Revised 6-25-10 67TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FORT WORTH, TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS COURT RULES AND PROCEDURES INTRODUCTION Below you will find the Court Rules and Procedures of the 67th Judicial District Court of Tarrant County, Texas. Recognizing that all attorneys practice before more than one judge (Tarrant County has 10 civil district judges) and that there are pro se litigants, it is the Court’s hope that these rules and procedures assist all advocates on what is expected in the 67th. Should there be any questions or concerns regarding any of these rules and procedures, you are encouraged to contact the Court’s Coordinator.
1. MOTION PRACTICE A. Written Submission Only The Court prefers that motions be set for written submission if possible. Any routine motion, or motions upon which an oral hearing will add little to the issues presented (most discovery motions, special exceptions, default judgments, objections to mediations, motion to withdraw or substitute counsel), should be set for written submission. All motions are set for written submission on a date given by the Court Coordinator, with a minimum of 10 days notice. All such motions require that a proposed Order be submitted. If longer notice provision is required by TRCP, then such requirement overrides court mandated 10 day rule. 2 B. Oral Hearings The Court will set an oral hearing on any motion upon request. Time limits for oral hearings will be as follows: summary judgments – 20 minutes/side discovery disputes – 20 minutes/side other motions – 15 minutes/side Additional time may be granted when absolutely necessary (Court’s discretion). The party requesting the oral hearing must submit a proposed Order as soon as practicable but in no case, less than 24 hours before the scheduled hearing. C. Summary Judgments The Court prefers that such motions be set for written submission on the documents alone. There are times when an oral hearing may be necessary, as determined by any party or the Court. D. Discovery Motions The Court prefers that these motions be submitted without the need for an oral hearing, but oral hearings are set when requested with each side limited to a total of 20 minutes to present their argument. The party filing the discovery motion must also submit a proposed Order. Requirement for a Certificate of Conference will be strictly enforced and no hearing will be set without one. Language and form of the proposed Order must follow the language of the specific relief sought; i.e. a general order only granting the motion to compel will not suffice if the motion to compel which was heard contained many requests. E. Additional Briefing The Court tries to read each motion prior to the scheduled hearing and appreciates the submission, to the Judge, of an extra copy of the motion/brief along with copies of case law 3 (pick your top 5-7). Separate binders of these copies and case law should be forwarded to the Court Coordinator and not filed with the District Clerk. At no time should any motion filed with the District Clerk contain copies of case law. F. Court Communication Prior to the time of a scheduled hearing or submission, please advise the Court, IN WRITING, of any changes to, or agreements reached, concerning the motion to be reviewed or heard by the Court. G. Agreed Motions Agreed motions, except motions for trial continuances, do not require a placement on the Court’s docket. A simple filing with the appropriate order should be made to the District Clerk’s office who will forward such motion to the Court for consideration and approval.
2. DISTRICT CLERK FILINGS Be aware that any and every document delivered to the Tarrant County District Clerk for filing will be computer scanned for public review. Individuals and entities with proper district clerk credentials will be allowed to access all civil files by their own remote computer. Protected and confidential documents attached to any motion/pleading must be attached in a sealed envelope identifying such as confidential/protected. Motions/pleadings are generally not sealed. The Court will follow Rule 76a of the TEXAS RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE. Be careful when filing most sensitive documents about your client.
3. SEALED MOTIONS/DOCUMENTS Without a prior order from the Court, motions and pleadings are never to be filed as “sealed” documents. At times, a need will arise to attach confidential documents to a pleading or motion. Such 4 confidential documents should be placed in a sealed, fully marked envelope containing the confidential documents submitted pursuant to a protective or sealing order. On the outside of the sealed envelope, attach a cover sheet which identifies the documents as sealed and confidential pertaining to the filed motion/pleading. The sealed envelope and cover sheet are attached to the motion/pleading. The District Clerk will file stamp the motion/pleading and will computer scan for public review the motion/pleading and the cover sheet affixed to the front of the sealed envelope identifying the sealed documents as confidential; the sealed documents are neither computer scanned nor filed for public review. Failure to follow this procedure may result in the public release of your confidential documents. Alternatively, confidential documents may be submitted for in camera review.
4. IN CAMERA REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS Any documents to be delivered to the Judge for an in camera review must be placed in an envelope and sealed. All documents must be Bates stamped. A cover letter addressed to the Judge must be attached to the sealed envelope and must BOLDLY identify that the attachments are for in camera review. The cover letter and sealed envelope must be delivered to the Judge and not to the District Clerk. Any documents delivered to the District Clerk could very well find its way on the District Clerk’s file desk for public display on the internet.
5. TELEPHONE CONFERENCE The Court does allow telephonic conferences to resolve most motions when such conferences are practical and cost efficient to do so. The Court is inclined to accommodate attorneys who are not located in the DFW Metroplex, yet who wish to attend routine motions by telephone. Arrangements with the Court Coordinator must be made. Unless advised differently, no court reporter will be used for a telephonic conference.
6. DISMISSAL DOCKET The Court conducts a monthly dismissal docket. Proper and timely notice is given to all parties (pro se) or to their attorneys. Any request to retain must be in writing and filed with the District Clerk prior to the hearing date. The Court will retain a case on its docket upon proof of good cause to retain only. A filing of a motion to retain does not automatically remove a matter from the Court’s dismissal docket. Until the Court has signed the Order to Retain, the case will not be removed from the dismissal docket. Upon notification to the Court that a case has settled, the parties must present to the Court all documents necessary for the Court to enter a final judgment, dismissal or nonsuit by no later then 31 days after such settlement notification. Failure to do so will place the case on the Court’s dismissal docket.
7. SCHEDULING ORDERS The Court requires a scheduling order for most cases. If no scheduling order is issued, then the Court will issue a standard trial setting notice. As soon as all answers have been received by the District Clerk, the Coordinator will issue the applicable scheduling order form. Attorneys are asked to complete the form by a date certain or attend the scheduled hearing. Forms may be obtained by contacting the Coordinator or via the internet. The Court is not prone to change an agreed upon trial date. A Motion for Continuance signed by all attorneys does not guarantee that the Court will approve such request. A revised proposed Scheduling Order must be attached to the Motion for Continuance.
8. MEDIATION The Court does not require mediation but does highly recommend that the parties attempt such. The Court does encourage the attorneys to choose a mediator but will assign one from its list if an agreement cannot be reached. The Court will assign some cases 6 to Tarrant County Dispute Resolution Services. If an agreement is reached, the Court requires that all necessary documents finalizing the settlement be submitted for the Court’s signature by no later than 31 days after the agreement is reached.
9. TRIAL SETTINGS All trial settings are made by the Court Coordinator. Cases are set on a one week trial docket with the number one case called for Monday morning, usually at 8:15 A.M. Cases not reached for trial will be issued a reset notice that sets forth the new trial date. The Court Coordinator will contact the attorneys, or parties (pro se), by telephone or by mail at least one week prior to the beginning of trial to advise them of their setting status.
10. TRIAL CONTINUANCE The Court will consider timely filed motions for continuances; however, as already noted herein, scheduling orders with agreed trial settings will not likely be changed. Additionally, agreed motions for continuances are not automatically granted and may require a hearing. Continuances must be requested as soon as practical but in no case should such request be made any later than the Wednesday preceding the week of trial. (Tarrant County Local Rules)
11. PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCES For most cases, the Court is setting such conferences at least 7 to 10 days prior to trial. All requirements for such conferences are included in the scheduling orders. Courtesy copies of the party’s most recent pleading, witness and exhibit lists, motions in limine and the proposed jury charge must be submitted to the Court. The Coordinator prepares a trial notebook with these courtesy copies for the Judge’s use. 7 As per the scheduling order, attorneys must exchange lists of exhibits and witnesses, as well as motions in limine prior to the scheduled pre-trial conference. The Court requests that the attorneys attempt agreements as to the exhibits. Thereafter, the Court will conduct a hearing concerning any arguments regarding the lists and motions in limine. At the pre-trial conference, the Court requires identification or designation of specific deposition excerpts if intended for trial usage. Prior to the reading, a copy of the excerpt must be made available to the Court, the reporter and opposing counsel. For Bench trials, the Court requires the submission of proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law instead of a proposed Jury Charge.
12. TRIAL EXHIBITS Pursuant to the Order Approving Revised Uniform Format Manual for Texas Reporters’ Records signed on May 25, 2010, by THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS, effective July 1, 2010, the following guidelines shall be followed: A. Photographs Photographic images other than documents (e.g., photos of physical exhibits must be included within the computer file as images with a resolution of not less than 2,048 x 1,536 pixels (approximately 3 megapixels). Higher resolutions are not encouraged. If a full color rendition is necessary, color depth should be between 12-bit and 18-bit. Otherwise, grayscale images are encouraged. Photographs may be captured directly with a digital camera or scanned from a photographic print. B. Separator Pages 8 If an exhibit number is not on the exhibit image, there must be a page preceding the image to show the exhibit number. C. Audio Files If an audio recording is part of the record, the audio file must be included as an MPEG-1 Audio-Layer 3 file (usually referred to as .mp3). The preferred sampling rate for the file is 44.1 kHz and the preferred bit rate for the audio file is 64 kbits/second, though a court may request bit rates as high as 128kbits/second. The Mp3 audio files must use a constant bit rate. The files must not be password-protected, encrypted, or protected by rights management. Each audio file must not exceed 100 MB. If the recording is too long to fit in one file, it may be broken in multiple files. D. Video Files If a video recording is part of the record, the video file must be included as an MPEG-4 Part 14 file (usually referred to as .mp4). Data compression is encouraged, though the submitter must assure that the video and audio content have sufficient quality. The files should not be password-protected, encrypted, or protected by rights management. Each video file must not exceed 5 GB. If the recording is too long to fit in one file, it may be broken into multiple files. *Uniform Format Manual Section 8
13. JURY CHARGE As noted above, the Court requires that the proposed jury charges of each party be exchanged prior to the pre-trial conference. Prior to the beginning of trial, the Court requires that each party supply the Court with a diskette (Word) containing their proposed charge. The Court uses the Pattern Jury Charge promulgated by the State Bar of Texas as a guide. Per new rules of the Texas Supreme Court effective February, 9 2005, each juror will be supplied a copy of the Court’s Charge.
14. VOIR DIRE Some cases may require the use of a juror questionnaire. The Court will entertain a reasonable request to use such questionnaire if the request and a copy of the proposed questionnaire is submitted to the Court and counsel for all parties at least 30 days prior to trial. The Court has no set time limits for voir dire. However, during the pre-trial conference, the Court will discuss this issue and may set such time limits if it believes that requested time is unreasonable and unnecessary. The Court does not conduct its own voir dire; however, the Court may do so if it believes such is necessary. During the panel voir dire, no attorney shall challenge for cause in front of the jury panel or allow the jury panel to be tainted by an individual panel member’s response. After the conclusion of the panel voir dire, attorneys may request that a panel member remain in the courtroom for individual voir dire to establish a challenge for cause.
15. COURTROOM DECORUM The Court will start most jury trials on Monday morning at 8:15 A.M. with a mid-morning break, a lunch break and an afternoon break. The Court requests that all attorneys be seated and ready to start by no later than 8:15 A.M. There are times when the Court may require attendance earlier than 8:15 A.M. and all attorneys are requested to meet such time requests. For trials, the Court will end at 4:45 P.M. each day. The Court requires that attorneys use the podium at all times. 10 However, the Court does allow “wandering” during voir dire if no record is being made. All attorneys are required to stand when making an objection. This requirement is necessary in that it allows the witness to know when to stop talking and allows the reporter to identify, for the record, the person making the objection. The Court requests that “table talk” be limited as much as possible, especially in the presence of a jury. The Court requests that legal assistants sit with their attorneys as much as possible to avoid needless courtroom movement. The Court does not require that attorneys request the Court’s permission prior to approaching a witness. For most cases, jurors will be allowed to take notes during the trial. Appropriate instructions will be given by the Court. Access to courtroom facilities is limited in that no party or attorney may enter the area behind the courtroom unless permission is granted. At no time will such permission be granted when there is a jury present. If a party is in need of audio or video aids, the Court has limited resources. Be prepared to supply your own aids. When possible, arrangements by the attorneys should be made to share such equipment when needed. The Court requires identification of specific deposition excerpts prior to reading. Such identification requires that a copy of such be made available to the Court, the reporter and opposing counsel. 11
16. WITNESS Should a witness step from the podium to explain an exhibit, the questioning attorney must insure that the witness is arranged so that the witness is facing the court reporter. As previously noted herein, all objections must be made when standing so that the witness knows to stop talking until the Court rules on the objection. Following the taking of an oath by the witness, the Court will give specific instructions as to the witness’s conduct while on the stand.
17. EX-PARTE COMMUNICATIONS All inquiries concerning motions and other court business should be directed to the Court Coordinator.
18. GRATUITIES No gratuities shall be accepted by the Court or any staff member.
19. AD LITEM APPOINTMENTS The Court maintains a list of potential ad litem appointments. All potential candidates for such appointments should submit a resume to the Coordinator with a letter stating that the person has no relationship with the Court that could be construed or may appear to be a conflict of interest. Ad litem fees are calculated based upon the complexity of the matter involved, the hourly charge of the ad litem, and the value of the work done by the ad litem. Ad litem fees must be kept reasonable under all circumstances. At no time, will the Court appoint a specific ad litem identified in the written motion of an attorney. 12
20. TEXAS LAWYER’S CREED We are all members of a most proud, much honored and prestigious profession. The make up of our profession has changed dramatically over the years, but the purpose of our existence remains firm and steadfast. The success of what we attorneys endeavor to accomplish is never measured by the number of victories or the size of the judgment but by the manner in which we have conducted our lives, both professionally and throughout our community, with a fellow attorney or advocate, be they in opposition or not. Therefore, I ask that each attorney be familiar with the Texas Lawyers’ Creed prior to entering the 67th Judicial District Court of Tarrant County, State of Texas. Donald J. Cosby Presiding Judge 67th Judicial District Court
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
E59-11364 (Rev. 01/12) Expires 1/31/13 — Go to http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/conditions/ or call your local or regional health department for updates.
Report confirmed and suspected cases.
Unless noted by *, report to your local or regional health department using number above or
find contact information at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/conditions/contacts/
A – L When to Report L – Y When to Report
*Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)1, 2 Within 1 week Leishmaniasis3 Within 1 week
Amebiasis3 Within 1 week Listeriosis3, 4 Within 1 week
Anthrax3, 4 Call Immediately Lyme disease3 Within 1 week
Arbovirus infection3, 5 Within 1 week Malaria3 Within 1 week
*Asbestosis6 Within 1 week Measles (rubeola)3 Call Immediately
Botulism, foodborne3, 4 Call Immediately Meningitis (specify type)3 Within 1 week
Botulism, infant, wound, and other3, 4 Within 1 week Meningococcal infections, invasive3, 4 Call Immediately
Brucellosis3, 4 Within 1 work day Mumps3 Within 1 week
Campylobacteriosis3 Within 1 week Pertussis3 Within 1 work day
*Cancer7 See rules7 *Pesticide poisoning, acute occupational6 Within 1 week
*Chancroid1 Within 1 week Plague (Yersinia pestis)3, 4 Call Immediately
Chickenpox (varicella)8 Within 1 week Poliomyelitis, acute paralytic3 Call Immediately
*Chlamydia trachomatis infection1 Within 1 week Q fever3 Within 1 work day
*Contaminated sharps injury9 Within 1 month Rabies, human3 Call Immediately
*Controlled substance overdose10 Call Immediately Relapsing fever3 Within 1 week
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)3 Within 1 week Rubella (including congenital)3 Within 1 work day
Cryptosporidiosis3 Within 1 week Salmonellosis, including typhoid fever3 Within 1 week
Cyclosporiasis3 Within 1 week Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)3 Call Immediately
Cysticercosis3 Within 1 week Shigellosis3 Within 1 week
*Cytogenetic results (fetus and infant only)11 See rules11 *Silicosis6 Within 1 week
Dengue3 Within 1 week Smallpox3 Call Immediately
Diphtheria3 Call Immediately *Spinal cord injury12 Within 10 work days
*Drowning/near drowning12 Within 10 work days Spotted fever group rickettsioses3 Within 1 week
Ehrlichiosis3 Within 1 week Staph. aureus, vancomycin-resistant (VISA and VRSA)3, 4 Call Immediately
Encephalitis (specify etiology)3 Within 1 week Streptococcal disease (group A, B, S. pneumo), invasive3 Within 1 week
Escherichia coli, enterohemorrhagic3, 4 Within 1 week *Syphilis – primary and secondary stages 1, 13 Call within 1 work day
*Gonorrhea1 Within 1 week *Syphilis – all other stages1, 13 Within 1 week
Haemophilus influenzae type b infections, invasive3 Call Immediately Taenia solium and undifferentiated Taenia infection3 Within 1 week
Hansen’s disease (leprosy)3 Within 1 week Tetanus3 Within 1 week
Hantavirus infection3 Within 1 week *Traumatic brain injury12 Within 10 work days
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)3 Within 1 week Trichinosis3 Within 1 week
Hepatitis A3 Within 1 work day Tuberculosis (includes all M. tuberculosis complex)4, 14 Within 1 work day
Hepatitis B, C, D, E, and unspecified (acute)3 Within 1 week Tularemia3, 4 Call Immediately
Hepatitis B identified prenatally or at delivery (acute & chronic)3 Within 1 week Typhus3 Within 1 week
Hepatitis B, perinatal (HBsAg+ < 24 months old)3 Within 1 work day Vibrio infection, including cholera3, 4 Within 1 work day
*Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection1, 2 Within 1 week Viral hemorrhagic fever, including Ebola3 Call Immediately
Influenza-associated pediatric mortality3 Within 1 work day West Nile Fever3 Within 1 week
*Lead, child blood, any level & adult blood, any level6 Call/Fax Immediately Yellow fever3 Call Immediately
Legionellosis3 Within 1 week Yersiniosis3 Within 1 week
In addition to specified reportable conditions, any outbreak, exotic disease, or unusual group expression of disease
that may be of public health concern should be reported by the most expeditious means available
*See condition-specific footnote for reporting contact information
1 Please refer to specific rules and regulations for HIV/STD reporting and who to report to at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/hivstd/healthcare/reporting.shtm.
