pr ovi di ng associa te j udg e has pow ert o ent er t em por ar y or der s and t hata “t em por ar y or derr ender ed a n d s ig ned byan a s s o c i a te j u d g e . . . c o n s ti tu te s a n o rd e r o f th e re fe rri n g c o u rt” ).

5 ... S e ei

d. ( pr ovi di ng associ at e j udg e can condu cta hear i ng, hear e v i d e n c e , a n d re c o m m e n d a n o rd e r b e re n d e re d i n a c a s e ). 2 w i th the ri g h t t o es tab l i sh th e p r i m a ry res i d e n c e o f t h e ch i l d ren , a n d E rne sto w a s o rd e re d to p a yc h i l d s u p p o rt. O n A u g u s t2 1 , 2 0 0 6 , E r n e s t o f ile d a p e t it io n t o m o d if yt h e p a r e n t -c h ild r el at i ons hi p, al l egi ng t hat t he ci r cum st anc es of t he chi l dr en, a con se r vat or , or o t h e rp a rt y a f f e c t e d b y t h e A p r il 6 , 2 0 0 0 o r d e rh a d m a t e r ia llya n d s u b s t a n t ia lly cha nge d. The t r i al co urtr ef er r ed t he ca seto a n a ss oci at e j udge

2 a n d 3 t e m p o r a r yo r d e r s c o n c e r n in g c o n s e r v a t o r s h ip , p o s s e s s io n , v is it a t io n , a n d c h ild s up po rt w e r e s ub s e qu e nt l y e nt e r e d on Se pt e m be r 20, 2006, M a r c h 6, 2007 , Ju ne4, 2007 a nd Aug us t3, 2007 . 4 O n N o v e mb e r 2 6 , 2 0 0 7 , a s s e rt i n g t h a tt h e t e mp o r a r yo r d e r s h a d b e c o me

“ w h o l l yu n w o rk a b l e ,” C i n d ym o v e d fo r e n tryo f a fi n a l o rd e r. A hear i ng w as 56 ... S e eid . ( “Unl es s a p art y f i l es a w r i t t en not i ce ofap pea l , t he r ef er r i ng

cou rtm ay: ( 1) ado pt , m odi f y, or r ej ec t t he as so ci at e j udge ’ s r epo rt , i ncl udi ng t he pr opos ed or der ; ( 2) he ar f urt her evi den ce ; or ( 3) r ec om m i t t he m at t er t o t he a s s o c i a te j u d g e fo r fu rth e r p ro c e e d i n g s .” ).

7 ... See i

d. 3 hel d on D ec em ber6, 2007 , and af t er con si der i ng t he evi den ce an d t es t i m ony ofb o t h p a rt i e s , t h e a s s o c i a t e j u d g e f i n a l i z e d t h e ma t t e ra s f o l l o ws : ( 1 ) Ci ndy
w asna m ed j oi ntm ana gi ng c ons ervat orw i t h th e p ri m ary r i ght s, dut i es , an d r es pons i bi l i t i est o t he chi l dr en; ( 2 ) the c hi l dr en w oul d r es i de w i t h Ci ndy and c o m p l e te th e i r h i g h sc h o o l e d u c a ti o n i n T a rr a n t C o u n ty, T e x a s; an d ( 3 ) E rne sto wa s r e q u i r e d t o p a yc h i l d s u p p o rti n t h e a mo u n to f$ 5 00 pe rmo n t h . On D ecem ber18 , 20 07 , C i ndy f i l ed a m ot i on aski ng t he t r i al courtt o si gn a f i nal o rd e r. Ci nd y’ s m ot i on w a s s e tf orh e a r i ng o n Dec e m be r21, 2007 .

