Source: https://casetext.com/case/in-re-hall-244
Timestamp: 2019-01-18 16:22:26
Document Index: 358420090

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 22', '§ 157', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 157', '§ 16', '§ 157']

In re Hall, 433 S.W.3d 203 | Casetext
433 S.W.3d 203 (Tex. App. 2014)
Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (14th Dist.).May 28, 2014
…Where the trial court lists each failure separately and assesses a separate punishment for each failure, only…
Ring & Ring v. Sharpstown Mall Tex., LLC
…JoinderRule 39 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure provides the framework for determining when joinder of a…
holding language ordering the relator to "be confined in the County Jail of Harris County, Texas, for a period of 180 days for each of the . . . counts of contempt and, as civil contempt, day to day thereafter to be detained by the Sheriff of Harris County, Texas" was sufficient to direct the sheriff to take custody of the relator
Summary of this case from In re Depeau
striking void portion of commitment order and leaving remainder intact
requiring complaint of "defect of parties" to be raised by verified objection
Summary of this case from Ring & Ring v. Sharpstown Mall Tex., LLC
In re Clifford HALL, Relator.
Tyesha Elam, Houston, for Relator. Michelle Leblanc Folger, Houston, for Real Party in Interest.
On January 23, 2014, relator Clifford Hall filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in this Court. SeeTex. Gov't Code Ann. § 22.221; see also Tex.R.App. P. 52. In the petition, relator claims the underlying commitment order is void and requests that he be discharged from confinement. Pending review, this Court issued the writ and set bond. Relator posted bond and was released from custody. We grant relator'spetition for writ of habeas corpus, in part, striking the severable portion of the void order, and deny the remainder of relator's petition, order his bond revoked, and remand him to the custody of the Harris County Sheriff.
Although relator claimed at the hearing that the underpayments were caused by a system or clerical error on the part of his employer, the trial court found relator guilty of five separate counts of criminal contempt by failing to make child support payments on August 1, 2012, September 1, 2012, October 1, 2012, November 1, 2012, and December 1, 2012. The trial court further found relator in civil contempt for three violations related to possession of, and access to, the child by failing to surrender the child at the appointed time on one occasion and exercising possession twice when he did not have court ordered access. The trial court also awarded a money judgment for attorney's fees and costs to Donna's attorney in the amount of $3,716 as additional child support.
The power to punish a party who fails or refuses to obey a prior court order or decree is an inherent power of a court and is an essential element of judicial independence and authority. Ex parte Barnett, 600 S.W.2d 252, 254 (Tex.1980) (orig. proceeding). A commitment order is subject to collateral attack in a habeas corpus proceeding. In re Henry, 154 S.W.3d 594, 596 (Tex.2005) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam). The purpose of the habeas corpus proceeding is not to determine the guilt or innocence of the relator, but only to determine whether he has been unlawfully restrained. Ex parte Gordon, 584 S.W.2d 686, 688 (Tex.1979) (orig. proceeding). A writ of habeas corpus will issue if the trial court's contempt order is void, either because it is beyond the trial court's power or because the relator has not been afforded due process. Henry, 154 S.W.3d at 596. It is presumed that the contempt order is valid. In re Turner, 177 S.W.3d 284, 288 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 2005, orig. proceeding). In a habeas corpus action challenging confinement for contempt, the relator bears the burden of showing that the contempt order is void. In re Coppock, 277 S.W.3d 417, 418–19 (Tex.2009) (orig. proceeding).
If one punishment is assessed for more than one act of contempt, and one act is not punishable by contempt, the entire judgment is void. Henry, 154 S.W.3d at 598; In re Gabbai, 968 S.W.2d 929, 931 (Tex.1998) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam). However, where the trial court lists each failure separately and assesses a separate punishment for each failure, only the invalid portion is void; the invalid portion may be severed, and the valid portion retained. Ex parte Linder, 783 S.W.2d 754, 758 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1990, orig. proceeding); see also Ex parte Russell, 875 S.W.2d 467, 470 n. 7 (Tex.App.-Austin 1994, orig. proceeding) (“It is possible to sever the invalid portion of a contempt judgment, leaving the remainder intact, if the trial court assesses a separate punishment for each instance of non-compliance with the underlying order.”).
