Opinion ID: 895192
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Special Appearance

Text: Our special-appearance jurisprudence dictates that the plaintiff and the defendant bear shifting burdens of proof in a challenge to personal jurisdiction. We have consistently held that the plaintiff bears the initial burden to plead sufficient allegations to bring the nonresident defendant within the reach of Texas's long-arm statute. See id. at 337; Moki Mac, 221 S.W.3d at 574; Am. Type Culture Collection, Inc. v. Coleman, 83 S.W.3d 801, 807 (Tex.2002); BMC Software, 83 S.W.3d at 793; McKanna v. Edgar, 388 S.W.2d 927, 930 (Tex.1965). Once the plaintiff has pleaded sufficient jurisdictional allegations, the defendant filing a special appearance bears the burden to negate all bases of personal jurisdiction alleged by the plaintiff. E.g., Retamco Operating, 278 S.W.3d at 337. [3] Because the plaintiff defines the scope and nature of the lawsuit, the defendant's corresponding burden to negate jurisdiction is tied to the allegations in the plaintiff's pleading. [4] If the plaintiff fails to plead facts bringing the defendant within reach of the long-arm statute (i.e., for a tort claim, that the defendant committed tortious acts in Texas), the defendant need only prove that it does not live in Texas to negate jurisdiction. See Siskind v. Villa Found. for Educ., Inc. 642 S.W.2d 434, 438 (Tex.1982) ([T]he only evidence offered to negate jurisdiction was [a defendant's] testimony that she and the other individuals were residents of Arizona. . . . In view of [the plaintiff's] failure to allege any act by these individuals in Texas, we believe that the [defendants] have sustained their burden.). [5] When the pleading is wholly devoid of jurisdictional facts, the plaintiff should amend the pleading to include the necessary factual allegations, see TEX.R. CIV. P. 63, thereby allowing jurisdiction to be decided based on evidence rather than allegations, as it should be. The defendant can negate jurisdiction on either a factual or legal basis. Factually, the defendant can present evidence that it has no contacts with Texas, effectively disproving the plaintiff's allegations. The plaintiff can then respond with its own evidence that affirms its allegations, [6] and it risks dismissal of its lawsuit if it cannot present the trial court with evidence establishing personal jurisdiction. [7] Legally, the defendant can show that even if the plaintiff's alleged facts are true, the evidence is legally insufficient to establish jurisdiction; the defendant's contacts with Texas fall short of purposeful availment; for specific jurisdiction, that the claims do not arise from the contacts; or that traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice are offended by the exercise of jurisdiction. [8]