2 Labs conducting confirmatory HIV testing are requested to send remaining specimen to a CDC-designated laboratory. Please call 512-533-3041 for details.
3 Reporting forms are available at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/forms/. Investigation forms at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/
Call as indicated for immediately reportable conditions.
4 Lab isolate must be sent to DSHS lab. Call 512-458-7598 for specimen submission information.
5 Reportable Arbovirus infections include neuroinvasive and non-neuroinvasive California serogroup including Cache Valley, Eastern Equine (EEE), Dengue, Powassan,
St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE), West Nile, and Western Equine (WEE).
6 Please refer to specific rules and regulations for environmental and toxicology reporting and who to report to at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/epitox/default.shtm.
7 Please refer to specific rules and regulations for cancer reporting and who to report to at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/tcr/reporting.shtm.
8 Varicella reporting form at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/health/vaccine_preventable_diseases/forms/NewVaricellaForm.pdf. Call local health dept for copy with their fax number.
9 Not applicable to private facilities. Initial reporting forms for Contaminated Sharps at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/health/infection_control/bloodborne_pathogens/reporting/.
10 Contact local poison center at 1-800-222-1222. For instructions, forms, and fax numbers see http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/epidemiology/epipoison.shtm#rcso.
11 Report cytogenetic results including routine karyotype and cytogenetic microarray testing (fetus and infant only). Please refer to specific rules and regulations for birth defects
reporting and who to report to at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/birthdefects/BD_LawRules.shtm.
12 Please refer to specific rules and regulations for injury reporting and who to report to at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/injury/default.shtm.
13 Laboratories should report syphilis test results within 3 work days of the testing outcome.
14 MTB complex includes M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum, M. canettii, M. microti, M. caprae, and M. pinnipedii. Please see rules at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/tb/reporting/.
Texas Notifiable Conditions
24/7 Number for Immediately Reportable– 1-800-705-8868
Texas Department of State Health Services – Business Hours 1-800-252-8239 / After Hours 512-458-7111
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
The nation’s main workplace safety and health law is the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which requires all private-sector employers to furnish a safe workplace, free of recognized hazards, to their employees, and requires employers and employees to comply with occupational safety and health standards adopted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA division (for the main duty clause of OSHA, see 29 U.S.C. § 654).
Compliance with OSHA standards can not only help prevent needless workplace tragedies from accidents, but also help minimize the number of injury-related employee absences, keep workers’ compensation and other insurance costs to a minimum, and promote higher productivity from employees who can feel secure that the company is looking out for their safety and can thus concentrate on doing their jobs well.
A myth about OSHA is that the regulations are too complex to understand. Although the regulations are numerous and occasionally very comprehensive and detailed, almost all of them stem directly from common sense, best practices, and what experienced and prudent employees would do in their jobs anyway. For example, the regulations require such things as wearing seat belts when driving vehicles or operating machines with seats, ensuring that safe scaffolding and fall protection are in place for employees working at heights, wearing goggles or other face protection during welding or while working with abrasive materials, using cave-in protection when working in trenches, using guards on any tools with moving blades, using guards and other protective barriers on machines with large moving parts, providing kill switches on machinery for immediate shut-off if anything goes wrong, providing adequate ventilation for workers in enclosed areas where fumes are present, protecting health-care workers from accidental pricks from needles and other sharp medical instruments, avoiding sparks near flammable materials, and so on.
Although employers have the right to take appropriate corrective action toward employees who violate known safety rules, OSHA protects an employee’s right to report workplace safety concerns and violations of safety rules, and an employer that retaliates in any way against an employee who reports safety-related problems or participates in an OSHA-related investigation is subject to enforcement action in court by DOL (see 29 U.S.C. § 660(c)(1, 2)).
Non-willful violations can result in civil penalties, which become more substantial for serious or repeated violations, and willful violations can result in both civil penalties and imprisonment for those responsible, depending upon the severity of the violation.
Violations of OSHA are not necessarily enough to prove an employer’s negligence as a matter of law in a civil lawsuit arising from a workplace injury, but can be used as evidence of negligence. Similarly, evidence of compliance with OSHA may not be sufficient to avoid liability in such a lawsuit, and compliance is certainly not enough to prevent a workers’ compensation claim from being filed, since workers’ compensation claims are generally handled without regard to issues of fault. See 29 U.S.C. § 653(b)(4).
Child labor presents special safety issues under both Texas and federal laws. Regardless of how safe a workplace may be for adult employees or how much in compliance with OSHA an employer may be, children may not perform hazardous duties or work during restricted times. A complete list of prohibited duties and restrictions on hours of work for children under both Texas and federal laws appears on the Texas child labor law poster available for free downloading at http://www.twc.state.tx.us/ui/lablaw/llcl70.pdf (PDF). For more information on child labor laws, see the topic “Child Labor” in this outline in part II of this book.
OSHA’s official PowerPoint and video presentations for workplace safety education in various industries are excellent training tools for employers and employees alike and are available for free downloading at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/multimedia.html. The department’s self-guided study and training tools are available on the OSHA eTools page. In addition, OSHA offers free compliance training and consultation to small and medium-size businesses – see OSHA’s On-site Consultation page for details.
The state agency in Texas with the greatest authority in the area of workplace safety is the Texas Department of Insurance, the Division of Workers’ Compensation of which has enforcement responsibility for the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act (for the general provisions of that law, see Chapter 401 of the Texas Labor Code). The main workplace safety resource information for Texas is on the TDI website at http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/safety/index.html. The Workers’ Compensation Division’s OSHCON Department provides workplace safety and health consultations to Texas employers, including free OSHA compliance assistance – their website is at http://www.tdi.texas.gov/oshcon/.
As with many federal laws, OSHA does not preempt state laws that provide a greater degree of protection or benefit for employees – thus, in Texas the following laws are examples of state-level workplace safety and health laws (this is not a complete list of state laws affecting workplace safety and health – many occupations regulated under the Occupations Code have safety-related laws in the chapters for those occupations):
Texas Health and Safety Code, Section 81.042 – duty of some employers to report certain communicable diseases (PDF) to local health authorities or to the Texas Department of State Health Services at 1-800-705-8868
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
B 7 (Official Form 7) (04/10)
UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
__________ District of __________
In re:_____ ___________________________________, Case No. ___________________________________
Debtor (if known)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
This statement is to be completed by every debtor. Spouses filing a joint petition may file a single statement on which
the information for both spouses is combined. If the case is filed under chapter 12 or chapter 13, a married debtor must furnish
information for both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not
filed. An individual debtor engaged in business as a sole proprietor, partner, family farmer, or self-employed professional,
should provide the information requested on this statement concerning all such activities as well as the individual’s personal
affairs. To indicate payments, transfers and the like to minor children, state the child’s initials and the name and address of the
child’s parent or guardian, such as “A.B., a minor child, by John Doe, guardian.” Do not disclose the child’s name. See, 11 U.S.C.
§112 and Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1007(m).
Questions 1 – 18 are to be completed by all debtors. Debtors that are or have been in business, as defined below, also
must complete Questions 19 – 25. If the answer to an applicable question is “None,” mark the box labeled “None.” If
additional space is needed for the answer to any question, use and attach a separate sheet properly identified with the case name,
case number (if known), and the number of the question.
DEFINITIONS
“In business.” A debtor is “in business” for the purpose of this form if the debtor is a corporation or partnership. An
individual debtor is “in business” for the purpose of this form if the debtor is or has been, within six years immediately preceding
the filing of this bankruptcy case, any of the following: an officer, director, managing executive, or owner of 5 percent or more
of the voting or equity securities of a corporation; a partner, other than a limited partner, of a partnership; a sole proprietor or
self-employed full-time or part-time. An individual debtor also may be “in business” for the purpose of this form if the debtor
engages in a trade, business, or other activity, other than as an employee, to supplement income from the debtor’s primary
employment.
“Insider.” The term “insider” includes but is not limited to: relatives of the debtor; general partners of the debtor and
their relatives; corporations of which the debtor is an officer, director, or person in control; officers, directors, and any owner of
5 percent or more of the voting or equity securities of a corporate debtor and their relatives; affiliates of the debtor and insiders
of such affiliates; any managing agent of the debtor. 11 U.S.C. § 101.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Income from employment or operation of business
None State the gross amount of income the debtor has received from employment, trade, or profession, or from operation of
the debtor’s business, including part-time activities either as an employee or in independent trade or business, from the
beginning of this calendar year to the date this case was commenced. State also the gross amounts received during the
two years immediately preceding this calendar year. (A debtor that maintains, or has maintained, financial records on
the basis of a fiscal rather than a calendar year may report fiscal year income. Identify the beginning and ending dates
of the debtor’s fiscal year.) If a joint petition is filed, state income for each spouse separately. (Married debtors filing
under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must state income of both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the
spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
AMOUNT SOURCE
2
*Amount subject to adjustment on 4/01/13, and every three years thereafter with respect to cases commenced on or
after the date of adjustment.
2. Income other than from employment or operation of business
None State the amount of income received by the debtor other than from employment, trade, profession, operation of the
debtor’s business during the two years immediately preceding the commencement of this case. Give particulars. If a
joint petition is filed, state income for each spouse separately. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13
must state income for each spouse whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint
petition is not filed.)
AMOUNT SOURCE
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Payments to creditors
Complete a. or b., as appropriate, and c.
None
G a. Individual or joint debtor(s) with primarily consumer debts: List all payments on loans, installment purchases of
goods or services, and other debts to any creditor made within 90 days immediately preceding the commencement of
this case unless the aggregate value of all property that constitutes or is affected by such transfer is less than $600.
Indicate with an asterisk (*) any payments that were made to a creditor on account of a domestic support obligation or
as part of an alternative repayment schedule under a plan by an approved nonprofit budgeting and credit counseling
agency. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include payments by either or both spouses
whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND ADDRESS OF CREDITOR DATES OF AMOUNT AMOUNT
PAYMENTS PAID STILL OWING
None
G b. Debtor whose debts are not primarily consumer debts: List each payment or other transfer to any creditor made
within 90 days immediately preceding the commencement of the case unless the aggregate value of all property that
constitutes or is affected by such transfer is less than $5,850*. If the debtor is an individual, indicate with an asterisk
(*) any payments that were made to a creditor on account of a domestic support obligation or as part of an alternative
repayment schedule under a plan by an approved nonprofit budgeting and credit counseling agency. (Married debtors
filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include payments and other transfers by either or both spouses whether or
not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND ADDRESS OF CREDITOR DATES OF AMOUNT AMOUNT
PAYMENTS/ PAID OR STILL
TRANSFERS VALUE OF OWING
TRANSFERS
3
None
G c. All debtors: List all payments made within one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case
to or for the benefit of creditors who are or were insiders. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must
include payments by either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and
a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND ADDRESS OF CREDITOR DATE OF AMOUNT AMOUNT
AND RELATIONSHIP TO DEBTOR PAYMENT PAID STILL OWING
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Suits and administrative proceedings, executions, garnishments and attachments
None a. List all suits and administrative proceedings to which the debtor is or was a party within one year immediately
preceding the filing of this bankruptcy case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include
information concerning either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated
and a joint petition is not filed.)
CAPTION OF SUIT COURT OR AGENCY STATUS OR
AND CASE NUMBER NATURE OF PROCEEDING AND LOCATION DISPOSITION
None b. Describe all property that has been attached, garnished or seized under any legal or equitable process within one
year immediately preceding the commencement of this case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13
must include information concerning property of either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless
the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND ADDRESS DESCRIPTION
OF PERSON FOR WHOSE DATE OF AND VALUE
BENEFIT PROPERTY WAS SEIZED SEIZURE OF PROPERTY
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Repossessions, foreclosures and returns
None List all property that has been repossessed by a creditor, sold at a foreclosure sale, transferred through a deed in lieu
of foreclosure or returned to the seller, within one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case.
(Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include information concerning property of either or both
spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
DATE OF REPOSSESSION, DESCRIPTION
NAME AND ADDRESS FORECLOSURE SALE, AND VALUE
OF CREDITOR OR SELLER TRANSFER OR RETURN OF PROPERTY
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
4
6. Assignments and receiverships
None a. Describe any assignment of property for the benefit of creditors made within 120 days immediately preceding the
commencement of this case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include any assignment by
either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not
filed.)
TERMS OF
NAME AND ADDRESS DATE OF ASSIGNMENT
OF ASSIGNEE ASSIGNMENT OR SETTLEMENT
None b. List all property which has been in the hands of a custodian, receiver, or court-appointed official within one year
immediately preceding the commencement of this case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must
include information concerning property of either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the
spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND LOCATION DESCRIPTION
NAME AND ADDRESS OF COURT DATE OF AND VALUE
OF CUSTODIAN CASE TITLE & NUMBER ORDER Of PROPERTY
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Gifts
None List all gifts or charitable contributions made within one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case
except ordinary and usual gifts to family members aggregating less than $200 in value per individual family member
and charitable contributions aggregating less than $100 per recipient. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or
chapter 13 must include gifts or contributions by either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless
the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND ADDRESS RELATIONSHIP DESCRIPTION
OF PERSON TO DEBTOR, DATE AND VALUE
OR ORGANIZATION IF ANY OF GIFT OF GIFT
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Losses
None List all losses from fire, theft, other casualty or gambling within one year immediately preceding the commencement
of this case or since the commencement of this case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must
include losses by either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a
joint petition is not filed.)
DESCRIPTION DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND, IF
AND VALUE OF LOSS WAS COVERED IN WHOLE OR IN PART DATE
PROPERTY BY INSURANCE, GIVE PARTICULARS OF LOSS
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
5
9. Payments related to debt counseling or bankruptcy
None List all payments made or property transferred by or on behalf of the debtor to any persons, including attorneys, for
consultation concerning debt consolidation, relief under the bankruptcy law or preparation of a petition in bankruptcy
within one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case.
DATE OF PAYMENT, AMOUNT OF MONEY OR
NAME AND ADDRESS NAME OF PAYER IF DESCRIPTION AND
OF PAYEE OTHER THAN DEBTOR VALUE OF PROPERTY
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Other transfers
None
a. List all other property, other than property transferred in the ordinary course of the business or financial affairs of
the debtor, transferred either absolutely or as security within two years immediately preceding the commencement of
this case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include transfers by either or both spouses
whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND ADDRESS OF TRANSFEREE, DESCRIBE PROPERTY
RELATIONSHIP TO DEBTOR TRANSFERRED AND
DATE VALUE RECEIVED
None
G b. List all property transferred by the debtor within ten years immediately preceding the commencement of this case
to a self-settled trust or similar device of which the debtor is a beneficiary.
NAME OF TRUST OR OTHER DATE(S) OF AMOUNT OF MONEY OR DESCRIPTION
DEVICE TRANSFER(S) AND VALUE OF PROPERTY OR DEBTOR’S
INTEREST IN PROPERTY
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Closed financial accounts
None List all financial accounts and instruments held in the name of the debtor or for the benefit of the debtor which were
closed, sold, or otherwise transferred within one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case. Include
checking, savings, or other financial accounts, certificates of deposit, or other instruments; shares and share accounts
held in banks, credit unions, pension funds, cooperatives, associations, brokerage houses and other financial
institutions. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include information concerning accounts or
instruments held by or for either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are
separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
TYPE OF ACCOUNT, LAST FOUR AMOUNT AND
NAME AND ADDRESS DIGITS OF ACCOUNT NUMBER, DATE OF SALE
OF INSTITUTION AND AMOUNT OF FINAL BALANCE OR CLOSING
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
6
12. Safe deposit boxes
None List each safe deposit or other box or depository in which the debtor has or had securities, cash, or other valuables
within one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or
chapter 13 must include boxes or depositories of either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless
the spouses are separated and a joint petition is not filed.)
NAME AND ADDRESS NAMES AND ADDRESSES DESCRIPTION DATE OF TRANSFER
OF BANK OR OF THOSE WITH ACCESS OF OR SURRENDER,
OTHER DEPOSITORY TO BOX OR DEPOSITORY CONTENTS IF ANY
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Setoffs
None List all setoffs made by any creditor, including a bank, against a debt or deposit of the debtor within 90 days preceding
the commencement of this case. (Married debtors filing under chapter 12 or chapter 13 must include information
concerning either or both spouses whether or not a joint petition is filed, unless the spouses are separated and a joint
petition is not filed.)