In its order, the trial court listed five separate violations for not paying child support: August 1, 2012, September 1, 2012, October 1, 2012, November 1, 2012, and December 1, 2012. The order directs that relator be confined for a period of 180 days for each count, the sentences to run concurrently. Therefore, because a separate punishment has been assessed for each of the listed violations, only the punishment for the September 1, 2012 violation is void, and it may be severed from the remainder of the contempt order. If the severable portion of the contempt or commitment order is void, an appellate court may strike the offending portion and deny relief as to the valid portion of the order. In re Broussard, 112 S.W.3d 827, 831 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2003, orig. proceeding). Consequently, we strike the trial court's commitment order holding relator in contempt and confining him for 180 days for failing to make the September 1, 2012 support payment and leave the remainder of the commitment order intact. We sustain relator's first issue.
In his third issue, relator contends that, because the contempt order incorrectly states the hearing date as August 28, 2013, the November 18, 2013 written commitment order was not signed within a reasonable time after the finding of contempt. See Ex Jordan, 865 S.W.2d 459 (Tex.1993) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam) (holding that waiting three days to sign written commitment order after orally confining contemnor violated constitutional due process).
On February 14, 2014, the trial court signed an agreed nunc pro tunc order correcting the hearing date to reflect that it was held on November 18, 2013, rather than August 28, 2013. Relator agreed to the nunc pro tunc order correcting that error, and he never disputed that the date of the hearing was November 18, 2013, the same date the trial court signed the contempt and commitment order.
The purpose of a judgment nunc pro tunc is to correct a clerical error in the judgment after the court's plenary power has expired. Jenkins v. Jenkins, 16 S.W.3d 473, 482 (Tex.App.-El Paso 2000, no pet.). The trial court has plenary power to correct a clerical error made in entering final judgment, but it cannot correct a judicial error made in rendering final judgment. Id. It is the trial court's duty to ensure that its judgment conforms with the true state of the record. Ferguson v. Naylor, 860 S.W.2d 123, 126 (Tex.App.-Amarillo 1993, writ denied).
Relator also claims the commitment order is void because it does not direct the sheriff to take relator into custody and detain him under the terms of the judgment. “A commitment order is the warrant, process or order by which a court directs a ministerial officer to take custody of a person.” Ex parte Hernandez, 827 S.W.2d 858, 858 (Tex.1992) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam). Even when there is a signed written judgment or order of contempt, “a written order of commitment delivered to the sheriff or other appropriate officer is necessary to legally imprison a person.” Barnett, 600 S.W.2d at 256. There is no particular form prescribed by law for an order of commitment. Id. It may be a separate order issued by the court, attachment or order issued by the clerk at the court's direction, or included in the contempt judgment. Hernandez, 827 S.W.2d at 858.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, as punishment for said contempt, the Respondent/Obligor, CLIFFORD HALL, be confined in the County Jail of Harris County, Texas, for a period of 180 days for each of the ... counts of contempt and, as civil contempt, day to day thereafter to be detained by the Sheriff of Harris County, Texas.
Similar recitations have been held to be sufficient to direct the sheriff to take custody of the contemnor. See In re Spradley, No. 05–05–01068–CV, 2005 WL 1950976, at * 1 (Tex.App.-Dallas Aug. 16, 2005, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.); Ex parte Johns, 807 S.W.2d 768, 774 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1991, orig. proceeding); Ex parte Linder, 783 S.W.2d at 757.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Respondent is committed to the county jail of Harris County, Texas, for a period of 179 days for all violations enumerated above.
Stein does not quote the language of the commitment order in the opinion. The language was located in the order contained in the habeas corpus record.
In In re Walling, this Court held the following language, “Let, therefore, commitment issue to the Sheriff of Harris County, Texas, accompanied by a signed copy of this order,” was not sufficient to constitute a commitment order because it did not actually direct anyone to take the relator into custody. No. 14–03–00558–CV, 2003 WL 21543538, at *1 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] July 10, 2003, orig. proceeding). Again, in Walling, the commitment order did not direct the Sheriff to take the relator into custody or otherwise detain him.
