Court Opinion

ID: 4073817
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-09-30 04:25:44.277994+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:32:55.751593
License: Public Domain

ACCEPTED
                                                                                     03-13-00025-CV
                                                                                             7301173
                                                                          THIRD COURT OF APPEALS
                                                                                     AUSTIN, TEXAS
                                                                                10/8/2015 8:32:55 PM
                                                                                   JEFFREY D. KYLE
                                                                                              CLERK
                                No. 03-13-00025-CV
                            ]n tbe mbtrll QCourt of §ppeals
                                    ~ustin, m:exas
                                                                     FILED IN
                                                              3rd COURT OF APPEALS
                        Jerry Scarbrough, et al                   AUSTIN, TEXAS
                              Appellant                       10/8/2015 8:32:55 PM
                                                                JEFFREY D. KYLE
                                                                      Clerk
                                          v.

                             Helen Purser, et al.
                                 Appellee

         On Appeal from the 146th Judicial District Court of
                Bell County, Cause No. 236,117-B

  APPELLANT'S REQUEST TO TAKE JUDICIAL NOTICE OF
                      FACTS

Jerry W. Scarbrough                            Michele Barber Chimene
P. 0. Box 690866                               THE CHIMENE LAW FIRM
Killeen, TX. 76549                             TBN 04207500
PH: (254) 634-6266                             2827 Linkwood Dr.
FAX: (254) 634-0516                            Houston, TX 77025
'ws@j er y scarbrough.net                      PH: (832) 940-1471
                                               No fax available
                                               michelec@airmail.net

                                          1
TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF THE COURT:

      COMES NOW, JERRY SCARBROUGH, and files this, his request to

Take Judicial Notice of Facts.

                                 INTRODUCTION

        1.   Appellant is Jerry Scarbrough.

        2.   Appellees are Helen Purser, Gary W. Purser, Jr., Joann Purser, Sue E.

Purser a/ka/ Sue E. Van Zanten, and Elizabeth H. Tipton.

        3.   This appeal stems from a Bell County District Court case wherein the

Appellant was sued in a cross-claim lawsuit.

       4.    Appellant asks the Court to take judicial notice of "Plaintiffs Closing

Arguments" filed July 25, 2014, by Elizabeth Tipton, before the Bankruptcy Court

for the Western District of Texas, Waco Division in case Number 12-60683-RBK,

Adversary No. 12-6031-RBK, where she admitted that the confidentiality of Gary

Purser's medical records was waived after he died; Helen Purser's Original

Petition for Divorce, filed May 18, 2010, cause no. 243,320-C, in the 169th Judicial

District Court, Bell County, and the Agreed Temporary Orders, filed June 25, 2010

                                     FACTS

       5.    In Plaintiffs Closing Arguments, page 8, Elizabeth Tipton wrote,

"Rather, limited records were properly disclosed in the context of expert

designations, and, after the death of Gary Purser, Sr., the Purser Family eventually

                                         2
waived the confidential nature of the documents in order to introduce them into

evidence during trial." These facts directly contravene Appellee's claim that

Appellant's disclosure of Gary Purser, Sr.'s medical records was harmful or a

violation of the trial court's order on confidentiality. It also belies the fact that they

claimed Appellant should be ordered to pay them $54,000 sanctions for divulging

them after they had expressly waived their confidentiality.

        6.   During trial Appellees claimed that Helen Purser and her husband,

Gary Purser, Sr. had a close, harmonious marriage; however, the facts are that she

had filed a divorce action against him in May 2010, where she contended her

husband "is suffering from dementia, Alzheimer's and various medical and

emotional disorders." and, "has physically harmed Petitioner and family members

as a result of his disorders." She requested the court to conduct an emergency

hearing to expedite issuance of a protective order, and the court entered the Agreed

Orders, wherein it ordered and enjoined them from, [16.] "Changing or in any

manner altering the beneficiary on any Will, Trust, Testamentary instrument, or

life insurance on the life of Petitioner or Respondent." She also requested that she

should be awarded a disproportionate share of the parties' estate due to his mental

and emotional disorder.

