Opinion ID: 6108933
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Liens on Three Vehicles

Text: Goldsmith was identified as a lien holder on three vehicles: (1) a 2007 Lexus, (2) a 2006 Pontiac, and (3) a 2011 Nissan. The record indicates that Goldsmith knew about at least the lien on the Nissan, but we see no evidence that she requested the lien, prepared the documents, or filed the lien. The court of appeals noted that the only evidence regarding what Goldsmith knew about the nature of a potential lien comes from Goldsmith herself. 548 S.W.3d at ----. In her deposition, she testified that she did not know who prepared it, who filed it, or if it was even filed in Texas. 4 The conduct claimed  to satisfy a minimum-contacts analysis must arise out of the defendant's own actions, not the unilateral activity of another party or a third person. Moncrief Oil Int'l Inc. , 414 S.W.3d at 151 . In this case, the record does not support the premise that Goldsmith took any action in relation to the liens. Furthermore, to satisfy the requirements of specific jurisdiction, the cause of action must arise from the defendant's purposeful contacts with Texas and such contacts must not be too attenuated. Michiana Easy Livin' Country, Inc. , 168 S.W.3d at 795 ; see also Am. Type Culture Collection, Inc. v. Coleman , 83 S.W.3d 801 , 806 (Tex. 2002) (The purpose of the minimum-contacts analysis is to protect the defendant from being haled into court when its relationship with Texas is too attenuated to support jurisdiction.). Here, the evidence indicates that the first two liens (on the 2007 Lexus and the 2006 Pontiac) were created in 2010, almost two years before the home was sold, and both were released two months after they were created. The lien on the 2011 Nissan was created in October 2013, more than a year after the sale of the house and transfer of its proceeds. The only evidence about the nature of this lien is Goldsmith's deposition testimony that the lien was placed as an estate-planning measure after Bell was diagnosed with cancer. If any connection exists between these liens and the fraudulent-transfer scheme alleged by Old Republic, it is not apparent from this record. In any case, those contacts certainly are not substantially connected to the operative facts of the litigation such that the action arises from those contacts. See Moki Mac River Expeditions , 221 S.W.3d at 585 ; Michiana Easy Livin' Country, Inc. , 168 S.W.3d at 795 .