Other opinions holding purported commitment orders invalid are distinguishable because they do not direct anyone to take the contemnor into custody. See, e.g., In re Zapata, 129 S.W.3d 775, 780 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 2004, orig. proceeding) (holding following language, “IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that [Relator] is committed to the county jail of Terrant County, Texas, for a period of 180 days for each separate violation enumerated above,” was insufficient to constitute a valid commitment order); Ex parte Ustick, 9 S.W.3d 922, 924–25 (Tex.App.-Waco 2000, orig. proceeding) (holding the following language, “The Court ORDERS [RELATOR] committed to the county jail for 180 days for each separate act of contempt, said commitments to run concurrently,” and “The Court FINDS that Oligor ... can pay the amount listed below and ORDERS him committed to the county jail until he pays $1000.00 in child support arrearages,” was insufficient to constitute a valid commitment order).
The language of the commitment order in this case is sufficient to direct the sheriff to take custody of relator. We overrule relator's third issue.
Relator points out, in the statement-of-facts section of his petition, other defects in the commitment order. Relator, however, has provided no argument or authority regarding these additional defects and, therefore, any complaints are waived. SeeTex.R.App. P. 52.3(h).
In his fifth issue, relator contends that the commitment order is void because the OAG was not given notice of the hearing on the enforcement motion. Relator argues that, because this is a “Title IV–D assigned case,” the OAG should have been joined as a party, and without the OAG, complete relief was not given.
Title IV–D of the Social Security Act requires a state to provide services relating to the enforcement of child support obligations for a child who receives government assistance payments. In re D.L.D., 374 S.W.3d 509, 516 (Tex.App.-San Antonio 2012, no pet.). In Texas, the OAG is designated to provide the Title IV–D services. Id. Therefore, the OAG is entitled to collect and distribute child support payments and to enforce child support orders. Id.
According to relator, during direct examination of Donna, the OAG was “repeatedly referred to as having failed to submit a correct wage withholding order to Relator's employer.” Donna testified that the OAG's records showed that relator was required to pay $300 in monthly child support, not $530. Donna's attorney had to send the order to OAG's office multiple times to correct the record. Relator asserts a representative from the OAG's office should have been present to defend against that allegation. Therefore, according to relator, this case should have been dismissed according to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 39. SeeTex.R. Civ. P. 39.
.Rule 39 governs the joinder of parties. SeeTex.R. Civ. P. 39. It provides that a person who is subject to service of process shall be joined as a party to an action if: (1) his presence is needed to adjudicate the dispute and accord complete relief to those already parties; (2) his ability to protect his interests may be impaired or impeded if he is absent; or (3) his absence leaves one already a party subject to a substantial risk of multiple or inconsistent obligations. Longoria v. Exxon Mobil Corp., 255 S.W.3d 174, 179–80 (Tex.App.-San Antonio 2008, pet. denied) (citing Tex.R. Civ. P. 39(a)). If a party required to be joined cannot be made a party, the trial court shall determine whether in equity and good conscience the action should proceed with the parties before it or whether it should be dismissed based on the several factors listed in Rule 39(b). Tex.R. Civ. P. 39(b).
Generally, a “defect of parties” refers to joinder problems involving necessary or indispensable parties. CHCA E. Houston, L.P. v. Henderson, 99 S.W.3d 630, 633 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2003, no pet.). A complaint of “defect of parties” must be raised by verified objection pursuant to Rule 93(4). Tex.R. Civ. P. 93(4); Allison v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co., 703 S.W.2d 637, 638, (Tex.1986) (per curiam); CHCA E. Houston, L.P., 99 S.W.3d at 633. “ ‘Under the provisions of our present Rule 39 it would be rare indeed if there were a person whose presence was so indispensable in the sense that his absence deprives the court of jurisdiction to adjudicate between the parties already joined.’ ” Pirtle v. Gregory, 629 S.W.2d 919, 920 (Tex.1982) (per curiam) (quoting Cooper v. Tex. Gulf Indus., Inc., 513 S.W.2d 200, 204 (Tex.1974)). The instance of fundamental error is rare and does not exist where one has waived, consented to, or neglected to complain of an error at trial. Jones v. LaFargue, 758 S.W.2d 320, 324 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 1988, writ denied) (citing Pirtle, 629 S.W.2d at 919). Relator did not file a Rule 93(4) verified plea objecting to the absence of the OAG and, therefore, has waived his complaint in this mandamus proceeding. See id. (holding that it “was not fundamental error for the trial court to proceed to judgment as the absence of any party did not deprive the trial court of jurisdiction”). We overrule relator's fifth issue.
