Source: https://texasdefensecounsel.com/category/collections-and-foreign-judgments/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 12:31:20+00:00

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Wilson, a TXDOT employee, was involved in an auto accident with King. Wilson’s attorney, Wood, filed suit against King for negligence and King’s Carrier settled the lawsuit for $75,000. The Attorney General then intervened to collect its $70,000 subrogation lien. The Trial Court relied on Section 417.003 and distributed over $20,000 in attorney fees to Wood.
The Court of Appeals for Fort Worth affirmed. The State is treated as an insurance carrier for workers’ compensation purposes. The Attorney General complained that, under Section 417.003(a), a private attorney must be retained by a state agency before he can receive payment. The Court responded, however, that under Section 417.003(c), the Court can apportion part of the insurance carrier’s subrogration recovery as attorney fees for the employee’s attorney and attorney fees for the insurance carrier’s attorney if the carrier’s attorney actively participated in obtaining the subrogration recovery. Here, the Attorney General was awarded some fees and the Court deemed that those fees were earned by representing the Attorney General and that Wood’s fees were earned while representing Wilson.
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Fort Worth, Texas subrogation lawyers in Tarrant County who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
ABSTRACT OF JUDGMENT: A party may obtain an Abstract of Judgment any time after the 11th day from the date of Judgment. The cost of an original Abstract is Five Dollars, and the party may obtain them from the Small Claims or Justice Court. The Abstract may then be filed in the office of the County Clerk in any County where you think the Judgment Debtor may own real property. The Small Claim or Justice Court can also provide a short list of the surrounding County Clerk’s offices where a party can file the Abstract.
WRIT OF EXECUTION: A party may obtain a Writ of Execution any time after the 30th day from the date of Judgment. A Writ of Execution allows a Sheriff or Constable to try and seize certain non-exempt property from the Defendant. If property is seized, an auction will be held and the proceedings from the sale will satisfy your Judgment. The cost of a Writ of Execution varies from County to County, and the party may also want to contact the Constable or Sheriff in that County to discuss what items are considered non-exempt and may be subject to execution.
WRIT OF GARNISHMENT: A Writ of Garnishment is available 7 Days after the date of Judgment. This is a new lawsuit and is a complicated procedure. It is recommended that a Texas Civil Litigation Attorney be consulted.
TURNOVER WRIT: This process requires a formal court hearing. It is recommended that a Texas Civil Litigation Attorney be consulted.
If a party to whom a judgment is owed cannot be located, it is possible to pay the judgment into the registry of the court on a showing of good faith attempts by the judgment debtor to locate the prevailing party. Once the court is satisfied that the party cannot be located, the payment can be accepted and the court can issue a release. The money is at that point held until claimed by the party to whom it is owed, or the money is forfeited to the State of Texas. It is again recommended that a Texas Civil Litigation Attorney be consulted.
(A) A person interested under a deed, will, written contract, or other writings constituting a contract or whose rights, status, or other legal relations are affected by statute, municipal ordinance, contract, or franchise may have determined any question of construction or validity arising under the instrument, statute, ordinance, contract or franchise and obtain a declaration of rights, status, or other legal relations there under.
(B) A contract may be construed either before or after there has been a breach.
37.002 provides that the chapter is remedial: “It’s purpose is to settle and to afford relief from uncertainty and in security with respect to rights, status, and other legal relations; and it is to be legally construed and administered.” The Act does not create or enlarge jurisdiction. E.g., Chenault v. Phillips, 914 S.W.2d 140, 141 (Tex. 1996). Pursuant to §37.003, a declaration may be either affirmative or negative in form and effect. Thus, an insured can seek an affirmative finding of coverage, or an insurer can seek a negative determination that coverage does not exist. However, each party must still plead for relief and carry its own burden of proof. See, e.g., City of Galveston v. Giles, 902 S.W.2d 167 (Tex. App.–Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, no writ); Employers Cas. Co. v. Tilley, 484 S.W.2d 802, 806 (Tex. Civ. App.–Beaumont 1972), aff’d other grounds, 496 S.W.2d 552 (Tex. 1973) (court had no authority to order declaration against insurer in response to insured’s motion for summary judgment on insurer’s claims); Indigo Oil, Inc. v. Wiser Oil Co., 1998 TEX. APP. LEXIS 7550 (Tex. App.–Dallas 1998, pet. denied) (failure to satisfy burden is not finding of proof of opposite).
37.008 provides that the court may refuse to render a declaratory judgment if the judgment would not terminate the uncertainty or controversy giving rise to the proceeding.
(a) In a case of actual controversy within its jurisdiction, except with respect to Federal taxes . . . any court of the United States, upon the filing of an appropriate pleading, may declare the rights and other legal relations of any interested party seeking such declaration, whether or not further relief is or could be sought. Any such declaration shall have the force and effect of a final judgment or decree and shall be reviewable as such.
A motor vehicle insurance policy’s subrogation agreement gives the insurance company the right to sue for and recover the amount that the insured might have recovered from a person who negligently causes injury. Maryland Casualty v. Jones, 358 S.W.2d 677 (Tex. Civ. App. – 1962, no writ).
Typical Texas standard automobile insurance policy language does include a clause specifically allowing the insurance company to recover all that it has paid, aside from uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits and personal injury protection (PIP) payments. An insurance company’s right to subrogation derives from right of the insured, and is limited to those rights; there therefore can be no subrogation where the insured has no cause of action against the defendant because subrogees always stand in the shoes of the one whose rights they claim.

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