DATE OF AMOUNT
NAME AND ADDRESS OF CREDITOR SETOFF OF SETOFF
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. Property held for another person
None List all property owned by another person that the debtor holds or controls.
NAME AND ADDRESS DESCRIPTION AND
OF OWNER VALUE OF PROPERTY LOCATION OF PROPERTY
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. Prior address of debtor
None
G If debtor has moved within three years immediately preceding the commencement of this case, list all premises
which the debtor occupied during that period and vacated prior to the commencement of this case. If a joint petition is
filed, report also any separate address of either spouse.
ADDRESS NAME USED DATES OF OCCUPANCY
_____________________________________________________________________________
7
16. Spouses and Former Spouses
None If the debtor resides or resided in a community property state, commonwealth, or territory (including Alaska, Arizona,
California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, or Wisconsin) within eight
years immediately preceding the commencement of the case, identify the name of the debtor’s spouse and of
any former spouse who resides or resided with the debtor in the community property state.
NAME
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
17. Environmental Information.
For the purpose of this question, the following definitions apply:
“Environmental Law” means any federal, state, or local statute or regulation regulating pollution, contamination,
releases of hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or material into the air, land, soil, surface water, groundwater, or
other medium, including, but not limited to, statutes or regulations regulating the cleanup of these substances, wastes,
or material.
“Site” means any location, facility, or property as defined under any Environmental Law, whether or not presently or
formerly owned or operated by the debtor, including, but not limited to, disposal sites.
“Hazardous Material” means anything defined as a hazardous waste, hazardous substance, toxic substance, hazardous
material, pollutant, or contaminant or similar term under an Environmental Law.
None a. List the name and address of every site for which the debtor has received notice in writing by a governmental
unit that it may be liable or potentially liable under or in violation of an Environmental Law. Indicate the
governmental unit, the date of the notice, and, if known, the Environmental Law:
SITE NAME NAME AND ADDRESS DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AND ADDRESS OF GOVERNMENTAL UNIT NOTICE LAW
None b. List the name and address of every site for which the debtor provided notice to a governmental unit of a release
of Hazardous Material. Indicate the governmental unit to which the notice was sent and the date of the notice.
SITE NAME NAME AND ADDRESS DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AND ADDRESS OF GOVERNMENTAL UNIT NOTICE LAW
None c. List all judicial or administrative proceedings, including settlements or orders, under any Environmental Law with
respect to which the debtor is or was a party. Indicate the name and address of the governmental unit that is or was a party
to the proceeding, and the docket number.
NAME AND ADDRESS DOCKET NUMBER STATUS OR
OF GOVERNMENTAL UNIT DISPOSITION
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
18 . Nature, location and name of business
None a. If the debtor is an individual, list the names, addresses, taxpayer-identification numbers, nature of the businesses,
and beginning and ending dates of all businesses in which the debtor was an officer, director, partner, or managing
8
executive of a corporation, partner in a partnership, sole proprietor, or was self-employed in a trade, profession, or
other activity either full- or part-time within six years immediately preceding the commencement of this case, or in
which the debtor owned 5 percent or more of the voting or equity securities within six years immediately preceding
the commencement of this case.
If the debtor is a partnership, list the names, addresses, taxpayer-identification numbers, nature of the businesses,
and beginning and ending dates of all businesses in which the debtor was a partner or owned 5 percent or more of
the voting or equity securities, within six years immediately preceding the commencement of this case.
If the debtor is a corporation, list the names, addresses, taxpayer-identification numbers, nature of the businesses,
and beginning and ending dates of all businesses in which the debtor was a partner or owned 5 percent or more of
the voting or equity securities within six years immediately preceding the commencement of this case.
LAST FOUR DIGITS
OF SOCIAL-SECURITY BEGINNING AND
NAME OR OTHER INDIVIDUAL ADDRESS NATURE OF BUSINESS ENDING DATES
TAXPAYER-I.D. NO.
(ITIN)/ COMPLETE EIN
None b. Identify any business listed in response to subdivision a., above, that is “single asset real estate” as
defined in 11 U.S.C. § 101.
NAME ADDRESS
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The following questions are to be completed by every debtor that is a corporation or partnership and by any individual
debtor who is or has been, within six years immediately preceding the commencement of this case, any of the following: an
officer, director, managing executive, or owner of more than 5 percent of the voting or equity securities of a corporation; a
partner, other than a limited partner, of a partnership, a sole proprietor, or self-employed in a trade, profession, or other activity,
either full- or part-time.
(An individual or joint debtor should complete this portion of the statement only if the debtor is or has been in
business, as defined above, within six years immediately preceding the commencement of this case. A debtor who has not been
in business within those six years should go directly to the signature page.)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
19. Books, records and financial statements
None a. List all bookkeepers and accountants who within two years immediately preceding the filing of this
bankruptcy case kept or supervised the keeping of books of account and records of the debtor.
NAME AND ADDRESS DATES SERVICES RENDERED
None b. List all firms or individuals who within two years immediately preceding the filing of this bankruptcy
case have audited the books of account and records, or prepared a financial statement of the debtor.
NAME ADDRESS DATES SERVICES RENDERED
9
None c. List all firms or individuals who at the time of the commencement of this case were in possession of the
books of account and records of the debtor. If any of the books of account and records are not available, explain.
NAME ADDRESS
None d. List all financial institutions, creditors and other parties, including mercantile and trade agencies, to whom a
financial statement was issued by the debtor within two years immediately preceding the commencement of this case.
NAME AND ADDRESS DATE ISSUED
________________________________________________________________________________________________
20. Inventories
None a. List the dates of the last two inventories taken of your property, the name of the person who supervised the
taking of each inventory, and the dollar amount and basis of each inventory.
DOLLAR AMOUNT
OF INVENTORY
DATE OF INVENTORY INVENTORY SUPERVISOR (Specify cost, market or other
basis)
None b. List the name and address of the person having possession of the records of each of the inventories reported
in a., above.
NAME AND ADDRESSES
OF CUSTODIAN
DATE OF INVENTORY OF INVENTORY RECORDS
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
21 . Current Partners, Officers, Directors and Shareholders
None a. If the debtor is a partnership, list the nature and percentage of partnership interest of each member of the
partnership.
NAME AND ADDRESS NATURE OF INTEREST PERCENTAGE OF INTEREST
None b. If the debtor is a corporation, list all officers and directors of the corporation, and each stockholder who
directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds 5 percent or more of the voting or equity securities of the
corporation.
NATURE AND PERCENTAGE
NAME AND ADDRESS TITLE OF STOCK OWNERSHIP
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10
22 . Former partners, officers, directors and shareholders
None a. If the debtor is a partnership, list each member who withdrew from the partnership within one year immediately
preceding the commencement of this case.
NAME ADDRESS DATE OF WITHDRAWAL
None b. If the debtor is a corporation, list all officers or directors whose relationship with the corporation terminated
within one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case.
NAME AND ADDRESS TITLE DATE OF TERMINATION
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
23 . Withdrawals from a partnership or distributions by a corporation
None If the debtor is a partnership or corporation, list all withdrawals or distributions credited or given to an insider,
including compensation in any form, bonuses, loans, stock redemptions, options exercised and any other perquisite
during one year immediately preceding the commencement of this case.
NAME & ADDRESS AMOUNT OF MONEY
OF RECIPIENT, DATE AND PURPOSE OR DESCRIPTION
RELATIONSHIP TO DEBTOR OF WITHDRAWAL AND VALUE OF PROPERTY
___________________________________________________________________
24. Tax Consolidation Group.
None If the debtor is a corporation, list the name and federal taxpayer-identification number of the parent corporation of any
consolidated group for tax purposes of which the debtor has been a member at any time within six years
immediately preceding the commencement of the case.
NAME OF PARENT CORPORATION TAXPAYER-IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (EIN)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
25. Pension Funds.
None If the debtor is not an individual, list the name and federal taxpayer-identification number of any pension fund to
which the debtor, as an employer, has been responsible for contributing at any time within six years immediately
preceding the commencement of the case.
NAME OF PENSION FUND TAXPAYER-IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (EIN)
* * * * * *
11
[If completed by an individual or individual and spouse]
I declare under penalty of perjury that I have read the answers contained in the foregoing statement of financial affairs
and any attachments thereto and that they are true and correct.
Date
Signature
of Debtor
Date
Signature of
Joint Debtor
(if any)
____________________________________________________________________________
[If completed on behalf of a partnership or corporation]
I declare under penalty of perjury that I have read the answers contained in the foregoing statement of financial affairs and any attachments
thereto and that they are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.
Date Signature
Print Name and
Title
[An individual signing on behalf of a partnership or corporation must indicate position or relationship to debtor.]
___continuation sheets attached
Penalty for making a false statement: Fine of up to $500,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. 18 U.S.C. §§ 152 and 3571
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
DECLARATION AND SIGNATURE OF NON-ATTORNEY BANKRUPTCY PETITION PREPARER (See 11 U.S.C. § 110)
I declare under penalty of perjury that: (1) I am a bankruptcy petition preparer as defined in 11 U.S.C. § 110; (2) I prepared this document for
compensation and have provided the debtor with a copy of this document and the notices and information required under 11 U.S.C. §§ 110(b), 110(h), and
342(b); and, (3) if rules or guidelines have been promulgated pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 110(h) setting a maximum fee for services chargeable by bankruptcy
petition preparers, I have given the debtor notice of the maximum amount before preparing any document for filing for a debtor or accepting any fee from
the debtor, as required by that section.
Printed or Typed Name and Title, if any, of Bankruptcy Petition Preparer Social-Security No. (Required by 11 U.S.C. § 110.)
If the bankruptcy petition preparer is not an individual, state the name, title (if any), address, and social-security number of the officer, principal,
responsible person, or partner who signs this document.
Address
Signature of Bankruptcy Petition Preparer Date
Names and Social-Security numbers of all other individuals who prepared or assisted in preparing this document unless the bankruptcy petition preparer is
not an individual:
If more than one person prepared this document, attach additional signed sheets conforming to the appropriate Official Form for each person
A bankruptcy petition preparer’s failure to comply with the provisions of title 11 and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure may result in
fines or imprisonment or both. 18 U.S.C. § 156.
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
TEXAS CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE CHAPTER 33. PROPORTIONATE RESPONSIBILITY
CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE
TITLE 2. TRIAL, JUDGMENT, AND APPEAL
SUBTITLE C. JUDGMENTS
CHAPTER 33. PROPORTIONATE RESPONSIBILITY
SUBCHAPTER A. PROPORTIONATE RESPONSIBILITY
Sec. 33.001. PROPORTIONATE RESPONSIBILITY. In an action to which this chapter applies, a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 959, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 2, Sec. 2.04, eff. Sept. 2, 1987; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Sec. 33.002. APPLICABILITY. (a) This chapter applies to:
(1) any cause of action based on tort in which a defendant, settling person, or responsible third party is found responsible for a percentage of the harm for which relief is sought; or
(2) any action brought under the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act (Subchapter E, Chapter 17, Business & Commerce Code) in which a defendant, settling person, or responsible third party is found responsible for a percentage of the harm for which relief is sought.
(b) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.10(1).
(c) This chapter does not apply to:
(1) an action to collect workers’ compensation benefits under the workers’ compensation laws of this state (Subtitle A, Title 5, Labor Code) or actions against an employer for exemplary damages arising out of the death of an employee;
(2) a claim for exemplary damages included in an action to which this chapter otherwise applies; or
(3) a cause of action for damages arising from the manufacture of methamphetamine as described by Chapter 99.
(d) to (h) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.10(1).
Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 2, Sec. 2.05, eff. Sept. 2, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 380, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 414, Sec. 17, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 643, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.01, 4.10(1), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 33.003. DETERMINATION OF PERCENTAGE OF RESPONSIBILITY. (a) The trier of fact, as to each cause of action asserted, shall determine the percentage of responsibility, stated in whole numbers, for the following persons with respect to each person’s causing or contributing to cause in any way the harm for which recovery of damages is sought, whether by negligent act or omission, by any defective or unreasonably dangerous product, by other conduct or activity that violates an applicable legal standard, or by any combination of these:
(1) each claimant;
(2) each defendant;
(3) each settling person; and
(4) each responsible third party who has been designated under Section 33.004.
(b) This section does not allow a submission to the jury of a question regarding conduct by any person without sufficient evidence to support the submission.
Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 2, Sec. 2.06, eff. Sept. 2, 1987. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.02, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 33.004. DESIGNATION OF RESPONSIBLE THIRD PARTY. (a) A defendant may seek to designate a person as a responsible third party by filing a motion for leave to designate that person as a responsible third party. The motion must be filed on or before the 60th day before the trial date unless the court finds good cause to allow the motion to be filed at a later date.
(b) Nothing in this section affects the third-party practice as previously recognized in the rules and statutes of this state with regard to the assertion by a defendant of rights to contribution or indemnity. Nothing in this section affects the filing of cross-claims or counterclaims.
(c) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.10(2).
(d) A defendant may not designate a person as a responsible third party with respect to a claimant’s cause of action after the applicable limitations period on the cause of action has expired with respect to the responsible third party if the defendant has failed to comply with its obligations, if any, to timely disclose that the person may be designated as a responsible third party under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
(e) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 203, Sec. 5.02, eff. September 1, 2011.
(f) A court shall grant leave to designate the named person as a responsible third party unless another party files an objection to the motion for leave on or before the 15th day after the date the motion is served.
(g) If an objection to the motion for leave is timely filed, the court shall grant leave to designate the person as a responsible third party unless the objecting party establishes:
(1) the defendant did not plead sufficient facts concerning the alleged responsibility of the person to satisfy the pleading requirement of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure; and
(2) after having been granted leave to replead, the defendant failed to plead sufficient facts concerning the alleged responsibility of the person to satisfy the pleading requirements of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
(h) By granting a motion for leave to designate a person as a responsible third party, the person named in the motion is designated as a responsible third party for purposes of this chapter without further action by the court or any party.
(i) The filing or granting of a motion for leave to designate a person as a responsible third party or a finding of fault against the person:
(1) does not by itself impose liability on the person; and
(2) may not be used in any other proceeding, on the basis of res judicata, collateral estoppel, or any other legal theory, to impose liability on the person.
(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if, not later than 60 days after the filing of the defendant’s original answer, the defendant alleges in an answer filed with the court that an unknown person committed a criminal act that was a cause of the loss or injury that is the subject of the lawsuit, the court shall grant a motion for leave to designate the unknown person as a responsible third party if:
(1) the court determines that the defendant has pleaded facts sufficient for the court to determine that there is a reasonable probability that the act of the unknown person was criminal;
(2) the defendant has stated in the answer all identifying characteristics of the unknown person, known at the time of the answer; and
(3) the allegation satisfies the pleading requirements of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
(k) An unknown person designated as a responsible third party under Subsection (j) is denominated as “Jane Doe” or “John Doe” until the person’s identity is known.
(l) After adequate time for discovery, a party may move to strike the designation of a responsible third party on the ground that there is no evidence that the designated person is responsible for any portion of the claimant’s alleged injury or damage. The court shall grant the motion to strike unless a defendant produces sufficient evidence to raise a genuine issue of fact regarding the designated person’s responsibility for the claimant’s injury or damage.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.03, 4.04, 4.10(2), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 274), Sec. 5.01, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 203 (H.B. 274), Sec. 5.02, eff. September 1, 2011.
SUBCHAPTER B. CONTRIBUTION
Sec. 33.011. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) “Claimant” means a person seeking recovery of damages, including a plaintiff, counterclaimant, cross-claimant, or third-party plaintiff. In an action in which a party seeks recovery of damages for injury to another person, damage to the property of another person, death of another person, or other harm to another person, “claimant” includes:
(A) the person who was injured, was harmed, or died or whose property was damaged; and
(B) any person who is seeking, has sought, or could seek recovery of damages for the injury, harm, or death of that person or for the damage to the property of that person.
(2) “Defendant” includes any person from whom, at the time of the submission of the case to the trier of fact, a claimant seeks recovery of damages.
(3) “Liable defendant” means a defendant against whom a judgment can be entered for at least a portion of the damages awarded to the claimant.
(4) “Percentage of responsibility” means that percentage, stated in whole numbers, attributed by the trier of fact to each claimant, each defendant, each settling person, or each responsible third party with respect to causing or contributing to cause in any way, whether by negligent act or omission, by any defective or unreasonably dangerous product, by other conduct or activity violative of the applicable legal standard, or by any combination of the foregoing, the personal injury, property damage, death, or other harm for which recovery of damages is sought.
(5) “Settling person” means a person who has, at any time, paid or promised to pay money or anything of monetary value to a claimant in consideration of potential liability with respect to the personal injury, property damage, death, or other harm for which recovery of damages is sought.
(6) “Responsible third party” means any person who is alleged to have caused or contributed to causing in any way the harm for which recovery of damages is sought, whether by negligent act or omission, by any defective or unreasonably dangerous product, by other conduct or activity that violates an applicable legal standard, or by any combination of these. The term “responsible third party” does not include a seller eligible for indemnity under Section 82.002.
(7) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.10(3).
Sec. 33.012. AMOUNT OF RECOVERY. (a) If the claimant is not barred from recovery under Section 33.001, the court shall reduce the amount of damages to be recovered by the claimant with respect to a cause of action by a percentage equal to the claimant’s percentage of responsibility.