In his sixth issue, relator complains that the commitment order is void because he did not willfully disobey the court order; instead, a clerical error caused a deficiency in his wage withholding. Relator contends he made efforts to become current on his child support payments when he learned of the deficiency. Relator asserts the commitment order is void because the evidence conclusively establishes that he did not intentionally violate the trial court's order. See Ex parte Rohleder, 424 S.W.2d 891 (Tex.1967) (orig. proceeding). Relator's reliance on Rohleder is misplaced. In Rohleder, the court held that the contempt order was void because the evidence offered at the hearing conclusively established the relator was not able to borrow any money; his mother unsuccessfully attempted to mortgage her house; and he knew of no source from whom he could obtain that amount without collateral or security. Id. at 892.
As codified in section 157.008(c), the obligor may plead, as an affirmative defense to an allegation of contempt, that he (1) lacked the ability to provide the support in the amount ordered; (2) lacked property that could be sold, mortgaged, or otherwise pledged to raise the funds needed; (3) attempted unsuccessfully to borrow the funds needed; and (4) knew of no source from which to obtain the money. Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 157.008(c) (West 2014). The obligor must prove this defense by a preponderance of the evidence. Ex parte Roosth, 881 S.W.2d 300, 301 (Tex.1994) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam).
In his seventh issue, relator asserts a procedural due process violation because the repeal of Section 157.162(d) of the Texas Family Code allowed the trial court to sentence him to six months in jail even though he was current on his child support payments at the time of the contempt hearing. Relator argues that, at the time he committed the contempt, he had the protection of former section 157.162(d), which provided that the trial court could not have found him in contempt for failure to pay child support if he appeared at the hearing with a copy of the payment record or other evidence showing that he was current in his child support payments. We conclude that this complaint, although styled as due process, is really a claim that the repeal was an ex post facto law as to relator.
See Act of May 23, 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., ch. 1189, § 1, 2007 Tex. Gen. Laws 4054, 4054, repealed by Act of May 22, 2013, 83d Leg., R.S., ch. 649, § 2, 2013 Tex. Sess. Law Serv. 1735, 1735 (West) (effective date June 14, 2013).
Former section 157.162(d), which was enacted in 2007, was known as a “purging provision” because it allowed “a child support obligor to escape a valid finding of contempt if the obligor demonstrate[d] at the enforcement hearing that he or she [was] ‘current in the payment of child support as ordered by the court.’ ” In re Office of Attorney General, 422 S.W.3d 623, 628 (Tex.2013) (orig. proceeding) (quoting former Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 157.162(d)). Absent the operation of section 157.162(d), the obligor could be held in contempt for failing to make payments in a timely fashion as required by the support order, regardless of the obligor's payment history since the filing of the motion to enforce. Id. The court further interpreted section 157.162(d) to mean that the obligor could only invoke the purging provision by demonstrating that he had no outstanding child support obligations as of the date of the enforcement hearing, not just to be current on the payments pled in the motion for enforcement. Id. at 628–29. The section 157.162(d) purging provision was “akin to an affirmative defense.” Id. at 631.
The Texas Supreme court “recognize[d] that the purging provision is not contained in the statute expressly listing affirmative defenses to an allegation of contempt in a motion for enforcement. But it is analogous to an affirmative defense in that it precludes a contempt finding notwithstanding a proven violation of a prior order and places the burden of proof on the respondent to show that it applies.” Office of the Attorney Gen., 422 S.W.3d at 631 n. 10 (internal citations omitted).
