Opinion ID: 894704
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Collateral Consequences Exception

Text: We next consider Marshall's position that even if a live controversy does not exist, her appeal falls within the collateral consequences exception to the requirement that cases without live controversies are to be dismissed as moot. She argues that a favorable appellate ruling reversing the trial court's judgment would ameliorate collateral consequences to her resulting from the judgment. See State v. Lodge, 608 S.W.2d 910, 912 (Tex.1980) (applying the collateral consequences exception to the mootness doctrine in a case involving involuntary commitment to a mental hospital); Carrillo v. State, 480 S.W.2d 612, 616-17 (Tex.1972) (applying the collateral consequences exception to the mootness doctrine in a case involving a minor's adjudication as a juvenile delinquent). Marshall submits that the judgment for eviction caused loss of her federal rent subsidy and that loss of the subsidy might last for up to five years. See 24 C.F.R. §§ 982.552(b)(2) (2006) (providing that certain federal housing assistance must be terminated if a family is evicted for a serious violation of the lease); (c)(1)(ii) (providing that assistance may be denied if any member of the family has been evicted from federally assisted housing in the last five years). She also asserts that the judgment has adverse practical collateral consequences, including the possibility that landlords may be dissuaded from renting an apartment to her. One purpose of vacating the underlying judgment if a case becomes moot during appeal is to prevent prejudice to the rights of parties when appellate review of a judgment on its merits is precluded. See Danciger Oil & Ref. Co. v. R.R. Comm'n, 122 Tex. 243, 56 S.W.2d 1075, 1076 (1933); see also U.S. Bancorp Mortgage Co. v. Bonner Mall P'ship, 513 U.S. 18, 22-25, 115 S.Ct. 386, 130 L.Ed.2d 233 (1994) (noting that one purpose of vacating the underlying judgment if a matter becomes moot during appeal is to prevent prejudice to the rights of parties when appellate review of a judgment on its merits is prevented by some reason other than voluntary action of the parties). Once the judgment is vacated and the case dismissed, the collateral consequences of the judgment are ordinarily negated to the same extent as if the judgment were reversed on the basis of any other procedural error. See Employees Fin. Co. v. Lathram, 369 S.W.2d 927, 930 (Tex.1963). The collateral consequences exception to the mootness doctrine is invoked only under narrow circumstances when vacating the underlying judgment will not cure the adverse consequences suffered by the party seeking to appeal that judgment. See Lodge, 608 S.W.2d at 912; Carrillo, 480 S.W.2d at 617. Such narrow circumstances exist when, as a result of the judgment's entry, (1) concrete disadvantages or disabilities have in fact occurred, are imminently threatened to occur, or are imposed as a matter of law; and (2) the concrete disadvantages and disabilities will persist even after the judgment is vacated. See Spencer v. Kemna, 523 U.S. 1, 8, 118 S.Ct. 978, 140 L.Ed.2d 43 (1998); see also Gen. Land Office v. OXY U.S.A., Inc., 789 S.W.2d 569, 571 (Tex.1990) (noting that the collateral consequences exception is invoked only when prejudicial events have occurred whose effects will continue to stigmatize after dismissal of the case as moot). In order to invoke the collateral consequences exception, then, Marshall must show both that a concrete disadvantage resulted from the judgment and that the disadvantage will persist even if the judgment is vacated and the case dismissed as moot. See Spencer, 523 U.S. at 8, 118 S.Ct. 978; Gen. Land Office, 789 S.W.2d at 571. She does not do so. The record contains neither evidence nor an attempt to provide evidence [6] that Marshall's federal rent subsidy will be denied in the future if the trial court's judgment is vacated. As to the practical consequences Marshall complains of, she specifically identifies only one: future landlords may be dissuaded from renting an apartment to her. Again, however, the record contains neither evidence nor an attempt to provide evidence supporting her assertion that this practical consequence will persist even if the judgment is vacated. And, we do not consider factual assertions that appear solely in briefs and are not supported by the record. See TEX. R. APP. P. 55.2(g), (i) (requiring petitioner's statement of facts and argument to be supported by appropriate references to the record); Perry v. S.N., 973 S.W.2d 301, 303 (Tex.1998). Under this record we decline to hold that the fact a judgment allowing eviction was entered will cause such continuing concrete disadvantages as warrant expansion of the collateral consequences exception, even after the judgment has been vacated for mootness. See Spencer, 523 U.S. at 8, 118 S.Ct. 978; Gen. Land Office, 789 S.W.2d at 571.