(b) If the claimant has settled with one or more persons, the court shall further reduce the amount of damages to be recovered by the claimant with respect to a cause of action by the sum of the dollar amounts of all settlements.
(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), if the claimant in a health care liability claim filed under Chapter 74 has settled with one or more persons, the court shall further reduce the amount of damages to be recovered by the claimant with respect to a cause of action by an amount equal to one of the following, as elected by the defendant:
(1) the sum of the dollar amounts of all settlements; or
(2) a percentage equal to each settling person’s percentage of responsibility as found by the trier of fact.
(d) An election made under Subsection (c) shall be made by any defendant filing a written election before the issues of the action are submitted to the trier of fact and when made, shall be binding on all defendants. If no defendant makes this election or if conflicting elections are made, all defendants are considered to have elected Subsection (c)(1).
(e) This section shall not apply to benefits paid by or on behalf of an employer to an employee pursuant to workers’ compensation insurance coverage, as defined in Section 401.011(44), Labor Code, in effect at the time of the act, event, or occurrence made the basis of claimant’s suit.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 277 (S.B. 890), Sec. 1, eff. June 9, 2005.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 728 (H.B. 2018), Sec. 23.001(6), eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 33.013. AMOUNT OF LIABILITY. (a) Except as provided in Subsection (b), a liable defendant is liable to a claimant only for the percentage of the damages found by the trier of fact equal to that defendant’s percentage of responsibility with respect to the personal injury, property damage, death, or other harm for which the damages are allowed.
(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), each liable defendant is, in addition to his liability under Subsection (a), jointly and severally liable for the damages recoverable by the claimant under Section 33.012 with respect to a cause of action if:
(1) the percentage of responsibility attributed to the defendant with respect to a cause of action is greater than 50 percent; or
(2) the defendant, with the specific intent to do harm to others, acted in concert with another person to engage in the conduct described in the following provisions of the Penal Code and in so doing proximately caused the damages legally recoverable by the claimant:
(G) Section 22.04 (injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual);
(H) Section 32.21 (forgery);
(I) Section 32.43 (commercial bribery);
(J) Section 32.45 (misapplication of fiduciary property or property of financial institution);
(K) Section 32.46 (securing execution of document by deception);
(L) Section 32.47 (fraudulent destruction, removal, or concealment of writing);
(M) conduct described in Chapter 31 the punishment level for which is a felony of the third degree or higher; or
(N) Section 21.02 (continuous sexual abuse of young child or children).
(c) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.10(5).
(d) This section does not create a cause of action.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary stated in the provisions of the Penal Code listed in Subsection (b)(2), that subsection applies only if the claimant proves the defendant acted or failed to act with specific intent to do harm. A defendant acts with specific intent to do harm with respect to the nature of the defendant’s conduct and the result of the person’s conduct when it is the person’s conscious effort or desire to engage in the conduct for the purpose of doing substantial harm to others.
(f) The jury may not be made aware through voir dire, introduction into evidence, instruction, or any other means that the conduct to which Subsection (b)(2) refers is defined by the Penal Code.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8), Sec. 3.02, eff. September 1, 2007.
Sec. 33.015. CONTRIBUTION. (a) If a defendant who is jointly and severally liable under Section 33.013 pays a percentage of the damages for which the defendant is jointly and severally liable greater than his percentage of responsibility, that defendant has a right of contribution for the overpayment against each other liable defendant to the extent that the other liable defendant has not paid the percentage of the damages found by the trier of fact equal to that other defendant’s percentage of responsibility.
(b) As among themselves, each of the defendants who is jointly and severally liable under Section 33.013 is liable for the damages recoverable by the claimant under Section 33.012 in proportion to his respective percentage of responsibility. If a defendant who is jointly and severally liable pays a larger proportion of those damages than is required by his percentage of responsibility, that defendant has a right of contribution for the overpayment against each other defendant with whom he is jointly and severally liable under Section 33.013 to the extent that the other defendant has not paid the proportion of those damages required by that other defendant’s percentage of responsibility.
(c) If for any reason a liable defendant does not pay or contribute the portion of the damages required by his percentage of responsibility, the amount of the damages not paid or contributed by that defendant shall be paid or contributed by the remaining defendants who are jointly and severally liable for those damages. The additional amount to be paid or contributed by each of the defendants who is jointly and severally liable for those damages shall be in proportion to his respective percentage of responsibility.
(d) No defendant has a right of contribution against any settling person.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 959, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 2, Sec. 2.11, eff. Sept. 2, 1987; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Sec. 33.016. CLAIM AGAINST CONTRIBUTION DEFENDANT. (a) In this section, “contribution defendant” means any defendant, counterdefendant, or third-party defendant from whom any party seeks contribution with respect to any portion of damages for which that party may be liable, but from whom the claimant seeks no relief at the time of submission.
(b) Each liable defendant is entitled to contribution from each person who is not a settling person and who is liable to the claimant for a percentage of responsibility but from whom the claimant seeks no relief at the time of submission. A party may assert this contribution right against any such person as a contribution defendant in the claimant’s action.
(c) The trier of fact shall determine as a separate issue or finding of fact the percentage of responsibility with respect to each contribution defendant and these findings shall be solely for purposes of this section and Section 33.015 and not as a part of the percentages of responsibility determined under Section 33.003. Only the percentage of responsibility of each defendant and contribution defendant shall be included in this determination.
(d) As among liable defendants, including each defendant who is jointly and severally liable under Section 33.013, each contribution defendant’s percentage of responsibility is to be included for all purposes of Section 33.015. The amount to be contributed by each contribution defendant pursuant to Section 33.015 shall be in proportion to his respective percentage of responsibility relative to the sum of percentages of responsibility of all liable defendants and liable contribution defendants.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 959, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 2, Sec. 2.11A, eff. Sept. 2, 1987; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Sec. 33.017. PRESERVATION OF EXISTING RIGHTS OF INDEMNITY. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect any rights of indemnity granted by any statute, by contract, or by common law. To the extent of any conflict between this chapter and any right to indemnification granted by statute, contract, or common law, those rights of indemnification shall prevail over the provisions of this chapter.
North Central Texas1. Hardeman – Chillicothe, Goodlett, Quanah
2. Wilbarger – Fargo, Harrold, Lockett, Oklaunion, Vernon
3. Wichita – Burkburnett, Electra, Iowa Park, Wichita Falls
4. Clay – Bellevue, Byers, Dean, Henrietta, Jolly, Joy, Petrolia
5. Montague – Bowie, Forestburg, Montague, Nocona, St. Jo
6. Cooke – Callisburg, Gainesville, Lindsay, Muenster, Oak Ridge
7. Foard – Crowell, Thalia
8. Knox – Benjamin, Goree, Knox City, Munday
9. Baylor – Seymour
10. Archer – Archer City, Holliday, Megargel, Scotland, Windthorst
11. Haskell – Haskell, O’Brien, Paint Creek, Rochester, Rule, Sagerton, Stamford, Weinert
12. Throckmorton – Throckmorton, Woodson
13. Young – Graham, Jean, Loving, Newcastle, Olney
14. Jack – Bryson, Jacksboro, Jermyn, Perrin
15. Wise – Alvord, Aurora, Balsora, Boonsvile, Boyd, Briar, Bridgeport, Chico, Cottondale, Decatur, Fairview, Newark, Paradise, Rhome, Runaway Bay, Slidell
16. Denton – Argyle, Aubrey, Bartonville, Carrollton, Copper Canyon, Corinth, Corral City, Cross Roads, Dallas, Denton, Double Oak, Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Frisco, Hackberry, Haslet, Hebron, Hickory Creek, Highland Village, Justin, Krugerville, Krum, Lake Dallas, Lakewood Village, Lewisville, Lincoln Park, Little Elm, Marshall Creek, Northlake, Oak Point, Pilot Point, Ponder, Providence Village, Roanoke, Sanger, Shady Shores, Southlake, The Colony, Trophy Club, Westlake
17. Jones – Anson, Hamlin, Hawley, Lueders, Stamford
18. Shackelford – Albany, Moran
19. Stephens – Breckenridge, Caddo
20. Palo Pinto – Gordon, Graford, Mineral Wells, Mingus, Palo Pinto, Santo, Strawn
21. Parker – Aledo, Annetta, Azle, Briar, Cool, Hudson Oaks, Millsap, Poolville, Reno, Sanctuary, Springtown, Weatherford, Willow Park
22. Tarrant – Arlington, Bedford, Benbrook, Blue Mound, Colleyville, Crowley, Dalworthington Gardens, Eagle Mountain, Edgecliff Village, Euless, Everman, Forest Hill, Fort Worth, Grapevine, Grand Prairie, Haltom City, Hurst, Keller, Kennedale, Lake Worth, Lakeside, Newark, North Richland Hills, Pantego, Pecan Acres, Pelican Bay, Rendon, Richland Hills, River Oaks, Saginaw, Sansom Park, Southlake, Watauga, Westover Hills, Westworth Village, White Settlement
23. Taylor – Abilene, Buffalo Gap, Impact, Lawn, Merkel, Ovalo, Potosi, Trent, Tuscola, Tye
24. Callahan – Baird, Clyde, Cross Plains, Putnam
25. Eastland – Carbon, Cisco, Desdemona, Eastland, Gorman, Ranger, Rising Star
26. Erath – Dublin, Morgan Mill, Stephenville
27. Hood – Cresson, Granbury, Lipan, Oak Trail Shores, Pecan Plantation, Tolar
28. Somervell – Glen Rose, Rainbow
29. Johnson – Alvarado, Briaroaks, Burleson, Cleburne, Cross Timber, Godley, Grandview, Joshua, Keene, Rio Vista, Venus
Northeast Texas1. Grayson – Bells, Collinsville, Denison, Dorchester, Gunter, Howe, Knollwood, Pottsboro, Sadler, Sherman, Southmayd, Tioga, Tom Bean, Van Alstyne, Whitesboro, Whitewright
2. Fannin – Bailey, Bonham, Dodd City, Ector, Honey Grove, Ivanhoe, Ladonia, Leonard, Monkstown, Randolph, Ravenna, Savoy, Telephone, Trenton, Windom
3. Lamar – Blossom, Deport, Paris, Powderly, Roxton, Sumner
4. Red River – Annona, Avery, Bogata, Clarksville, Detroit
5. Bowie – Dalby Springs, De Kalb, Hooks, Leary, Maud, Nash, New Boston, Red Lick, Redwater, Simms, Texarkana, Wake Village
6. Collin -McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Plano, Melissa, Wylie
7. Hunt – Caddo Mills, Campbell, Celeste, Commerce, Greenville, Lone Oak, Quinlan, West Tawakoni, Wolfe City
8. Delta – Ben Franklin, Cooper, Klondike, Pecan Gap
9. Hopkins – Brashear, Como, Cumby, Pickton, Saltillo, Sulphur Bluff, Sulphur Springs, Tira
10. Franklin – Mount Vernon, Scroggins, Winnsboro
11. Titus – Cookville, Mount Pleasant, Talco, Winfield
12. Morris – Daingerfield, Lone Star, Naples, Omaha
13. Cass – Atlanta, Avinger, Bivins, Bloomburg, Bryans Mill, Domino, Douglassville, Hughes Springs, Linden, Marietta, Queen City
14. Dallas – Addison, Balch Springs, Cedar Hill, Carrollton, Cockrell Hill, Combine, Coppell, Dallas, DeSoto, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Ferris, Garland, Glenn Heights, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Highland Park, Hutchins, Irving, Lancaster, Lewisville, Mesquite, Ovilla, Rowlett, Seagoville, Sunnyvale, University Park, Wilmer
15. Rockwall – Fate, Heath, McLendon-Chisholm, Mobile City, Rockwall, Rowlett, Royse City
16. Rains – East Tawakoni, Emory, Point
17. Wood – Alba, Hawkins, Mineola, Quitman, Winnsboro, Yantis
18. Camp – Leesburg, Pittsburg, Rocky Mound
19. Upshur – Bettie, Big Sandy, Diana, East Mountain, Gilmer, Ore City, Union Grove
20. Marion – Jefferson
21. Ellis – Alma, Bardwell, Ennis, Ferris, Garrett, Grand Prairie, Italy, Mansfield, Maypearl, Midlothian, Milford, Oak Leaf, Ovilla, Palmer, Pecan Hill, Red Oak, Telico, Venus, Waxahachie
22. Kaufman – Crandall, Combine, Dallas, Forney, Grays Prairie, Kaufman, Kemp, Lawrence, Mabank, Oak Grove, Oak Ridge, Post Oak Bend, Rosser, Scurry, Talty, Terrell
23. Van Zandt – Ben Wheeler, Canton, Edgewood, Edom, Fruitvale, Grand Saline, Van, Wills Point
24. Navarro – Angus, Barry, Blooming Grove, Corsicana, Dawson, Emhouse, Eureka, Frost, Goodlow Park, Kerens, Mildred, Mustang, Navarro, Oak Valley, Powell, Purdon, Retreat, Rice, Richland, Silver City
25. Henderson – Athens, Berryville, Brownsboro, Caney City, Chandler, Coffee City, Enchanted Oaks, Eustace, Evelyn, Gun Barrel City, Log Cabin, Mabank, Malakoff, Moore Station, Murchison, Payne Springs, Poynor, Seven Points, Star Harbor, Tool, Trinidad
26. Smith – Arp, Bullard, Lindale, New Chapel Hill, Noonday, Troup, Tyler, Whitehouse, Winona
27. Gregg – Clarksville City, Easton, Gladewater, Kilgore, Lakeport, Liberty City, Longview, Warren City, White Oak
28. Harrison – Elysian Fields, Gill, Hallsville, Harleton, Jonesville, Karnack, Latex, Longview, Marshall, Nesbitt, Scottsville, Uncertain, Waskom, Woodlawn
29. Rusk – Henderson, Laneville, Mount Enterprise, New London, Overton, Pinehill, Tatum, Turnertown
30. Panola – Beckville, Bethany, Carthage, Clayton, Deadwood, De Berry, Gary City, Long Branch, Murvaul, Tatum
Southern West Texas 1. El Paso – Agua Dulce, Anthony, Butterfield, Canutillo, Clint, El Paso, Fabens, Fort Bliss, Homestead Meadows North, Homestead Meadows South, Horizon City, Morning Glory, Newman, Prado Verde, San Elizario, Socorro, Sparks, Tornillo, Vinton, Westway
2. Hudspeth – Dell City, Fort Hancock, Salt Flat, Sierra Blanca
3. Culberson – Van Horn
4. Reeves – Balmorhea, Lindsay, Pecos, Toyah
5. Loving – Mentone
6. Winkler – Kermit, Wink
7. Ector – Gardendale, Goldsmith, Odessa, West Odessa
8. Midland – Midland
9. Ward – Barstow, Grandfalls, Monahans, Pyote, Thorntonville, Wickett
10. Crane – Crane
11. Upton – McCamey, Rankin
12. Jeff Davis – Fort Davis, Valentine
13. Pecos – Coyanosa, Fort Stockton, Imperial, Sheffield
14. Presidio – Marfa, Presidio, Redford
15. Brewster – Alpine, Marathon
16. Terrell – Dryden, Sanderson
Central West Texas1. Glasscock – Garden City
2. Sterling – Sterling City
3. Coke – Blackwell, Bronte, Robert Lee, Silver
4. Runnels – Ballinger, Miles, Norton, Rowena, Wingate, Winters
5. Coleman – Burkett, Coleman, Goldsboro, Gouldbusk, Novice, Rockwood, Santa Anna, Talpa, Valera, Voss
6. Brown – Bangs, Blanket, Brookesmith, Brownwood, Early, May, Zephyr
7. Reagan – Big Lake
8. Irion – Barnhart, Mertzon
9. Tom Green – Carlsbad, Christoval, Mereta, San Angelo, Vancourt, Wall
10. Concho – Eden, Eola, Millersview, Paint Rock
11. McCulloch – Brady, Doole, Lohn, Melvin, Pear Valley, Rochelle, Voca
12. Crockett – Ozona
13. Schleicher – Eldorado
14. Menard – Fort McKavett, Menard
15. Mason – Art, Fredonia, Mason, Pontotoc
16. Sutton – Sonora
17. Kimble – Junction, London, Roosevelt
18. Gillespie – Fredericksburg, Harper, Luckenbach, Stonewall, Willow City
19. Val Verde – Comstock, Del Rio, Langtry, Pandale
20. Edwards – Barksdale, Rocksprings
21. Real – Camp Wood, Leakey, Rio Frio
22. Kerr – Center Point, Ingram, Kerrville, Mountain Home
23. Bandera – Bandera, Medina, Vanderpool
24. Kinney – Brackettville
25. Uvalde – Sabinal, Utopia, Uvalde
26. Medina – Castroville, Devine, D’Hanis, Hondo, Mico, Natalia
Central Texas1. Comanche – Comanche, Gustine
2. Hamilton – Hamilton, Hico
3. Bosque – Clifton, Cranfills Gap, Iredell, Meridian, Morgan, Valley Mills, Walnut Springs
4. Hill – Abbott, Blum, Hillsboro, Hubbard, Itasca, Malone, Mount Calm, Penelope, Whitney
5. Mills – Goldthwaite, Mullin, Priddy, Star
6. San Saba – Richland Springs, San Saba
7. Lampasas – Adamsville, Kempner, Lampasas, Lometa
8. Coryell – Copperas Cove, Evant, Gatesville, Jonesboro, Oglesby, South Mountain
9. McLennan – Axtell, Bellmead, Beverly Hills, China Springs, Crawford, Elm Mott, Gholson, Hallsburg, Hewitt, Lacy-Lakeview, Leroy, Lorena, Mart, McGregor, Moody, Riesel, Robinson, Ross, Waco, West, Woodway
10. Limestone – Coolidge, Groesbeck, Kosse, Mexia, Personville, Tehuacana, Thornton
11. Falls – Chilton, Golinda, Lott, Marlin, Reagan, Rosebud
12. Bell – Academy, Bartlett, Belton, Ding Dong, Harker Heights, Holland, Killeen, Nolanville, Rogers, Salado, Temple, Troy
13. Llano – Buchanan Dam, Castell, Kingsland, Llano, Sunrise Beach Village, Tow, Valley Spring
14. Burnet – Bertram, Burnet, Cottonwood Shores, Marble Falls