       7.    Appellant Jerry Scarbrough attaches his affidavit in support of this

request to establish facts not apparent from the record, and incorporates true copies

                                            3
of page 8, Plaintiffs Closing Arguments; Helen Purser's Original Petition for

Divorce; and, the Agreed Temporary Orders filed therein for all purposes, as

Exhibit "A".

                          ARGUMENT & AUTHORITIES

        8.     Under Texas Rule of Evidence 201 (b), the court may take judicial

notice of facts that are not subject to reasonable dispute if the facts are either (1)

generally known within the territorial jurisdiction of the trial court (notorious fact);

or (2) capable of accurate and ready determination by resorting to sources whose

accuracy may not reasonably be questioned (verifiable fact). Office of Pub. Uti!.

Counsel v. Public Uti!. Comm 'n, 878 S.W.2d 598, 600 (Tex. 1994).

        9.     The fact Appellant asks the court to judicially notice is a verifiable

fact. Tex. R. Evid. 201 (b )(2); Herasimchuk, Texas Rules of Evidence Handbook,

pp. 13 0-31 (3d ed. 1998); see, e.g., Office of Pub. Uti!. Counsel v. Public Uti!.

Comm 'n, 878 S.W.2d 598, 600 (Tex. 1994) (contents of published PUC order);

Graffv. Whittle, 947 S.W.2d 629, 635 (Tex. App.-Texarkana 1997, writ denied)

(population of Red River County was less than 50,000); Drake v. Holstead, 757
S.W.2d 909, 911 (Tex. App.-Beaumont 1988, no writ) (once supplied with

computation, court should have taken judicial notice of the distance a car would

travel at a given speed); J Weingarten, Inc. v. Tripplett, 530 S.W.2d 653, 656

(Tex. App.-Beaumont 1975, writ refd n.r.e.) (court may consult weather bureau

                                           4
records to judicially notice a weather report for a particular day). Thus, this court

should take judicial notice of "Plaintiffs Closing Argument" where Elizabeth

Tipton wrote, ", after the death of Gary Purser, Sr., the Purser Family eventually

waived the confidential nature of the documents in order to introduce them into

evidence during trial."

        10. The court must take judicial notice of a fact if a party makes a proper

request and supplies the court with the necessary information.         See Tran v.

Fiorenza, 934 S.W.2d 740, 742 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1996, no writ);

Fred S. James & Co. v. West Tex. Compresses, Inc., 741 S.W.2d 571, 573 (Tex.

App.-Eastland 1987, no writ).

       11. Under Rule 201(±), Judicial notice may be taken at any stage of the

proceeding.

                                         5
                                        PRAYER

           WHEREFORE,          PREMISES          CONSIDERED,        Jerry     Scarbrough,

  Appellant, asks the court to take judicial notice of the requested facts.

                                                 Respectfully submitted,

  /s/ Jerry Scarbrough                           /s/ MB CHIMENE
  Jerry W. Scarbrough                            Michele Barber Chimene
  P. 0. Box 690866                               THE CHIMENE LAW FIRM
  Killeen, TX. 76549                             TBN 04207500
  PH: (254) 634-6266                             2827 Linkwood Dr.
  FAX: (254) 634-0516                            Houston, TX 77025
  jws@j erryscarbrough.net                       PH: (832) 940-1471
                                                 No fax available
                                                 michelec@ainnail.net

                               CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE

    The undersigned attempted to contact Daryl Moore, Counsel for the Pursers,
but it was late in the day and she was unable to reach him. She would have waited
until the following day for filing, but she will be out of town on Friday, 10/09 for her
birthday and needed to file this before she left town. Counsel apologizes to the
court, as she believes that she could have reached an agreement if she had planned
better. She had very little notice of the motion herself. /s/ MB CHIMENE

                                             6
                         CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

       I hereby certify that on the 8th day of October 2015 a true and correct copy
of the Appellant’s Request to Take Judicial Notice was served, as indicated below,
on counsel for Appellees Daryl Moore via ECF at daryl@heightslaw.com and via
email on all three of Appellees’ counsel, Mr. Moore, Elizabeth Tipton, Ms. Storey,
and Jack Crews on the same date.

