NO. 02-17-00176-CV IN THE SECOND COURT OF APPEALS AT FORT WORTH ANTHONY A

166 Pages·2017·6.97 MB·English

ACCEPTED
02-17-00176-CV
SECOND COURT OF APPEALS
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
6/19/2017 3:55 PM
DEBRA SPISAK
CLERK
NO. 02-17-00176-CV
IN THE SECOND COURT OF APPEALS
FILED IN
2nd COURT OF APPEALS
AT FORT WORTH
FORT WORTH, TEXAS

6/19/2017 3:55:07 PM
DEBRA SPISAK
Clerk
ANTHONY A. RIEDER, ED RAPEE, III, and CADBURY SOLUTIONS, LLC
Appellants

v.

ALAN MEEKER and CQUENTIA SERIES, LLC,
Appellees

and

KENNY WOODS
Appellant

v.

ANTHONY A. RIEDER, ED RAPEE, III, and
CADBURY SOLUTIONS, LLC
Appellees

On Appeal from the 342nd District Court of
Tarrant County, Texas
Trial Court No. 342-288556-16

BRIEF OF THE APPELLANTS

1
Brian P. Lauten Timothy J. Andringa
Deans & Lyons, LLP (Pro Hac Vice)
Republic Center Matthew M. Fernholz
325 North St. Paul Street, Suite 1500 (Pro Hac Vice)
Dallas, Texas 75201 Cramer, Multhauf & Hammes, LLP
Email: [email protected] 1601 East Racine Avenue, Suite 200
Phone: [phone] Waukesha, Wisconsin 53187
Direct: 214-838-2519 Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone]

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IDENTITY OF THE PARTIES AND COUNSEL

LIST OF PARTIES TO THE TRIAL COURT’S JUDGMENT:
Kenny Woods (Plaintiff/Appellant)
Anthony A. Rieder (Defendant/Appellant)
Ed Rapee, III (Defendant/Appellant)
Cadbury Solutions, LLC (Defendant/Appellant)
Alan Meeker (Intervenor/Appellee)
CQuentia Series, LLC (Intervenor/Appellee)

ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

(Trial and Appeal)
Thomas F. Harkins, Jr.
Whitaker, Chalk, Swindle & Schwartz PLLC
301 Commerce Street, Suite 3500
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]

ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS

(Trial and Appeal)
Attorney Brian P. Lauten
Deans & Lyons, LLP
Republic Center
325 North St. Paul Street, Suite 1500
Dallas, Texas 75201
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]

3
Timothy J. Andringa (Pro Hac Vice)
Matthew M. Fernholz (Pro Hac Vice)
Cramer, Multhauf & Hammes, LLP
1601 East Racine Avenue, Suite 200
Waukesha, Wisconsin 53187
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]
[email protected]

ATTORNEYS FOR INTERVENORS/APPELLEE

Bill Warren
KELLY HART & HALLMAN LLP
201 Main Street, Suite 2500
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDENTITY OF THE PARTIES AND COUNSEL ..................................................... 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ 5

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES ...................................................................................... 7

STATEMENT OF THE CASE ................................................................................. 11

ISSUES PRESENTED .............................................................................................. 12

STATEMENT OF FACTS ....................................................................................... 12

A. Nature of the Underlying Business Dispute That Resulted in
Litigation in Two Forums ............................................................................ 12

B. Rieder and Rapee’s Limited Contacts with Texas ....................................... 16

C. Procedural History in Texas ......................................................................... 17

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT ....................................................................... 20

STANDARD OF REVIEW ..................................................................................... 22

A. Point of Error No.1: De Novo ...................................................................... 22

B. Point of Error No. 2: De Novo & Abuse of Discretion ................................ 23

ARGUMENT & AUTHORITIES ............................................................................ 25

Point of Error No. 1: The Trial Court Wrongly Concluded That it
Has Personal Jurisdiction Over CQuentia’s Claims Against Reider
and Rapee ........................................................................................................... 25
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A. The State of Texas Lacks General Jurisdiction Over Rieder
and Rapee ............................................................................................. 26

B. The State of Texas Lacks Specific Jurisdiction Over
Rieder and Rapee ................................................................................. 27

C. Forcing Rieder and Rapee to Appear in a Texas Court Offends
Traditional Notions of Fair Play and Substantial Justice .................. 35

Point of Error No. 2: The Trial Court Should Have Dismissed Meeker’s
First Claim for Relief and Severed His Second Claim ..................................... 37

A. Meeker’s First Request for Declaratory Relief
Should be Dismissed ........................................................................... 38

B. Meeker’s Second Claim for Declaratory Relief
Should be Dismissed or Severed and Abated .................................... 48

CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................ 50

PRAYER FOR RELIEF ........................................................................................... 51

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE ................................................................................. 53

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE ....................................................................... 53

APPENDIX .............................................................................................................. 54

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INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

CASE LAW:

Alenia Spazio, S.P.A. v. Reid, 130 S.W.3d 201
(Tex. App.—Houston 2003, pet. denied), cert. denied, 549 U.S. 821 (2006)) ..... 40

Am. Type Culture Collection, Inc. v. Coleman
83 S.W.3d 801 (Tex. 2002) ................................................................................ 22, 26

Barrera v. Cherer, No. 04-13-00612-CV, 2014 WL 1713522
(Tex. App.—San Antonio Apr. 30, 2014, no pet) .................................................. 29