15. Williamson – Cedar Park, Florence, Georgetown, Granger, Hutto, Jarrell, Leander, Round Rock, Taylor, Thrall
16. Milam – Buckholts, Burlington, Cameron, Davilla, Gause, Milano, Rockdale, Thorndale
17. Robertson – Bremond, Calvert, Franklin, Hearne
18. Blanco – Blanco, Johnson City, Round Mountain
19. Travis – Austin, Del Valley, Garfield, Jollyville, Jonestown, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Manchaca, Pflugerville, Rollingwood, West Lake Hills
20. Lee – Dime Box, Giddings, Lexington, Lincoln
21. Burleson – Caldwell, Snook, Somerville
22. Brazos – Bryan, College Station
23. Kendall – Bergheim, Boerne, Comfort, Kendalia
24. Comal – Bulverde, Canyon Lake Forest, Fischer, Garden Ridge, New Braunfels, Spring Branch
25. Hays – Buda, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, Kyle, San Marcos, Wimberley
26. Caldwell – Dale, Lockhart, Luling, Martindale, Niederwald, Uhland, Maxwell
27. Bastrop – Bastrop, Cedar Creek, Elgin, Paige, Smithville
28. Washington – Brenham, Burton, Chappell Hill, Independence
29. Bexar – Alamo Heights, Balcones Heights, China Grove, Converse, Fair Oaks Ranch, Helotes, Hollywood Park, Kirby, Leon Valley, Live Oak, Olmos Park, San Antonio, Shavano Park, Somerset, St. Hedwig, Terrell Hills, Von Ormy, Windcrest
30. Guadalupe – Cibolo, Marion, McQueeney, Seguin, Schertz
31. Gonzales – Gonzales, Nixon, Smiley, Waelder
32. Fayette – Carmine, Fayetteville, Flatonia, La Grange, Schulenburg
33. Lavaca – Hallettsville, Moulton, Shiner
34. Colorado – Columbus, Garwood, Eagle Lake, Weimar
Central East Texas1. Freestone – Fairfield, Oakwood, Streetman, Teague, Worthman
2. Anderson – Cayuga, Elkhart, Frankston, Montalba, Palestine
3. Cherokee – Alto, Cumey, Gallatin, Jacksonville, Mount Selman, New Summerfield, Rusk, Wells
4. Nacogdoches – Appleby, Chireno, Cushing, Douglass, Garrison, Nacogdoches
5. Shelby – Center, Huxley, Joaquin, Neuville, Shelbyville, Tenaha, Timpson
6. Leon – Buffalo, Centerville, Jewett, Leona, Marquez, Normangee, Oakwood
7. Houston – Crockett, Grapeland, Kennard, Latexo, Lovelady, Porter Springs
8. Angelina – Burke, Diboll, Huntington, Lufkin, Pollok, Zavalla
9. San Augustine – Broaddus, San Augustine
10. Sabine – Bronson, Hemphill, Milam, Pineland
11. Madison – Madisonville, Midway, North Zulch
12. Trinity – Apple Springs, Glendale, Groveton, Trinity
13. Grimes – Anderson, Navasota
14. Walker – Huntsville, New Waverly
15. San Jacinto – Coldspring, Oakhurst, Pointblank, Shepherd
16. Polk – Corrigan, Goodrich, Livingston, Moscow, Onalaska, Seven Oaks
17. Tyler – Chester, Colmesneil, Fred, Spurger, Warren, Woodville
18. Jasper – Browndell, Buna, Evadale, Jasper, Kirbyville
19. Newton – Burkeville, Deweyville, Newton
20. Montgomery – Conroe, Cut and Shoot, Magnolia, Oak Ridge North, Porter, Shenandoah, Splendora, The Woodlands, Willis
21. Liberty – Cleveland, Daisetta, Dayton, Hardin, Hull, Liberty
22. Hardin – Batson, Kountze, Loeb, Lumberton, Saratoga, Silsbee, Sour Lake
23. Orange – Bridge City, Mauriceville, Orange, Orangefield, Rose City, Vidor, West Orange
24. Austin – Bellville, Bleiblerville, Cat Spring, New Ulm, Industry, San Felipe, Sealy, Wallis
25. Waller – Brookshire, Hempstead, Katy, Pattison, Prairie View, Waller
26. Harris – Atascocita, Barrett, Baytown, Bellaire, Bunker Hill Village, Channelview, Cloverleaf, Crosby, Deer Park, El Lago, Friendswood, Galena Park, Hedwig Village, Highlands, Hilshire Village, Houston, Humble, Hunters Creek Village, Jacinto City, Jersey Village, Katy, Klein, La Porte, League City, Missouri City, Morgan’s Point, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Pearland, Piney Point Village, Seabrook, Sheldon, Shoreacres, South Houston, Southside Place, Spring, Spring Valley, Stafford, Taylor Lake Village, Tomball, Webster, West University Place
27. Chambers – Anahuac, Baytown, Beach City, Mont Belvieu, Seabrook, Shoreacres, Stowell, Wallisville, Winnie
28. Jefferson – Beaumont, Bevil Oaks, China, Groves, Nederland, Port Arthur, Port Neches, Sabine Pass
29. Fort Bend – Fulshear, Katy, Kendleton, Meadows, Missouri City, Needville, Rosenberg, Simonton, Stafford, Sugar Land
30. Galveston – Bacliff, Bayou Vista, Clear Lake Shores, Dickinson, Friendswood, Galveston, High Island, Hitchcock, Jamaica Beach, Kemah, La Marque, League City, Port Bolivar, San Leon, Santa Fe, Texas City, Tiki Island
31. Wharton – Boling, East Bernard, El Campo, Louise, Newgulf, Wharton
32. Brazoria – Alvin, Angleton, Brazoria, Clute, Danbury, Freeport, Hillcrest, Lake Jackson, Liverpool, Manvel, Oyster Creek, Pearland, Richwood, West Columbia
33. Matagorda – Bay City, Markham, Matagorda, Palacios, Van Vleck
South Texas1. Maverick – Eagle Pass, Quemado
2. Zavala – Batesville, Crystal City, La Pryor
3. Dimmit – Asherton, Big Wells, Carrizo Springs
4. Frio – Bigfoot, Dilley, Moore, Pearsall
5. La Salle – Cotulla, Fowlerton
6. Atascosa – Campbellton, Charlotte, Christine, Jourdanton, Leming, Lytle, Pleasanton, Poteet
7. McMullen – Calliham, Tilden
8. Wilson – Floresville, La Vernia, Poth, Stockdale
9. Karnes – Falls City, Gillett, Karnes City, Kenedy, Runge
10. Live Oak – George West, Three Rivers
11. De Witt – Arneckville, Cuero, Nordheim, Yoakum, Yorktown
12. Jackson – Cordele, Edna, Ganado, Vanderbilt
13. Goliad – Ander, Goliad
14. Victoria – Bloomington, Inez, Victoria
15. Calhoun – Point Comfort, Port Lavaca, Seadrift
16. Bee – Beeville, Pettus, Skidmore
17. Refugio – Austwell, Bayside, Refugio, Tivoli, Woodsboro
18. Aransas – Fulton, Rockport
19. San Patricio – Aransas Pass, Gregory, Ingleside, Odem, Portland, San Patricio, Sinton, Taft
20. Webb – Botines, Bruni, El Cenizo, La Presa, Laredo, Laredo Ranchettes, Larga Vista, Mirando City, Oilton, Ranchitos Las Lomas, Ranchos Penitas West, Rio Bravo
21. Duval – Benavides, Concepcion, Freer, Realitos, San Diego
22. Jim Wells – Alice, Pernitas Point, Orange Grove, Premont
23. Nueces – Agua Dulce, Corpus Christi, Driscoll, Ingleside, Petronila, Portland, Port Aransas, Robstown
24. Kleberg – Kingsville, Riviera
25. Zapata – Zapata
26. Jim Hogg – Hebbronville
27. Brooks – Encino, Falfurrias
28. Kenedy – Sarita
29. Starr – Escobares, Garciasville, La Grulla, Rio Grande City, Roma-Los Saenz, Santa Elena
30. Hidalgo – Abram, Alamo, Alton, Donna, Edcouch, Edinburg, Elsa, Hidalgo, La Joya, Lopezville, Mercedes, Mission, Pharr, Progreso, San Juan, Sullivan City, Weslaco
31. Willacy – Lyford, Port Mansfield, Raymondville, San Perlita, Sebastian
32. Cameron – Brownsville, Combes, Harlingen, La Feria, Laguna Heights, Laureles, Los Fresnos, Port Isabel, Primera, Rio Hondo ,San Benito, South Padre Island
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
TEXAS BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS CODE CHAPTER 101. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS CODE
TITLE 3. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES
CHAPTER 101. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 101.001. DEFINITIONS. In this title:
(1) “Company agreement” means any agreement, written or oral, of the members concerning the affairs or the conduct of the business of a limited liability company. A company agreement of a limited liability company having only one member is not unenforceable because only one person is a party to the company agreement.
(2) “Foreign limited liability company” or “foreign company” means a limited liability company formed under the laws of a jurisdiction other than this state.
(3) “Limited liability company” or “company” means a domestic limited liability company subject to this title.
Sec. 101.002. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS. (a) Subject to Section 101.114, Sections 21.223, 21.224, 21.225, and 21.226 apply to a limited liability company and the company’s members, owners, assignees, affiliates, and subscribers.
(b) For purposes of the application of Subsection (a):
(1) a reference to “shares” includes “membership interests”;
(2) a reference to “holder,” “owner,” or “shareholder” includes a “member” and an “assignee”;
(3) a reference to “corporation” or “corporate” includes a “limited liability company”;
(4) a reference to “directors” includes “managers” of a manager-managed limited liability company and “members” of a member-managed limited liability company;
(5) a reference to “bylaws” includes “company agreement”; and
(6) the reference to “Sections 21.157-21.162” in Section 21.223(a)(1) refers to the provisions of Subchapter D of this chapter.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 25 (S.B. 323), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
SUBCHAPTER B. FORMATION AND GOVERNING DOCUMENTS
Sec. 101.051. CERTAIN PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION. (a) A provision that may be contained in the company agreement of a limited liability company may alternatively be included in the certificate of formation of the company as provided by Section 3.005(b).
(b) A reference in this title to the company agreement of a limited liability company includes any provision contained in the company’s certificate of formation instead of the company agreement as provided by Subsection (a).
Sec. 101.0515. EXECUTION OF FILINGS. Unless otherwise provided by this title, a filing instrument of a limited liability company must be signed by an authorized officer, manager, or member of the limited liability company.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 96, eff. September 1, 2007.
Sec. 101.052. COMPANY AGREEMENT. (a) Except as provided by Section 101.054, the company agreement of a limited liability company governs:
(1) the relations among members, managers, and officers of the company, assignees of membership interests in the company, and the company itself; and
(2) other internal affairs of the company.
(b) To the extent that the company agreement of a limited liability company does not otherwise provide, this title and the provisions of Title 1 applicable to a limited liability company govern the internal affairs of the company.
(c) Except as provided by Section 101.054, a provision of this title or Title 1 that is applicable to a limited liability company may be waived or modified in the company agreement of a limited liability company.
(d) The company agreement may contain any provisions for the regulation and management of the affairs of the limited liability company not inconsistent with law or the certificate of formation.
(e) A company agreement may provide rights to any person, including a person who is not a party to the company agreement, to the extent provided by the company agreement.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 9 (S.B. 847), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2013.
Sec. 101.053. AMENDMENT OF COMPANY AGREEMENT. The company agreement of a limited liability company may be amended only if each member of the company consents to the amendment.
Sec. 101.054. WAIVER OR MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN STATUTORY PROVISIONS PROHIBITED; EXCEPTIONS. (a) Except as provided by this section, the following provisions may not be waived or modified in the company agreement of a limited liability company:
(1) this section;
(2) Section 101.101, 101.151, 101.206, 101.501, 101.602(b), or 101.613;
(3) Chapter 1, if the provision is used to interpret a provision or define a word or phrase contained in a section listed in this subsection;
(4) Chapter 2, except that Section 2.104(c)(2), 2.104(c)(3), or 2.113 may be waived or modified in the company agreement;
(5) Chapter 3, except that Subchapters C and E may be waived or modified in the company agreement; or
(6) Chapter 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, or 12, other than Section 11.056.
(b) A provision listed in Subsection (a) may be waived or modified in the company agreement if the provision that is waived or modified authorizes the limited liability company to waive or modify the provision in the company’s governing documents.
(c) A provision listed in Subsection (a) may be modified in the company agreement if the provision that is modified specifies:
(1) the person or group of persons entitled to approve a modification; or
(2) the vote or other method by which a modification is required to be approved.
(d) A provision in this title or in that part of Title 1 applicable to a limited liability company that grants a right to a person, other than a member, manager, officer, or assignee of a membership interest in a limited liability company, may be waived or modified in the company agreement of the company only if the person consents to the waiver or modification.
(e) The company agreement may not unreasonably restrict a person’s right of access to records and information under Section 101.502.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 97, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 38, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 139 (S.B. 748), Sec. 34, eff. September 1, 2011.
SUBCHAPTER C. MEMBERSHIP
Sec. 101.101. MEMBERS REQUIRED. (a) A limited liability company may have one or more members. Except as provided by this section, a limited liability company must have at least one member.
(b) A limited liability company that has managers is not required to have any members during a reasonable period between the date the company is formed and the date the first member is admitted to the company.
(c) A limited liability company is not required to have any members during the period between the date the continued membership of the last remaining member of the company is terminated and the date the agreement to continue the company described by Section 11.056 is executed.
Sec. 101.102. QUALIFICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP. (a) A person may be a member of or acquire a membership interest in a limited liability company unless the person lacks capacity apart from this code.
(b) A person is not required, as a condition to becoming a member of or acquiring a membership interest in a limited liability company, to:
(1) make a contribution to the company;
(2) otherwise pay cash or transfer property to the company; or
(3) assume an obligation to make a contribution or otherwise pay cash or transfer property to the company.
(c) If one or more persons own a membership interest in a limited liability company, the company agreement may provide for a person to be admitted to the company as a member without acquiring a membership interest in the company.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 64 (H.B. 1319), Sec. 71, eff. January 1, 2006.
Sec. 101.103. EFFECTIVE DATE OF MEMBERSHIP. (a) In connection with the formation of a company, a person becomes a member of the company on the date the company is formed if the person is named as an initial member in the company’s certificate of formation.
(b) In connection with the formation of a company, a person being admitted as a member of the company but not named as an initial member in the company’s certificate of formation becomes a member of the company on the latest of:
(1) the date the company is formed;
(2) the date stated in the company’s records as the date the person becomes a member of the company; or
(3) if the company’s records do not state a date described by Subdivision (2), the date the person’s admission to the company is first reflected in the company’s records.
(c) A person who, after the formation of a limited liability company, acquires directly or is assigned a membership interest in the company or is admitted as a member of the company without acquiring a membership interest becomes a member of the company on approval or consent of all of the company’s members.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 64 (H.B. 1319), Sec. 72, eff. January 1, 2006.
Sec. 101.104. CLASSES OR GROUPS OF MEMBERS OR MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS. (a) The company agreement of a limited liability company may:
(1) establish within the company classes or groups of one or more members or membership interests each of which has certain expressed relative rights, powers, and duties, including voting rights; and
(2) provide for the manner of establishing within the company additional classes or groups of one or more members or membership interests each of which has certain expressed relative rights, powers, and duties, including voting rights.
(b) The rights, powers, and duties of a class or group of members or membership interests described by Subsection (a)(2) may be stated in the company agreement or stated at the time the class or group is established.
(c) If the company agreement of a limited liability company does not provide for the manner of establishing classes or groups of members or membership interests under Subsection (a)(2), additional classes or groups of members or membership interests may be established only by the adoption of an amendment to the company agreement.
(d) The rights, powers, or duties of any class or group of members or membership interests of a limited liability company may be senior to the rights, powers, or duties of any other class or group of members or membership interests in the company, including a previously established class or group.
Sec. 101.105. ISSUANCE OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS AFTER FORMATION OF COMPANY. A limited liability company, after the formation of the company, may:
(1) issue membership interests in the company to any person with the approval of all of the members of the company; and
(2) if the issuance of a membership interest requires the establishment of a new class or group of members or membership interests, establish a new class or group as provided by Sections 101.104(a)(2), (b), and (c).