6 Er ne s t o w a s s e r ve d w i t h no t i c e o fthe h e a r i ng o n Dec e m be r18, 2007 , butdi d notr es pond t o Ci ndy’ s m ot i on and di d not app ea r att he hea r i ng. The tr i a l c ou rts i gn e d a f i na l o r de ro n Dec e m be r21, 2007 a do pt i ng t hea s s oc i a te j u d g e ’s rep o rt . 7 O n J a n u a ry8 , 2 0 0 8 , E rn e s to o b j e c te d i n w ri ti n g to th e fi n a l o rd e r, com pl ai ni ng t hathe “ w as not gi ven eno ugh t i m e t o a ppe ar ” att he hea r i ng a nd re q u e s ti n g a n o th e r h e a ri n g . T h e tri a l c o u rt d i d n o t ta k e a n ya c ti o n o n E rn e s to ’s o b j e c ti o n .8 ... Local Ru l e 4. 05 ( 4) pr ovi des t hat a hear i ng on a m ot i on t o ent era f i nal

o rde r i n a fa m i l y c o u rt c a se c a n n o t b e h e l d so o n e r t h a n ten d a y s from the d a te th e m ot i on a nd pr opos ed f i nal or derw er e f i l ed. The part y r es pondi ng t o t he m ot i on m us tf i l e a n a l t er nat e o r der , ora w r i t t en l i stofobj ec t i ons t o t he pr op os e d or de r , a tl e a s tt hr e e d a ysb e f or e t heh e a r i ng . Ta r r a ntCt y. L oc . R. 4. 05. 9 ... Texas R ul e of C i vi l Pr ocedu r e 21 r equi r es t hat a part y be af f or ded at l ea stt hr ee da ys ’ n ot i ce ofa hea r i ng da t e. Rul e 21a e xt end s t he m i ni m um noti ce by t hr ee days w henever a party h a s t he r i ght t o ori s r equi r ed t o t ake ac t i on w i t hi n a pr es cr i be d p e r i od oft i m e a nd t he not i ce i s se r ved by m ai l or fa c s i m i l e . S ee Tex . R. C i v. P. 21 , 21 a.

10 ... S ee T e x . C o n s t. a rt. I , § § 1 3 (“A l l c o u rts s h a l l b e o p e n , a n d e v e ry p e r s o n f o ra n in ju r yd o n e h im , in h is la n d s , g o o d s , p e r s o n o rre p u t a t io n , s h a ll hav e r em edyby due co ur seofl aw ”) , 19 ( “No ci t i z en oft hi s stat e sh al l be depr i ved of l i f e, l i bert y, p ro p e rt y, pr i vi l eges ori m m uni t i es, ori n any m anner d i s fra n c h i s e d , e x c e p t b yth e d u e c o u rs e o f th e l a w o f th e l a n d .” ).

11 ... S ee T e x . R . A p p . P . 3 3 .1 (a ); L o wv. Hen ry, 221 S . W . 3d 609, 618 (T e x . 2 0 0 7 ); Un i

o n City Bo dy C o . v. Ra m i rez, 911 S. W . 2d 196, 201 ( Tex. A p p .— S a n A n to n i o 1 9 9 5 , o ri g . p ro c e e d i n g ); Pra dev. Hel m , 725 S . W . 2d 525, 5 2 6 (T e x . A p p .— D a l l a s 1 9 8 7 , n o w ri t). 4 I n t hr ee i ss ues , Er nes t o c ont end s t hat t he t r i al co urtab us ed i t s di sc r et i on i n hol di ng a he ar i ng on Ci ndy’ s m ot i on be ca us e h e w a s notgi ven s uf f i ci ent no t i c e a s r e qu i r e d byL oc a l Ru l e 4. 05( 4) a nd Te xa s Rul e s of Ci vi l Pr oc e du r e 21 8
a nd 21a and w as depr i ved hi s const i t ut i onal r i ght t o due process .

9 10 A p a rt yw a iv e s a c o m p la in tre g a r d in g in s u f f ic ie n tn o t ic e ift h e p a rt yf a ils to p res e rve the co m p l a i n t. To pr es erve a not i ce co m pl ai nt , a part y m us tbr i ng 11 t he l ac k o fad equ at e n ot i ce t o t he t r i al co urt ’ s at t ent i on a t th e h e a ri ng a nd12 ... Low , 2 2 1 S .W .3 d a t 6 1 8 ; May v. Nac ogdochesMem . Hosp. , 61

S .W .3 d 6 2 3 , 6 2 6

– 2 7 (T e x . A p p .— T y l e r 2 0 0 1 , n o p e t.); S tate Far m Fi re & Cas. Co. v. Pr

i ce , 8 4 5 S .W .2 d 4 2 7 , 4 3 1

– 3 2 (T e x . A p p .— A m a r illo 1 9 9 2 , w r it d i s m ’d ).