                                      /s/ Michele Barber Chimene
                                      Michele Chimene

                                         7
                     CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

       The undersigned certifies that this brief was produced in proportional type,
14 pt. Times New Roman font, and it does not exceed the page limits for a Request
to Take Judicial Notice.

                                      /s/ Michele Barber Chimene
                                      Michele Chimene

                                        8
EXHIBIT "A"
STATE OF TEXAS                       §
COUNTY OF BELL                       §

               AFFIDAVIT OF APPELLANT JERRY SCARBROUGH

           Before me, the undersigned notary, on this day, personally appeared Jerry

Scarbrough, a person whose identity is known to me. After I administered an oath

to him, upon his oath, he said:

           "My name is Jerry Scarbrough. I am capable of making this affidavit. The

facts stated in this affidavit are within my personal knowledge and are true and

correct.

           The cover page, and page 8, of Plaintiffs Closing Arguments, in United

States Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Texas, Waco, Division, filed by the

Appellees July 25, 2014; Helen Purser's Original Petition for Divorce, and Agreed

Temporary Orders, filed in the 169th Judicial Court in Bell County Texas, are true

copies of the originals, and are attached to this affidavit for all purposes."

  SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me on the ~aay of
                                                                 ft~
<   server

                                                  ''--"'

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                                                                                  \

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                                                                                      ------- ----------     -------~

r                                                                                                                       18

I
I                                      PROMISSORY NOTE

    $10,000.00                                                               Date: 7/13/2010

    For value received, the undersigned Gary Purser (the "Borrower"), at - - - - -- - -
    Killeen, Texas 76543, promises to pay to the order of Carothers Homes, LLC, (the "Lender"), at
    PO Box 3087, Harker Heights, Texas 76548, (or at such other place as the Lender may designate
    in writing) the sum of $10,000.00 with no interest.

    The unpaid principal shall be payable in full on - - - - - - - - (the "Due Date").

    All payments on this Note shall be applied first in payment of accrued interest and any remainder in
    payment of principal.

    If any payment obligation under this Note is not paid when due, the remaining unpaid principal
    balance and any accrued interest shall become due immediately at the option of the Lender.

    The Borrower reserves the right to prepay this Note (in whole or in part) prior to the Due Date
    with no prepayment penalty.

    If any payment obligation Wlder this Note is not paid when due, the Borrower promises to pay all
    costs of collection, including reasonable attorney fees, whether or not a lawsuit is commenced as
    part of the collection process.

    If any of the following events of default occur, this Note and any other obl lgations of tht! Borrower
    to the Lender, shall become due immediately, without demand or notice:

        l) the failure of the Borrower to pay the principal and any accrued interest in full on or before
        the Due Date;

       2) the death of the Borrower or Lender;

        3) the filing of bankruptcy proceedings involving the B01mwer as a debtor;

       4) the application for the appointment of a receiver for the Borrower;

        5) the making of a general assignment for the benefit of the Borrower's creditors;

       6) the insolvency of the Borrower;

       7) a misrepresentation by the Borrower to the Lender for the purpose of obtaining or
       extending credit.
                                                                                                    EXHIBIT

                                   ©This   i~>   a RocketLawyer com Legal Document©
                                                                                                          19

If any one or more of the provisions of this Note are detennined to be unenforceable, in whole or
in part, for any reason, the remaining provisions shall remain fully operative.

All payments of principal and interest on this Note shall be paid in the legal currency of the United
States. The Borrower waives presennnent for payment, protest, and notice of protest and
nonpayment of this Note.