Sec. 101.106. NATURE OF MEMBERSHIP INTEREST. (a) A membership interest in a limited liability company is personal property.
(a-1) A membership interest may be community property under applicable law.
(a-2) A member’s right to participate in the management and conduct of the business of the limited liability company is not community property.
(b) A member of a limited liability company or an assignee of a membership interest in a limited liability company does not have an interest in any specific property of the company.
(c) Sections 9.406 and 9.408, Business & Commerce Code, do not apply to a membership interest in a limited liability company, including the rights, powers, and interests arising under the company’s certificate of formation or company agreement or under this code. To the extent of any conflict between this subsection and Section 9.406 or 9.408, Business & Commerce Code, this subsection controls. It is the express intent of this subsection to permit the enforcement, as a contract among the members of a limited liability company, of any provision of a company agreement that would otherwise be ineffective under Section 9.406 or 9.408, Business & Commerce Code.
Sec. 101.109. RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF ASSIGNEE OF MEMBERSHIP INTEREST BEFORE MEMBERSHIP. (a) A person who is assigned a membership interest in a limited liability company is entitled to:
(1) receive any allocation of income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, or a similar item that the assignor is entitled to receive to the extent the allocation of the item is assigned;
(2) receive any distribution the assignor is entitled to receive to the extent the distribution is assigned;
(3) require, for any proper purpose, reasonable information or a reasonable account of the transactions of the company; and
(4) make, for any proper purpose, reasonable inspections of the books and records of the company.
(b) An assignee of a membership interest in a limited liability company is entitled to become a member of the company on the approval of all of the company’s members.
(c) An assignee of a membership interest in a limited liability company is not liable as a member of the company until the assignee becomes a member of the company.
Sec. 101.110. RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES OF ASSIGNEE OF MEMBERSHIP INTEREST AFTER BECOMING MEMBER. (a) An assignee of a membership interest in a limited liability company, after becoming a member of the company, is:
(1) entitled, to the extent assigned, to the same rights and powers granted or provided to a member of the company by the company agreement or this code;
(2) subject to the same restrictions and liabilities placed or imposed on a member of the company by the company agreement or this code; and
(3) except as provided by Subsection (b), liable for the assignor’s obligation to make contributions to the company.
(b) An assignee of a membership interest in a limited liability company, after becoming a member of the company, is not obligated for a liability of the assignor that:
(1) the assignee did not have knowledge of on the date the assignee became a member of the company; and
(2) could not be ascertained from the company agreement.
Sec. 101.111. RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF ASSIGNOR OF MEMBERSHIP INTEREST. (a) An assignor of a membership interest in a limited liability company continues to be a member of the company and is entitled to exercise any unassigned rights or powers of a member of the company until the assignee becomes a member of the company.
(b) An assignor of a membership interest in a limited liability company is not released from the assignor’s liability to the company, regardless of whether the assignee of the membership interest becomes a member of the company.
Sec. 101.1115. EFFECT OF DEATH OR DIVORCE ON MEMBERSHIP INTEREST. (a) For purposes of this code:
(1) on the divorce of a member, the member’s spouse, to the extent of the spouse’s membership interest, if any, is an assignee of the membership interest;
(2) on the death of a member, the member’s surviving spouse, if any, and an heir, devisee, personal representative, or other successor of the member, to the extent of their respective membership interest, are assignees of the membership interest; and
(3) on the death of a member’s spouse, an heir, devisee, personal representative, or other successor of the spouse, other than the member, to the extent of their respective membership interest, if any, is an assignee of the membership interest.
(b) This chapter does not impair an agreement for the purchase or sale of a membership interest at any time, including on the death or divorce of an owner of the membership interest.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 139 (S.B. 748), Sec. 36, eff. September 1, 2011.
Sec. 101.112. MEMBER’S MEMBERSHIP INTEREST SUBJECT TO CHARGING ORDER. (a) On application by a judgment creditor of a member of a limited liability company or of any other owner of a membership interest in a limited liability company, a court having jurisdiction may charge the membership interest of the judgment debtor to satisfy the judgment.
(b) If a court charges a membership interest with payment of a judgment as provided by Subsection (a), the judgment creditor has only the right to receive any distribution to which the judgment debtor would otherwise be entitled in respect of the membership interest.
(c) A charging order constitutes a lien on the judgment debtor’s membership interest. The charging order lien may not be foreclosed on under this code or any other law.
(d) The entry of a charging order is the exclusive remedy by which a judgment creditor of a member or of any other owner of a membership interest may satisfy a judgment out of the judgment debtor’s membership interest.
(e) This section may not be construed to deprive a member of a limited liability company or any other owner of a membership interest in a limited liability company of the benefit of any exemption laws applicable to the membership interest of the member or owner.
(f) A creditor of a member or of any other owner of a membership interest does not have the right to obtain possession of, or otherwise exercise legal or equitable remedies with respect to, the property of the limited liability company.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 98, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 40, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.113. PARTIES TO ACTIONS. A member of a limited liability company may be named as a party in an action by or against the limited liability company only if the action is brought to enforce the member’s right against or liability to the company.
Sec. 101.114. LIABILITY FOR OBLIGATIONS. Except as and to the extent the company agreement specifically provides otherwise, a member or manager is not liable for a debt, obligation, or liability of a limited liability company, including a debt, obligation, or liability under a judgment, decree, or order of a court.
Sec. 101.151. REQUIREMENTS FOR ENFORCEABLE PROMISE. A promise to make a contribution or otherwise pay cash or transfer property to a limited liability company is enforceable only if the promise is:
Sec. 101.152. ENFORCEABLE PROMISE NOT AFFECTED BY CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES. A member of a limited liability company is obligated to perform an enforceable promise to make a contribution or otherwise pay cash or transfer property to the company without regard to the death, disability, or other change in circumstances of the member.
Sec. 101.153. FAILURE TO PERFORM ENFORCEABLE PROMISE; CONSEQUENCES. (a) A member of a limited liability company, or the member’s legal representative or successor, who does not perform an enforceable promise to make a contribution, including a previously made contribution, or to otherwise pay cash or transfer property to the company, is obligated, at the request of the company, to pay in cash the agreed value of the contribution, as stated in the company agreement or the company’s records required under Sections 3.151 and 101.501, less:
(1) any amount already paid for the contribution; and
(2) the value of any property already transferred.
(b) The company agreement of a limited liability company may provide that the membership interest of a member who fails to perform an enforceable promise to make a payment of cash or transfer property to the company, whether as a contribution or in connection with a contribution already made, may be:
(1) reduced;
(2) subordinated to other membership interests of nondefaulting members;
(3) redeemed or sold at a value determined by appraisal or other formula; or
(4) made the subject of:
(A) a forced sale;
(B) forfeiture;
(C) a loan from other members of the company in an amount necessary to satisfy the enforceable promise; or
Sec. 101.154. CONSENT REQUIRED TO RELEASE ENFORCEABLE OBLIGATION. The obligation of a member of a limited liability company, or of the member’s legal representative or successor, to make a contribution or otherwise pay cash or transfer property to the company, or to return cash or property to the company paid or distributed to the member in violation of this code or the company agreement, may be released or settled only by consent of each member of the company.
Sec. 101.155. CREDITOR’S RIGHT TO ENFORCE CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS. A creditor of a limited liability company who extends credit or otherwise acts in reasonable reliance on an enforceable obligation of a member of the company that is released or settled as provided by Section 101.154 may enforce the original obligation if the obligation is stated in a document that is:
(1) signed by the member; and
(2) not amended or canceled to evidence the release or settlement of the obligation.
Sec. 101.156. REQUIREMENTS TO ENFORCE CONDITIONAL OBLIGATION. (a) An obligation of a member of a limited liability company that is subject to a condition may be enforced by the company or a creditor described by Section 101.155 only if the condition is satisfied or waived by or with respect to the member.
(b) A conditional obligation of a member of a limited liability company under this section includes a contribution payable on a discretionary call of the limited liability company before the time the call occurs.
Sec. 101.201. ALLOCATION OF PROFITS AND LOSSES. The profits and losses of a limited liability company shall be allocated to each member of the company on the basis of the agreed value of the contributions made by each member, as stated in the company’s records required under Section 101.501.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 64 (H.B. 1319), Sec. 73, eff. January 1, 2006.
Sec. 101.202. DISTRIBUTION IN KIND. A member of a limited liability company is entitled to receive or demand a distribution from the company only in the form of cash, regardless of the form of the member’s contribution to the company.
Sec. 101.203. SHARING OF DISTRIBUTIONS. Distributions of cash and other assets of a limited liability company shall be made to each member of the company according to the agreed value of the member’s contribution to the company as stated in the company’s records required under Sections 3.151 and 101.501.
Sec. 101.204. INTERIM DISTRIBUTIONS. A member of a limited liability company, before the winding up of the company, is not entitled to receive and may not demand a distribution from the company until the company’s governing authority declares a distribution to:
(1) each member of the company; or
(2) a class or group of members that includes the member.
Sec. 101.205. DISTRIBUTION ON WITHDRAWAL. A member of a limited liability company who validly exercises the member’s right to withdraw from the company granted under the company agreement is entitled to receive, within a reasonable time after the date of withdrawal, the fair value of the member’s interest in the company as determined as of the date of withdrawal.
Sec. 101.206. PROHIBITED DISTRIBUTION; DUTY TO RETURN. (a) Unless the distribution is made in compliance with Chapter 11, a limited liability company may not make a distribution to a member of the company if, immediately after making the distribution, the company’s total liabilities, other than liabilities described by Subsection (b), exceed the fair value of the company’s total assets.
(b) For purposes of Subsection (a), the liabilities of a limited liability company do not include:
(1) a liability related to the member’s membership interest; or
(2) except as provided by Subsection (c), a liability for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specified property of the company.
(c) For purposes of Subsection (a), the assets of a limited liability company include the fair value of property subject to a liability for which recourse of creditors is limited to specified property of the company only if the fair value of that property exceeds the liability.
(d) A member of a limited liability company who receives a distribution from the company in violation of this section is not required to return the distribution to the company unless the member had knowledge of the violation.
(e) This section may not be construed to affect the obligation of a member of a limited liability company to return a distribution to the company under the company agreement or other state or federal law.
(f) For purposes of this section, “distribution” does not include an amount constituting reasonable compensation for present or past services or a reasonable payment made in the ordinary course of business under a bona fide retirement plan or other benefits program.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 41, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.207. CREDITOR STATUS WITH RESPECT TO DISTRIBUTION. Subject to Sections 11.053 and 101.206, when a member of a limited liability company is entitled to receive a distribution from the company, the member, with respect to the distribution, has the same status as a creditor of the company and is entitled to any remedy available to a creditor of the company.
Sec. 101.208. RECORD DATE. A company agreement may establish or provide for the establishment of a record date with respect to allocations and distributions.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 42, eff. September 1, 2009.
SUBCHAPTER F. MANAGEMENT
Sec. 101.251. GOVERNING AUTHORITY. The governing authority of a limited liability company consists of:
(1) the managers of the company, if the company’s certificate of formation states that the company will have one or more managers; or
(2) the members of the company, if the company’s certificate of formation states that the company will not have managers.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 43, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.252. MANAGEMENT BY GOVERNING AUTHORITY. The governing authority of a limited liability company shall manage the business and affairs of the company as provided by:
(1) the company agreement; and
(2) this title and the provisions of Title 1 applicable to a limited liability company to the extent that the company agreement does not provide for the management of the company.
Sec. 101.253. DESIGNATION OF COMMITTEES; DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY. (a) The governing authority of a limited liability company by resolution may designate:
(1) one or more committees of the governing authority consisting of one or more governing persons of the company; and
(2) subject to any limitation imposed by the governing authority, a governing person to serve as an alternate member of a committee designated under Subdivision (1) at a committee meeting from which a member of the committee is absent or disqualified.
(b) A committee of the governing authority of a limited liability company may exercise the authority of the governing authority as provided by the resolution designating the committee.
(c) The designation of a committee under this section does not relieve the governing authority of any responsibility imposed by law.
Sec. 101.254. DESIGNATION OF AGENTS; BINDING ACTS. (a) Except as provided by this title and Title 1, each governing person of a limited liability company and each officer of a limited liability company vested with actual or apparent authority by the governing authority of the company is an agent of the company for purposes of carrying out the company’s business.
(b) An act committed by an agent of a limited liability company described by Subsection (a) for the purpose of apparently carrying out the ordinary course of business of the company, including the execution of an instrument, document, mortgage, or conveyance in the name of the company, binds the company unless:
(1) the agent does not have actual authority to act for the company; and
(2) the person with whom the agent is dealing has knowledge of the agent’s lack of actual authority.
(c) An act committed by an agent of a limited liability company described by Subsection (a) that is not apparently for carrying out the ordinary course of business of the company binds the company only if the act is authorized in accordance with this title.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 139 (S.B. 748), Sec. 37, eff. September 1, 2011.
Sec. 101.255. CONTRACTS OR TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING INTERESTED GOVERNING PERSONS OR OFFICERS. (a) This section applies to a contract or transaction between a limited liability company and:
(1) one or more governing persons or officers, or one or more affiliates or associates of one or more governing persons or officers, of the company; or
(2) an entity or other organization in which one or more governing persons or officers, or one or more affiliates or associates of one or more governing persons or officers, of the company:
(A) is a managerial official; or
(B) has a financial interest.
(b) An otherwise valid and enforceable contract or transaction described by Subsection (a) is valid and enforceable, and is not void or voidable, notwithstanding any relationship or interest described by Subsection (a), if any one of the following conditions is satisfied:
(1) the material facts as to the relationship or interest described by Subsection (a) and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed to or known by:
(A) the company’s governing authority or a committee of the governing authority and the governing authority or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the approval of the majority of the disinterested governing persons or committee members, regardless of whether the disinterested governing persons or committee members constitute a quorum; or
(B) the members of the company, and the members in good faith approve the contract or transaction by vote of the members; or
(2) the contract or transaction is fair to the company when the contract or transaction is authorized, approved, or ratified by the governing authority, a committee of the governing authority, or the members of the company.
(c) Common or interested governing persons of a limited liability company may be included in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the company’s governing authority or of a committee of the governing authority that authorizes the contract or transaction.
(d) A person who has the relationship or interest described by Subsection (a) may:
(1) be present at or participate in and, if the person is a governing person or committee member, may vote at a meeting of the governing authority or of a committee of the governing authority that authorizes the contract or transaction; or
(2) sign, in the person’s capacity as a governing person or committee member, a written consent of the governing persons or committee members to authorize the contract or transaction.
(e) If at least one of the conditions of Subsection (b) is satisfied, neither the company nor any of the company’s members will have a cause of action against any of the persons described by Subsection (a) for breach of duty with respect to the making, authorization, or performance of the contract or transaction because the person had the relationship or interest described by Subsection (a) or took any of the actions authorized by Subsection (d).
Sec. 101.302. NUMBER AND QUALIFICATIONS. (a) The managers of a limited liability company may consist of one or more persons.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the number of managers of a limited liability company consists of the number of initial managers listed in the company’s certificate of formation.
(c) The number of managers of a limited liability company may be increased or decreased by amendment to, or as provided by, the company agreement, except that a decrease in the number of managers may not shorten the term of an incumbent manager.
(d) A manager of a limited liability company is not required to be a:
Sec. 101.304. REMOVAL. Subject to Section 101.306(a), a manager of a limited liability company may be removed, with or without cause, at a meeting of the company’s members called for that purpose.
Sec. 101.305. MANAGER VACANCY. (a) Subject to Section 101.306(b), a vacancy in the position of a manager of a limited liability company may be filled by:
(1) the affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining managers of the company, without regard to whether the remaining managers constitute a quorum; or
(2) if the vacancy is a result of an increase in the number of managers, an election at an annual or special meeting of the company’s members called for that purpose.
(b) A person elected to fill a vacancy in the position of a manager serves for the unexpired term of the person’s predecessor.
Sec. 101.306. REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF MANAGER ELECTED BY CLASS OR GROUP. (a) If a class or group of the members of a limited liability company is entitled by the company agreement of the company to elect one or more managers of the company, a manager may be removed from office only by the class or group that elected the manager.
(b) A vacancy in the position of a manager elected as provided by Subsection (a) may be filled only by:
(1) a majority vote of the managers serving on the date the vacancy occurs who were elected by the class or group of members; or
(2) a majority vote of the members of the class or group.
Sec. 101.307. METHODS OF CLASSIFYING MANAGERS. Other methods of classifying managers of a limited liability company, including providing for managers who serve for staggered terms of office or terms that are not uniform, may be established in the company agreement.
This section was amended by the 84th Legislature. Pending publication of the current statutes, see S.B. 859, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, for amendments affecting this section.
Sec. 101.351. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter applies only to a meeting of and voting by:
(1) the governing authority of a limited liability company;
(2) the members of a limited liability company if the members do not constitute the governing authority of the company; and
(3) a committee of the governing authority of a limited liability company.
Sec. 101.352. GENERAL NOTICE REQUIREMENTS. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), notice of a regular or special meeting of the governing authority or members of a limited liability company, or a committee of the company’s governing authority, shall be given in writing to each governing person, member, or committee member, as appropriate, and as provided by Section 6.051.