Family law contempt proceedings are considered quasi-criminal in nature, and their proceedings should conform as nearly as practicable to those in criminal cases. Ex parte Sanchez, 703 S.W.2d 955, 957 (Tex.1986) (orig. proceeding). The Texas Constitution prohibits ex post facto laws. SeeTex. Const. art. I, § 16 (“No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, retroactive law, or any law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall be made.”). An ex post facto law is any law that (1) punishes as a crime any act that was innocent when performed; (2) inflicts greater punishment than the law attached to a criminal offense when committed; (3) deprives the accused of any defense available at the time the act was committed; or (4) alters the legal rules of evidence and requires less or different testimony than the law required at the time of the commission of the offense to convict the accused. Pomier v. State, 326 S.W.3d 373, 387 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2010, no pet.).
Laws which do not amend substantive law by defining criminal acts or providing for penalties are procedural in nature. Ex parte Johnson, 697 S.W.2d 605, 607 (Tex.Crim.App.1985); Barletta v. State, 994 S.W.2d 708, 711 (Tex.App.-Texarkana 1999, pet. ref'd). Remedial or procedural laws are not usually within the ex post facto prohibition. Barletta, 994 S.W.2d at 711.
In determining what is or is not barred under the ex post facto clause, courts have resorted to focusing on the “procedural” or “substantive” label of a statute or court ruling. Ex parte Scales, 853 S.W.2d 586, 588 (Tex.Crim.App.1993). “However, the term ‘procedural’ has not been defined in any meaningful manner, and the term offers little guidance for an appellate court to use.” Id. “Rather than view the label of the statute, it is infinitely more productive to look at the changes which occur.” Id. “ ‘[I]t is logical to think that the term [‘procedural’] refers to changes in the procedures by which a criminal case is adjudicated, as opposed to changes in the substantive law of crimes.' ” Id. (quoting Collins v. Youngblood, 497 U.S. 37, 45, 110 S.Ct. 2715, 111 L.Ed.2d 30 (1990)). The repeal of section 157.162(d) did not amend substantive law regarding what acts constitute contempt or provide the available penalties for contempt; therefore, it is procedural in nature. See Johnson, 697 S.W.2d at 607. However, a procedural change is unconstitutional if it is retroactive and it results in a deprivation of a substantive protection. See Abahosh, 561 S.W.2d at 203.
A retroactive law is one meant to act on things that are past. As such, a statute is retroactive which takes away or impairs vested rights acquired under existinglaws or creates new obligations, imposes new duties, or adopts a new disability in respect to transactions or considerations already past, and which affects acts or rights accruing before it came into force.
Abahosh, 561 S.W.2d at 203–04 (internal quotes and citations omitted). In other words, a law is retroactive if it “ ‘changes the legal consequences of acts completed before its effective date.’ ” In re Ramirez, 184 S.W.3d 392, 395 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2006, orig. proceeding) (quoting Miller v. Florida, 482 U.S. 423, 430, 107 S.Ct. 2446, 96 L.Ed.2d 351 (1987)).
However, we conclude the repeal did not violate relator's substantive protections in this case because relator had the ability to take advantage of that affirmative defense before its repeal. Relator was served with the motion for enforcement on April 30, 2013. Relator had until June 13, 2013—about six weeks—to become completely current on his child support obligations under the support order. If relator had done so, he could not have been held in contempt. Relator claims he was current by June 13, 2013 because he had made a total payment of $2,743.09, the amount of unpaid child support pleaded in Donna's motion to enforce. However, the first $1,060, or two monthly payments of $530, would have been applied to the May and June monthly payments. SeeTex. Fam.Code Ann. § 157.268(1) (West 2014) (providing that child support collected shall be applied first to current child support). Therefore, relator's payment of $2,743.09 did not cure the deficiency. Relator made no further effort to become current on his child support obligations by June 13, 2013. We hold the repeal of section 157.162(d) did not violate relator's substantive protections under the facts of this case. We overrule relator's seventh issue.
We express no opinion as to any ex post facto violation under other timelines.