13 ... Low , 2 2 1 S .W .3 d a t 6 1 8 ; May , 61 S . W . 3d a t626 ; Ri o sv. Tex. Ba n k, 9 4 8 S .W .2 d 3 0 , 3 3 (T e x . A p p .— H o u s to n [1 4 th D i s t.] 1 9 9 7 , n o w ri t).

14 ... Ri os , 9 4 8 S .W .2 d a t 3 3 ; see May , 61 S . W . 3d a t626. 15 ... May , 6 1 S .W .3 d a t 6 2 7 ; se e Ri os , 948 S. W . 2d a t33. 5 obj ectt o t he hear i ng go i ng f or w ar d orm ove f ora cont i nuan ce. I f a p a rt y 12
r ec ei vesnot i ce t hati s unt i m el y, but i s su f f i ci entt o e nab l e t he part y t o a t t end t he hea r i ng, t he part y m us tf i l e a m ot i on f or con t i nua nceorr ai set he com pl ai nt o fl a t e n o t i c e b e f o r e t h e t r i a l c o u rtd u r i n g t h e h e a r i ng. “To ho l d ot her w i se 13
w o u ld a llo w a p a rt y w h o p a rt ic ip a t e d in t h e h e a r in g t o lie b e h in d t h e lo g u n t il af t era m ot i on i s gr ant ed and t hen r ai se t he com pl ai ntofl at e not i ce f ort he f i r st ti m e i n a p o s t-tri a l m o ti o n .” O nl y w hen a part y i s notgi ven n o ti c e o ft he 14 hear i ng, ora part y i s depr i ved of i t s r i ght t o seek l eave t o f i l e af f i davi t s orot her
w r i t t en r es pons e, m ay he pr es erve er r ori n a pos t - t r i al m ot i on. 15 Er nest o acknow l edges t hat he r ecei ved noti ce oft he hear i ng on D ecem ber 18 , t hr ee days bef or e t h e h e a ri ng. W e f oun d no evi dence i n t he r ecor d t hat Er nes t o obj ec t ed t o t he not i ce orm ove d f ora con t i nua nce pr i or t o t he hea r i ng.16 ... Rev i ew i ng cou rt s have hel d t hata party m ustpr esentdue pr ocess

a rg u m e n ts to th e tri a l c o u rt i n o rd e r to p u rs u e th e m o n a p p e a l . S e e, e .g ., I nre L .M.I. , 119 S. W . 3d 707 , 710 –11 ( Tex. 2003 ) ( hol di ng du e p r oce ssar gum ent w a i v e d w h e n n o t b ro u g h t to th e tri a l c o u rt’s a tte n ti o n ) cert. denied, 541 U. S. 1 0 4 3 (1 9 9 4 ); Ra ts a vo ng v. Men e vi l a y, 176 S. W . 3d 661, 671 ( Tex. A pp. — El P a s o 2 0 0 5 , p e t. d e n i e d ) (sa m e ) cert. denied, 1 2 7 S . C t. 2 5 3 (2 0 0 6 ); Santosv. Co m m ’nfo r L a w yer D i s ci p l i n e, 140 S. W . 3d 397 , 404 –05 ( Tex. A pp. — H ous t on [1 4 th D i s t.] 2 0 0 4 , n o p e t.) (sa m e ). 6 Thus , Er nes t o ha s w ai ved hi s ri g h t to ra i sean i ss ue ofi ns uf f i ci entnot i ce on a p p e a l. W e o v e rru l e h i sth re e i s s u e s a n d a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s j u d g m e n t.

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P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: CA YC E, C. J. ; G A RD N ER and W A LKER, JJ. W A LKER, J. , co ncu r s w i t houtopi ni on. DEL I VERE D: Se pt e m be r11, 2008