(b) If the members of a limited liability company do not constitute the governing authority of the company, notice of a meeting of members required by Subsection (a) shall be given by or at the direction of the governing authority not later than the 10th day or earlier than the 60th day before the date of the meeting. Notice of a meeting required under this subsection must state the business to be transacted at the meeting or the purpose of the meeting if:
(1) the meeting is a special meeting; or
(2) a purpose of the meeting is to consider a matter described by Section 101.356.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 99, eff. September 1, 2007.
Sec. 101.353. QUORUM. A majority of all of the governing persons, members, or committee members of a limited liability company constitutes a quorum for the purpose of transacting business at a meeting of the governing authority, members, or committee of the company, as appropriate.
Sec. 101.354. EQUAL VOTING RIGHTS. Each governing person, member, or committee member of a limited liability company has an equal vote at a meeting of the governing authority, members, or committee of the company, as appropriate.
Sec. 101.355. ACT OF GOVERNING AUTHORITY, MEMBERS, OR COMMITTEE. Except as provided by this title or Title 1, the affirmative vote of the majority of the governing persons, members, or committee members of a limited liability company present at a meeting at which a quorum is present constitutes an act of the governing authority, members, or committee of the company, as appropriate.
Sec. 101.356. VOTES REQUIRED TO APPROVE CERTAIN ACTIONS. (a) Except as provided in this section or any other section in this title, an action of a limited liability company may be approved by the company’s governing authority as provided by Section 101.355.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), (d), or (e) or any other section in this title, an action of a limited liability company not apparently for carrying out the ordinary course of business of the company must be approved by the affirmative vote of the majority of all of the company’s governing persons.
(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d) or (e) or any other section in this title, a fundamental business transaction of a limited liability company, or an action that would make it impossible for a limited liability company to carry out the ordinary business of the company, must be approved by the affirmative vote of the majority of all of the company’s members.
(d) Except as provided by Subsection (e) or any other section of this title, the company’s members must approve by an affirmative vote of all the members:
(1) an amendment to the certificate of formation of a limited liability company; or
(2) a restated certificate of formation that contains an amendment to the certificate of formation of a limited liability company.
(e) A requirement that an action of a limited liability company must be approved by the company’s members does not apply during the period prescribed by Section 101.101(b).
(f) Approval of a restated certificate of formation by a limited liability company’s members is required only if the restated certificate contains an amendment.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 139 (S.B. 748), Sec. 39, eff. September 1, 2011.
Sec. 101.358. ACTION BY LESS THAN UNANIMOUS WRITTEN CONSENT. (a) This section applies only to an action required or authorized to be taken at an annual or special meeting of the governing authority, the members, or a committee of the governing authority of a limited liability company under this title, Title 1, or the governing documents of the company.
(b) Notwithstanding Sections 6.201 and 6.202, an action may be taken without holding a meeting, providing notice, or taking a vote if a written consent or consents stating the action to be taken is signed by the number of governing persons, members, or committee members of a limited liability company, as appropriate, necessary to have at least the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take the action at a meeting at which each governing person, member, or committee member, as appropriate, entitled to vote on the action is present and votes.
Sec. 101.359. EFFECTIVE ACTION BY MEMBERS OR MANAGERS WITH OR WITHOUT MEETING. Members or managers of a limited liability company may take action at a meeting of the members or managers or without a meeting in any manner permitted by this title, Title 1, or the governing documents of the company. Unless otherwise provided by the governing documents, an action is effective if it is taken:
(1) by an affirmative vote of those persons having at least the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take the action at a meeting at which each member or manager, as appropriate, entitled to vote on the action is present and votes; or
(2) with the consent of each member of the limited liability company, which may be established by:
(A) the member’s failure to object to the action in a timely manner, if the member has full knowledge of the action;
(B) consent to the action in writing signed by the member; or
(C) any other means reasonably evidencing consent.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 64 (H.B. 1319), Sec. 75, eff. January 1, 2006.
SUBCHAPTER I. MODIFICATION OF DUTIES; INDEMNIFICATION
Sec. 101.401. EXPANSION OR RESTRICTION OF DUTIES AND LIABILITIES. The company agreement of a limited liability company may expand or restrict any duties, including fiduciary duties, and related liabilities that a member, manager, officer, or other person has to the company or to a member or manager of the company.
Sec. 101.402. PERMISSIVE INDEMNIFICATION, ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES, AND INSURANCE OR OTHER ARRANGEMENTS. (a) A limited liability company may:
(1) indemnify a person;
(2) pay in advance or reimburse expenses incurred by a person; and
(3) purchase or procure or establish and maintain insurance or another arrangement to indemnify or hold harmless a person.
(b) In this section, “person” includes a member, manager, or officer of a limited liability company or an assignee of a membership interest in the company.
(1) “Derivative proceeding” means a civil suit in the right of a domestic limited liability company or, to the extent provided by Section 101.462, in the right of a foreign limited liability company.
(2) “Member” includes a person who beneficially owns a membership interest through a voting trust or a nominee on the person’s behalf.
Sec. 101.452. STANDING TO BRING PROCEEDING. A member may not institute or maintain a derivative proceeding unless:
(1) the member:
(A) was a member of the limited liability company at the time of the act or omission complained of; or
(B) became a member by operation of law from a person that was a member at the time of the act or omission complained of; and
(2) the member fairly and adequately represents the interests of the limited liability company in enforcing the right of the limited liability company.
Sec. 101.453. DEMAND. (a) A member may not institute a derivative proceeding until the 91st day after the date a written demand is filed with the limited liability company stating with particularity the act, omission, or other matter that is the subject of the claim or challenge and requesting that the limited liability company take suitable action.
(b) The waiting period required by Subsection (a) before a derivative proceeding may be instituted is not required if:
(1) the member has been previously notified that the demand has been rejected by the limited liability company;
(2) the limited liability company is suffering irreparable injury; or
(3) irreparable injury to the limited liability company would result by waiting for the expiration of the 90-day period.
Sec. 101.454. DETERMINATION BY GOVERNING OR INDEPENDENT PERSONS. (a) The determination of how to proceed on allegations made in a demand or petition relating to a derivative proceeding must be made by an affirmative vote of the majority of:
(1) the independent and disinterested governing persons present at a meeting of the governing authority at which interested governing persons are not present at the time of the vote if the independent and disinterested governing persons constitute a quorum of the governing authority;
(2) a committee consisting of two or more independent and disinterested governing persons appointed by the majority of one or more independent and disinterested governing persons present at a meeting of the governing authority, regardless of whether the independent and disinterested governing persons constitute a quorum of the governing authority; or
(3) a panel of one or more independent and disinterested persons appointed by the court on a motion by the limited liability company listing the names of the persons to be appointed and stating that, to the best of the limited liability company’s knowledge, the persons to be appointed are disinterested and qualified to make the determinations contemplated by Section 101.458.
(b) The court shall appoint a panel under Subsection (a)(3) if the court finds that the persons recommended by the limited liability company are independent and disinterested and are otherwise qualified with respect to expertise, experience, independent judgment, and other factors considered appropriate by the court under the circumstances to make the determinations. A person appointed by the court to a panel under this section may not be held liable to the limited liability company or the limited liability company’s members for an action taken or omission made by the person in that capacity, except for acts or omissions constituting fraud or wilful misconduct.
Sec. 101.455. STAY OF PROCEEDING. (a) If the domestic or foreign limited liability company that is the subject of a derivative proceeding commences an inquiry into the allegations made in a demand or petition and the person or group of persons described by Section 101.454 is conducting an active review of the allegations in good faith, the court shall stay a derivative proceeding until the review is completed and a determination is made by the person or group regarding what further action, if any, should be taken.
(b) To obtain a stay, the domestic or foreign limited liability company shall provide the court with a written statement agreeing to advise the court and the member making the demand of the determination promptly on the completion of the review of the matter. A stay, on motion, may be reviewed every 60 days for the continued necessity of the stay.
(c) If the review and determination made by the person or group is not completed before the 61st day after the date on which the court orders the stay, the stay may be renewed for one or more additional 60-day periods if the domestic or foreign limited liability company provides the court and the member with a written statement of the status of the review and the reasons why a continued extension of the stay is necessary.
Sec. 101.456. DISCOVERY. (a) If a domestic or foreign limited liability company proposes to dismiss a derivative proceeding under Section 101.458, discovery by a member after the filing of the derivative proceeding in accordance with this subchapter shall be limited to:
(1) facts relating to whether the person or group of persons described by Section 101.458 is independent and disinterested;
(2) the good faith of the inquiry and review by the person or group; and
(3) the reasonableness of the procedures followed by the person or group in conducting the review.
(b) Discovery described by Subsection (a) may not be expanded to include a fact or substantive matter regarding the act, omission, or other matter that is the subject matter of the derivative proceeding. The scope of discovery may be expanded if the court determines after notice and hearing that a good faith review of the allegations for purposes of Section 101.458 has not been made by an independent and disinterested person or group in accordance with that section.
Sec. 101.457. TOLLING OF STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. A written demand filed with the limited liability company under Section 101.453 tolls the statute of limitations on the claim on which demand is made until the earlier of:
(1) the 91st day after the date of the demand; or
(2) the 31st day after the date the limited liability company advises the member that the demand has been rejected or the review has been completed.
Sec. 101.458. DISMISSAL OF DERIVATIVE PROCEEDING. (a) A court shall dismiss a derivative proceeding on a motion by the limited liability company if the person or group of persons described by Section 101.454 determines in good faith, after conducting a reasonable inquiry and based on factors the person or group considers appropriate under the circumstances, that continuation of the derivative proceeding is not in the best interests of the limited liability company.
(b) In determining whether the requirements of Subsection (a) have been met, the burden of proof shall be on:
(1) the plaintiff member if:
(A) the majority of the governing authority consists of independent and disinterested persons at the time the determination is made;
(B) the determination is made by a panel of one or more independent and disinterested persons appointed under Section 101.454(a)(3); or
(C) the limited liability company presents prima facie evidence that demonstrates that the persons appointed under Section 101.454(a)(2) are independent and disinterested; or
(2) the limited liability company in any other circumstance.
Sec. 101.459. ALLEGATIONS IF DEMAND REJECTED. If a derivative proceeding is instituted after a demand is rejected, the petition must allege with particularity facts that establish that the rejection was not made in accordance with the requirements of Sections 101.454 and 101.458.
Sec. 101.460. DISCONTINUANCE OR SETTLEMENT. (a) A derivative proceeding may not be discontinued or settled without court approval.
(b) The court shall direct that notice be given to the affected members if the court determines that a proposed discontinuance or settlement may substantially affect the interests of other members.
Sec. 101.461. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. (a) In this section, “expenses” means reasonable expenses incurred by a party in a derivative proceeding, including:
(1) attorney’s fees;
(2) costs of pursuing an investigation of the matter that was the subject of the derivative proceeding; or
(3) expenses for which the domestic or foreign limited liability company may be required to indemnify another person.
(b) On termination of a derivative proceeding, the court may order:
(1) the domestic or foreign limited liability company to pay the expenses the plaintiff incurred in the proceeding if the court finds the proceeding has resulted in a substantial benefit to the domestic or foreign limited liability company;
(2) the plaintiff to pay the expenses the domestic or foreign limited liability company or other defendant incurred in investigating and defending the proceeding if the court finds the proceeding has been instituted or maintained without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose; or
(3) a party to pay the expenses incurred by another party relating to the filing of a pleading, motion, or other paper if the court finds the pleading, motion, or other paper:
(A) was not well grounded in fact after reasonable inquiry;
(B) was not warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law; or
(C) was interposed for an improper purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or cause a needless increase in the cost of litigation.
Sec. 101.462. APPLICATION TO FOREIGN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES. (a) In a derivative proceeding brought in the right of a foreign limited liability company, the matters covered by this subchapter are governed by the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of the foreign limited liability company, except for Sections 101.455, 101.460, and 101.461, which are procedural provisions and do not relate to the internal affairs of the foreign limited liability company.
(b) In the case of matters relating to a foreign limited liability company under Section 101.454, a reference to a person or group of persons described by that section refers to a person or group entitled under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of the foreign limited liability company to review and dispose of a derivative proceeding. The standard of review of a decision made by the person or group to dismiss the derivative proceeding shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of the foreign limited liability company.
Sec. 101.463. CLOSELY HELD LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. (a) In this section, “closely held limited liability company” means a limited liability company that has:
(1) fewer than 35 members; and
(2) no membership interests listed on a national securities exchange or regularly quoted in an over-the-counter market by one or more members of a national securities association.
(b) Sections 101.452-101.459 do not apply to a closely held limited liability company.
(c) If justice requires:
(1) a derivative proceeding brought by a member of a closely held limited liability company may be treated by a court as a direct action brought by the member for the member’s own benefit; and
(2) a recovery in a direct or derivative proceeding by a member may be paid directly to the plaintiff or to the limited liability company if necessary to protect the interests of creditors or other members of the limited liability company.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 100, eff. September 1, 2007.
SUBCHAPTER K. SUPPLEMENTAL RECORDKEEPING REQUIREMENTS
Sec. 101.501. SUPPLEMENTAL RECORDS REQUIRED FOR LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES. (a) In addition to the books and records required to be kept under Section 3.151, a limited liability company shall keep at its principal office in the United States, or make available to a person at its principal office in the United States not later than the fifth day after the date the person submits a written request to examine the books and records of the company under Section 3.152(a) or 101.502:
(1) a current list that states:
(A) the percentage or other interest in the limited liability company owned by each member; and
(B) if one or more classes or groups of membership interests are established in or under the certificate of formation or company agreement, the names of the members of each specified class or group;
(2) a copy of the company’s federal, state, and local tax information or income tax returns for each of the six preceding tax years;
(3) a copy of the company’s certificate of formation, including any amendments to or restatements of the certificate of formation;
(4) if the company agreement is in writing, a copy of the company agreement, including any amendments to or restatements of the company agreement;
(5) an executed copy of any powers of attorney;
(6) a copy of any document that establishes a class or group of members of the company as provided by the company agreement; and
(7) except as provided by Subsection (b), a written statement of:
(A) the amount of a cash contribution and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other contribution made or agreed to be made by each member;
(B) the dates any additional contributions are to be made by a member;
(C) any event the occurrence of which requires a member to make additional contributions;
(D) any event the occurrence of which requires the winding up of the company; and
(E) the date each member became a member of the company.
(b) A limited liability company is not required to keep or make available at its principal office in the United States a written statement of the information required by Subsection (a)(7) if that information is stated in a written company agreement.
(c) A limited liability company shall keep at its registered office located in this state and make available to a member of the company on reasonable request the street address of the company’s principal office in the United States in which the records required by this section and Section 3.151 are maintained or made available.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 101, eff. September 1, 2007.
Sec. 101.502. RIGHT TO EXAMINE RECORDS AND CERTAIN OTHER INFORMATION. (a) A member of a limited liability company or an assignee of a membership interest in a limited liability company, or a representative of the member or assignee, on written request and for a proper purpose, may examine and copy at any reasonable time and at the member’s or assignee’s expense:
(1) records required under Sections 3.151 and 101.501; and
(2) other information regarding the business, affairs, and financial condition of the company that is reasonable for the person to examine and copy.
(b) A limited liability company shall provide to a member of the company or an assignee of a membership interest in the company, on written request by the member or assignee sent to the company’s principal office in the United States or, if different, the person and address designated in the company agreement, a free copy of:
(1) the company’s certificate of formation, including any amendments to or restatements of the certificate of formation;
(2) if in writing, the company agreement, including any amendments to or restatements of the company agreement; and
(3) any tax returns described by Section 101.501(a)(2).
SUBCHAPTER L. SUPPLEMENTAL WINDING UP AND TERMINATION PROVISIONS
Sec. 101.551. PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO WIND UP COMPANY. After an event requiring the winding up of a limited liability company unless a revocation as provided by Section 11.151 or a cancellation as provided by Section 11.152 occurs, the winding up of the company must be carried out by:
(1) the company’s governing authority or one or more persons, including a governing person, designated by the governing authority, the members, or the governing documents;
(2) if the event requiring the winding up of the company is the termination of the continued membership of the last remaining member of the company, the legal representative or successor of the last remaining member or one or more persons designated by the legal representative or successor; or
(3) a person appointed by the court to carry out the winding up of the company under Section 11.054, 11.405, 11.409, or 11.410.
Sec. 101.552. APPROVAL OF VOLUNTARY WINDING UP, REVOCATION, CANCELLATION, OR REINSTATEMENT. (a) A majority vote of all of the members of a limited liability company or, if the limited liability company has no members, a majority vote of all of the managers of the company is required to approve:
(1) a voluntary winding up of the company under Chapter 11;
(2) a revocation of a voluntary decision to wind up the company under Section 11.151; or
(3) a reinstatement of a terminated company under Section 11.202.
(b) The consent of all of the members of the limited liability company is required to approve a cancellation under Section 11.152 of an event requiring winding up specified in Section 11.051(1) or (3).
(c) An event requiring winding up specified in Section 11.056 may be canceled in accordance with Section 11.152(a) if the legal representative or successor of the last remaining member of the domestic limited liability company agrees to:
(1) cancel the event requiring winding up and continue the company; and
(2) become a member of the company effective as of the date of termination of the membership of the last remaining member of the company, or designate another person who agrees to become a member of the company effective as of the date of the termination.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 102, eff. September 1, 2007.