Cerbone v. Farb, 225 S.W.3d 764
(Tex. App.–Houston [14th Dist.] 2007, no pet.) .................................................... 28

Credit Commercial de France, S.A. v. Morales
195 S.W.3d 209 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2006, no pet.) ........................ 32, 33, 34

Crum & Forster Specialty Ins. Co. v. Creekstone Builders, Inc.
489 S.W.3d 473 (Tex. App.—Houston 2015, no pet.) .......................................... 47

CSR, Ltd. v. Link, 925 S.W.2d 591 (Tex. 1996) ..................................................... 40

DENSO Corp. v. Hall, 396 S.W.3d 681
(Tex. App.—Houston 2013, no pet.) ...................................................................... 39

Direct Color Servs., Inc. v. Eastman Kodak Co.
929 S.W.2d 558 (Tex. App.—Tyler 1996, no pet.) .................................... 42, 44, 45

Evergreen Media Holdings, LLC v. Safran Co.
68 F. Supp. 3d 664 (S.D. Tex. 2014) ....................................................................... 31

F.F.P. Oper. Partners, L.P. v. Duenez, 237 S.W.3d 680 (Tex. 2007) .................... 25
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Geis v. Colina Del Rio, LP, 362 S.W.3d 100
(Tex. App.—San Antonio 2011, pet. denied) ........................................................ 29

Guar. Federal Sav. Bank v. Horseshoe Oper. Co.
793 S.W.2d 652 (Tex. 1990) .................................................................................... 24

Guardian Royal Exch. Assur., Ltd. v. English China Clays, P.L.C.
815 S.W.2d 223 (Tex. 1991) ........................................................................ 23, 26, 35

Info. Servs. Grp., Inc. v. Rawlinson
302 S.W.3d 392 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2009, pet. denied) ................. 30

In re Am. Nat. Cty. Mut. Ins. Co., 384 S.W.3d 429
(Tex. App.—Austin 2012, original proceeding) .............................................. 25, 49

In re Farmers Tex. Cnty. Mut. Ins. Co.
No. 07-11-00396-CV, 2011 WL 4916303
(Tex. App.—Amarillo Oct. 17, 2011, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.) .................... 49
In re Gen. Elec. Co., 271 S.W.3d 681 (Tex. 2008) ................................................. 24

In re Oceanografia, S.A. de C.V., 494 S.W.3d 728 (Tex. 2016) ............................ 44

In re Old Am. Cty. Mut. Fire Ins. Co.
No. 13-11-00412-CV, 2012 WL 506570
(Tex. App.—Corpus Christi-Edinburg Feb. 16, 2012, rehearing overruled) ....... 25

In re Old Am. Cnty. Mut. Fire Ins. Co.,
No. 13-12-00700-CV, 2013 WL 398866
(Tex. App.—Corpus Christi January 30, 2013, orig. proceeding) ........................ 49

In re Reynolds, 369 S.W.3d 638
(Tex. App.—Tyler 2012, orig. proceeding) ........................................................... 49
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In re United Fire Lloyds, 327 S.W.3d 250
(Tex. App.—San Antonio 2010, orig. proceeding)................................................ 49

Julka v. U.S. Bank Nat'l Ass'n
No. 01-16-00348-CV, 2017 WL 405814
(Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Jan. 31, 2017, no pet.) ....................................... 28

Kelly v. Gen. Interior Const., Inc., 262 S.W.3d 79
(Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2008) ............................................................... 28

Kelly v. Gen. Interior Const., Inc., 301 S.W.3d 653 (Tex. 2010) ......................... 28

Knight Corp. v. Knight, 367 S.W.3d 715
(Tex. App.—Houston 2012, no pet.) ...................................................................... 39

Michiana Easy Livin' Country, Inc. v. Holten
168 S.W.3d 777 (Tex. 2005) ........................................................................ 32, 33, 34

Moki Mac River Expeditions v. Drugg, 221 S.W.3d 569 (Tex. 2007) .................. 23

Moncrief Oil Intern., Inc. v. OAO Gazprom
481 F.3d 309 (5th Cir. 2007) ............................................................................. 31, 33

OAIC Commercial Assets, L.L.C. v. Stonegate Vill., L.P.
234 S.W.3d 726 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2007, pet. denied) ........................................ 47

Pablo Rion y Asociados, S.A. de C.V. v. Dauajare
495 S.W.3d 494 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2016, no pet.) ......................... 42

PHC-Minden, L.P. v. Kimberly-Clark Corp.
235 S.W.3d 163 (Tex. 2007) .................................................................................... 40

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Penhollow Custom Homes, LLC v. Kim
320 S.W.3d 366 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2010, no pet.) ............................................. 28

Quixtar Inc. v. Signature Mgmt. Team, LLC.
315 S.W.3d 28 (Tex. 2010) ...................................................................................... 46

Riverside Exports, Inc. v. B.R. Crane & Equip., LLC
362 S.W.3d 649 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2011, pet. denied) ............... 31

Sanchez v. Mulvaney, 274 S.W.3d 708
(Tex. App.-San Antonio 2008, no pet.) .................................................................. 29

Vinson v. Am. Bureau of Shipping, 318 S.W.3d 34
(Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2010, pet. denied) ............................................... 43

Wolf v. Summers–Wood, L.P., 214 S.W.3d 783 ................................................... 28

RULES:

TEX. R. CIV. P. 41 ..................................................................................................... 24

TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 71.051 (Vernon 2014) ................................... 42, 44

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