No renewal or extension of this Note, delay in enforcing any right of the Lender under this Note,
or assignment by Lender of this Note shall affect the liability or the obligations of the Borrower. All
rights of the Lender under this Note are cumulative and may be exercised concurrently or
consecutively at the Lender's option.

This Note shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas.

Signed this _ _ day of _ __ _ _ __, ___ , at - - - - - -- - -- - -

Borrower:
Gary Purser

By:
Gary~---------------------------------
     Purser

                               ©This is a Rot:;kelLawyer com Lege! Documen t iCi
                        ---- - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -                             20
r   Electronic Filing Manager                                                                             Page I of2

    Bell District
    ELECTRONIC FILING MANAGER

     Court Information
     Clerk:                                           Hoelacher, Lacey

     Attorney & Filer Information
     Attorney Name:                                  Ray , JeH
     Attorney Email:                                  jray@rvm~irm .com

     Bar Number:                                      16604400
     Law Firm:                                        Ray, Valdez, McChristian & Jeans, LLP-EI Paso
     Address:                                         5822 Cromo Drive
     City/State/Zip:                                  El Paso, TX 79912
     Phone Number:                                   915-832-7200
     Fax Number:                                     915-832-7333
     Filer Name:                                     Lamas, Julie

    Filer 10:                                        jlamas
    Filer Email:                                      jlamas@ rvmjfirm .com
    Filer Type:                                       Attorney's Assistant
    Filing Type and Fee Changes Allowed?              Yes

    Filing Information
    Filing Status:                                    Acknowledgement- Open
    Filer Submiss!on DatefTime                        Wednesday, July 14, 2010 8:23 PM
    Trace Number:                                     ED014J015866211
    Court Assignment:                                 264th District Court
    Hearing Date:
    Court Type:                                       District
    Case/Cause Number:                                243,32D-C
    Style/Case Name:                                  In the Matter of the Marriage of: J. Helen Purser
                                                      and Gary W. Purser, Sr. and J. Helen Purser,
                                                      Plaintiff v. Gary W. Purser, Sr., Melissa V.
                                                      Deaton and Mary Denise Bohannon Steele,
                                                      Defendants.
    Filing Type:                                      Motion for Contempt - Family
    Sealed Document:                                  No
    Special Instructions:

    Comments to the Filer:
    Additional Comments:

    https://efileclcrk.texasonline.state. tx.us/Clerkllnboxllnbox -PrinterFriendlyFiling.aspx ?id=5... 7/15/2010
                                                                                                                         Page 2 of 2      21
    Electronic Filing Manager

f    Filing Parties & Attorney of Record
     Name                                                     Roles
     Lamas, Julie                                             Filer
     Ray, Jeff                                                Filing Attorney - Attorney of Record - Plaintiff Counsel

     Petitioner Attorneys

     Nil me                                                   Roles
     Schwartz, Larry                                          Plaintiff Counsel
     Roark, John                                              Plaintiff Counsel
     Ray, J&ff                                                Filing Attorney - Attorney of Record - Plaintiff Counsel

     Defense Attorneys
    Nil me                                                    Roles
    Redington, John                                           Defense Counsel
    Young, Baroara                                            Defense Counsel

    I
    Other Parties

    Payment Information
    Payment Method: Credit Card- MasterCard, Account 1 ..,...........5195

    Filing Fees
    Bell District eFiling Fee                                                                                                    $2.00
    Motion for Contempt- Family                                                                                                 $30.00
                                                                                                               Filing Fee Total: $32.00
                                                                                                                   Grand Total: $32.00

    Document Information
    Number of Documents

    Filing Document
    File Name:                                                Motion for Contempt.pdf
    Document Description:

    https:l/efileclerk.texasonline. state.tx. us/Clerk/Inboxllnbox-PrinterFriendlyFiling.aspx ?id=5... 7/15/2010