SUBCHAPTER M. SERIES LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Sec. 101.601. SERIES OF MEMBERS, MANAGERS, MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS, OR ASSETS. (a) A company agreement may establish or provide for the establishment of one or more designated series of members, managers, membership interests, or assets that:
(1) has separate rights, powers, or duties with respect to specified property or obligations of the limited liability company or profits and losses associated with specified property or obligations; or
(2) has a separate business purpose or investment objective.
(b) A series established in accordance with Subsection (a) may carry on any business, purpose, or activity, whether or not for profit, that is not prohibited by Section 2.003.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.602. ENFORCEABILITY OF OBLIGATIONS AND EXPENSES OF SERIES AGAINST ASSETS. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or any other law, but subject to Subsection (b) and any other provision of this subchapter:
(1) the debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series shall be enforceable against the assets of that series only, and shall not be enforceable against the assets of the limited liability company generally or any other series; and
(2) none of the debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to the limited liability company generally or any other series shall be enforceable against the assets of a particular series.
(b) Subsection (a) applies only if:
(1) the records maintained for that particular series account for the assets associated with that series separately from the other assets of the company or any other series;
(2) the company agreement contains a statement to the effect of the limitations provided in Subsection (a); and
(3) the company’s certificate of formation contains a notice of the limitations provided in Subsection (a).
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.603. ASSETS OF SERIES. (a) Assets associated with a series may be held directly or indirectly, including being held in the name of the series, in the name of the limited liability company, through a nominee, or otherwise.
(b) If the records of a series are maintained in a manner so that the assets of the series can be reasonably identified by specific listing, category, type, quantity, or computational or allocational formula or procedure, including a percentage or share of any assets, or by any other method in which the identity of the assets can be objectively determined, the records are considered to satisfy the requirements of Section 101.602(b)(1).
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.604. NOTICE OF LIMITATION ON LIABILITIES OF SERIES. Notice of the limitation on liabilities of a series required by Section 101.602 that is contained in a certificate of formation filed with the secretary of state satisfies the requirements of Section 101.602(b)(3), regardless of whether:
(1) the limited liability company has established any series under this subchapter when the notice is contained in the certificate of formation; and
(2) the notice makes a reference to a specific series of the limited liability company.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.605. GENERAL POWERS OF SERIES. A series established under this subchapter has the power and capacity, in the series’ own name, to:
(1) sue and be sued;
(2) contract;
(3) acquire, sell, and hold title to assets of the series, including real property, personal property, and intangible property;
(4) grant liens and security interests in assets of the series; and
(5) exercise any power or privilege as necessary or appropriate to the conduct, promotion, or attainment of the business, purposes, or activities of the series.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 9 (S.B. 847), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2013.
Sec. 101.606. LIABILITY OF MEMBER OR MANAGER FOR OBLIGATIONS; DUTIES. (a) Except as and to the extent the company agreement specifically provides otherwise, a member or manager associated with a series or a member or manager of the company is not liable for a debt, obligation, or liability of a series, including a debt, obligation, or liability under a judgment, decree, or court order.
(b) The company agreement may expand or restrict any duties, including fiduciary duties, and related liabilities that a member, manager, officer, or other person associated with a series has to:
(1) the series or the company;
(2) a member or manager associated with the series; or
(3) a member or manager of the company.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.607. CLASS OR GROUP OF MEMBERS OR MANAGERS. (a) The company agreement may:
(1) establish classes or groups of one or more members or managers associated with a series each of which has certain express relative rights, powers, and duties, including voting rights; and
(2) provide for the manner of establishing additional classes or groups of one or more members or managers associated with the series each of which has certain express rights, powers, and duties, including providing for voting rights and rights, powers, and duties senior to existing classes and groups of members or managers associated with the series.
(b) The company agreement may provide for the taking of an action, including the amendment of the company agreement, without the vote or approval of any member or manager or class or group of members or managers, to create under the provisions of the company agreement a class or group of the series of membership interests that was not previously outstanding.
(c) The company agreement may provide that:
(1) all or certain identified members or managers or a specified class or group of the members or managers associated with a series have the right to vote on any matter separately or with all or any class or group of the members or managers associated with the series;
(2) any member or class or group of members associated with a series has no voting rights; and
(3) voting by members or managers associated with a series is on a per capita, number, financial interest, class, group, or any other basis.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.608. GOVERNING AUTHORITY. (a) Notwithstanding any conflicting provision of the certificate of formation of a limited liability company, the governing authority of a series consists of the managers or members associated with the series as provided in the company agreement.
(b) If the company agreement does not provide for the governing authority of the series, the governing authority of the series consists of:
(1) the managers associated with the series, if the company’s certificate of formation states that the company will have one or more managers; or
(2) the members associated with the series, if the company’s certificate of formation states that the company will not have managers.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.609. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER OR TITLE 1; SYNONYMOUS TERMS. (a) To the extent not inconsistent with this subchapter, this chapter applies to a series and its associated members and managers.
(b) For purposes of the application of any other provision of this chapter to a provision of this subchapter, and as the context requires:
(1) a reference to “limited liability company” or “company” means the “series”;
(2) a reference to “member” means “member associated with the series”; and
(3) a reference to “manager” means “manager associated with the series.”
(c) To the extent not inconsistent with this subchapter, a series and the governing persons and officers associated with the series have the powers and rights provided by Subchapters C and D, Chapter 3, and Subchapter F, Chapter 10. For purposes of those provisions, and as the context requires:
(1) a reference to “entity,” “domestic entity,” or “filing entity” includes the “series”;
(2) a reference to “governing person” includes “governing person associated with the series”;
(3) a reference to “governing authority” includes “governing authority associated with the series”; and
(4) a reference to “officer” includes “officer associated with the series.”
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 9 (S.B. 847), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 9 (S.B. 847), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2013.
Sec. 101.610. EFFECT OF CERTAIN EVENT ON MANAGER OR MEMBER. (a) An event that under this chapter or the company agreement causes a manager to cease to be a manager with respect to a series does not, in and of itself, cause the manager to cease to be a manager of the limited liability company or with respect to any other series of the company.
(b) An event that under this chapter or the company agreement causes a member to cease to be associated with a series does not, in and of itself, cause the member to cease to be associated with any other series or terminate the continued membership of a member in the limited liability company or require the winding up of the series, regardless of whether the member was the last remaining member associated with the series.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.611. MEMBER STATUS WITH RESPECT TO DISTRIBUTION. (a) Subject to Sections 101.613, 101.617, 101.618, 101.619, and 101.620, when a member associated with a series established under this subchapter is entitled to receive a distribution with respect to the series, the member, with respect to the distribution, has the same status as a creditor of the series and is entitled to any remedy available to a creditor of the series.
(b) Section 101.206 does not apply to a distribution with respect to the series.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by:
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 139 (S.B. 748), Sec. 40, eff. September 1, 2011.
Sec. 101.612. RECORD DATE FOR ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS. A company agreement may establish or provide for the establishment of a record date for allocations and distributions with respect to a series.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.613. DISTRIBUTIONS. (a) A limited liability company may make a distribution with respect to a series.
(b) A limited liability company may not make a distribution with respect to a series to a member if, immediately after making the distribution, the total amount of the liabilities of the series, other than liabilities described by Subsection (c), exceeds the fair value of the assets associated with the series.
(c) For purposes of Subsection (b), the liabilities of a series do not include:
(1) a liability related to the member’s membership interest; or
(2) except as provided by Subsection (e), a liability of the series for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specified property of the series.
(d) For purposes of Subsection (b), the assets associated with a series include the fair value of property of the series subject to a liability for which recourse of creditors is limited to specified property of the series only if the fair value of that property exceeds the liability.
(e) A member who receives a distribution from a series in violation of this section is not required to return the distribution to the series unless the member had knowledge of the violation.
(f) This section may not be construed to affect the obligation of a member to return a distribution to the series under the company agreement or other state or federal law.
(g) Section 101.206 does not apply to a distribution with respect to a series.
(h) For purposes of this section, “distribution” does not include an amount constituting reasonable compensation for present or past services or a reasonable payment made in the ordinary course of business under a bona fide retirement plan or other benefits program.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.614. AUTHORITY TO WIND UP AND TERMINATE SERIES. Except to the extent otherwise provided in the company agreement and subject to Sections 101.617, 101.618, 101.619, and 101.620, a series and its business and affairs may be wound up and terminated without causing the winding up of the limited liability company.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.615. TERMINATION OF SERIES. (a) Except as otherwise provided by Sections 101.617, 101.618, 101.619, and 101.620, the series terminates on the completion of the winding up of the business and affairs of the series in accordance with Sections 101.617, 101.618, 101.619, and 101.620.
(b) The limited liability company shall provide notice of the termination of a series in the manner provided in the company agreement for notice of termination, if any.
(c) The termination of the series does not affect the limitation on liabilities of the series provided by Section 101.602.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.616. EVENT REQUIRING WINDING UP. Subject to Sections 101.617, 101.618, 101.619, and 101.620, the business and affairs of a series are required to be wound up:
(1) if the winding up of the limited liability company is required under Section 101.552(a) or Chapter 11; or
(2) on the earlier of:
(A) the time specified for winding up the series in the company agreement;
(B) the occurrence of an event specified with respect to the series in the company agreement;
(C) the occurrence of a majority vote of all of the members associated with the series approving the winding up of the series or, if there is more than one class or group of members associated with the series, a majority vote of the members of each class or group of members associated with the series approving the winding up of the series;
(D) if the series has no members, the occurrence of a majority vote of all of the managers associated with the series approving the winding up of the series or, if there is more than one class or group of managers associated with the series, a majority vote of the managers of each class or group of managers associated with the series approving the winding up of the series; or
(E) a determination by a court in accordance with Section 101.621.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.617. PROCEDURES FOR WINDING UP AND TERMINATION OF SERIES. (a) The following provisions apply to a series and the associated members and managers of the series:
(1) Subchapters A, G, H, and I, Chapter 11; and
(2) Subchapter B, Chapter 11, other than Sections 11.051, 11.056, 11.057, 11.058, and 11.059.
(b) For purposes of the application of Chapter 11 to a series and as the context requires:
(1) a reference to “domestic entity,” “filing entity,” or “entity” means the “series”;
(2) a reference to an “owner” means a “member associated with the series”;
(3) a reference to the “governing authority” or a “governing person” means the “governing authority associated with the series” or a “governing person associated with the series”; and
(4) a reference to “business,” “property,” “obligations,” or “liabilities” means the “business associated with the series,” “property associated with the series,” “obligations associated with the series,” or “liabilities associated with the series.”
(c) After the occurrence of an event requiring winding up of a series under Section 101.616, unless a revocation as provided by Section 101.618 or a cancellation as provided by Section 101.619 occurs, the winding up of the series must be carried out by:
(1) the governing authority of the series or one or more persons, including a governing person, designated by:
(A) the governing authority of the series;
(B) the members associated with the series; or
(C) the company agreement; or
(2) a person appointed by the court to carry out the winding up of the series under Section 11.054, 11.405, 11.409, or 11.410.
(d) An action taken in accordance with this section does not affect the limitation on liability of members and managers provided by Section 101.606.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.618. REVOCATION OF VOLUNTARY WINDING UP. Before the termination of the series takes effect, a voluntary decision to wind up the series under Section 101.616(2)(C) or (D) may be revoked by:
(1) a majority vote of all of the members associated with the series approving the revocation or, if there is more than one class or group of members associated with the series, a majority vote of the members of each class or group of members associated with the series approving the revocation; or
(2) if the series has no members, a majority vote of all the managers associated with the series approving the revocation or, if there is more than one class or group of managers associated with the series, a majority vote of the managers of each class or group of managers associated with the series approving the revocation.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.619. CANCELLATION OF EVENT REQUIRING WINDING UP. (a) Unless the cancellation is prohibited by the company agreement, an event requiring winding up of the series under Section 101.616(1) or (2) may be canceled by the consent of all of the members of the series before the termination of the series takes effect.
(b) In connection with the cancellation, the members must amend the company agreement to:
(1) eliminate or extend the time specified for the series if the event requiring winding up of the series occurred under Section 101.616(1); or
(2) eliminate or revise the event specified with respect to the series if the event requiring winding up of the series occurred under Section 101.616(2).
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.620. CONTINUATION OF BUSINESS. The series may continue its business following the revocation under Section 101.618 or the cancellation under Section 101.619.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.621. WINDING UP BY COURT ORDER. A district court in the county in which the registered office or principal place of business in this state of a domestic limited liability company is located, on application by or for a member associated with the series, has jurisdiction to order the winding up and termination of a series if the court determines that it is not reasonably practicable to carry on the business of the series in conformity with the company agreement.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 84 (S.B. 1442), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2009.
Sec. 101.622. SERIES NOT A SEPARATE DOMESTIC ENTITY OR ORGANIZATION. For purposes of this chapter and Title 1, a series has the rights, powers, and duties provided by this subchapter to the series but is not a separate domestic entity or organization.
Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 9 (S.B. 847), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2013.
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
Sec. 417.001. THIRD-PARTY LIABILITY. (a) An employee or legal beneficiary may seek damages from a third party who is or becomes liable to pay damages for an injury or death that is compensable under this subtitle and may also pursue a claim for workers’ compensation benefits under this subtitle.
(b) If a benefit is claimed by an injured employee or a legal beneficiary of the employee, the insurance carrier is subrogated to the rights of the injured employee and may enforce the liability of the third party in the name of the injured employee or the legal beneficiary. The insurance carrier’s subrogation interest is limited to the amount of the total benefits paid or assumed by the carrier to the employee or the legal beneficiary, less the amount by which the court reduces the judgment based on the percentage of responsibility determined by the trier of fact under Section 33.003, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, attributable to the employer. If the recovery is for an amount greater than the amount of the insurance carrier’s subrogation interest, the insurance carrier shall:
(1) reimburse itself and pay the costs from the amount recovered; and
(2) pay the remainder of the amount recovered to the injured employee or the legal beneficiary.
(c) If a claimant receives benefits from the subsequent injury fund, the division is:
(1) considered to be the insurance carrier under this section for purposes of those benefits;
(2) subrogated to the rights of the claimant; and
(3) entitled to reimbursement in the same manner as the insurance carrier.
(d) The division shall remit money recovered under this section to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the subsequent injury fund.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 12.13, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 204, Sec. 4.09, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 265 (H.B. 7), Sec. 3.285, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 417.002. RECOVERY IN THIRD-PARTY ACTION. (a) The net amount recovered by a claimant in a third-party action shall be used to reimburse the insurance carrier for benefits, including medical benefits, that have been paid for the compensable injury.
(b) Any amount recovered that exceeds the amount of the reimbursement required under Subsection (a) shall be treated as an advance against future benefits, including medical benefits, that the claimant is entitled to receive under this subtitle.
(c) If the advance under Subsection (b) is adequate to cover all future benefits, the insurance carrier is not required to resume the payment of benefits. If the advance is insufficient, the insurance carrier shall resume the payment of benefits when the advance is exhausted.
Sec. 417.003. ATTORNEY’S FEE FOR REPRESENTATION OF INSURANCE CARRIER’S INTEREST. (a) An insurance carrier whose interest is not actively represented by an attorney in a third-party action shall pay a fee to an attorney representing the claimant in the amount agreed on between the attorney and the insurance carrier. In the absence of an agreement, the court shall award to the attorney payable out of the insurance carrier’s recovery:
(1) a reasonable fee for recovery of the insurance carrier’s interest that may not exceed one-third of the insurance carrier’s recovery; and
(2) a proportionate share of expenses.
(b) An attorney who represents the claimant and is also to represent the subrogated insurance carrier shall make a full written disclosure to the claimant before employment as an attorney by the insurance carrier. The claimant must acknowledge the disclosure and consent to the representation. A signed copy of the disclosure shall be furnished to all concerned parties and made a part of the division file. A copy of the disclosure with the claimant’s consent shall be filed with the claimant’s pleading before a judgment is entered and approved by the court. The claimant’s attorney may not receive a fee under this section to which the attorney is otherwise entitled under an agreement with the insurance carrier unless the attorney complies with the requirements of this subsection.
(c) If an attorney actively representing the insurance carrier’s interest actively participates in obtaining a recovery, the court shall award and apportion between the claimant’s and the insurance carrier’s attorneys a fee payable out of the insurance carrier’s subrogation recovery. In apportioning the award, the court shall consider the benefit accruing to the insurance carrier as a result of each attorney’s service. The total attorney’s fees may not exceed one-third of the insurance carrier’s recovery.
(d) For purposes of determining the amount of an attorney’s fee under this section, only the amount recovered for benefits, including medical benefits, that have been paid by the insurance carrier may be considered.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 265 (H.B. 7), Sec. 3.286, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 417.004. EMPLOYER LIABILITY TO THIRD PARTY. In an action for damages brought by an injured employee, a legal beneficiary, or an insurance carrier against a third party liable to pay damages for the injury or death under this chapter that results in a judgment against the third party or a settlement by the third party, the employer is not liable to the third party for reimbursement or damages based on the judgment or settlement unless the employer executed, before the injury or death occurred, a written agreement with the third party to assume the liability.
An express warranty is created by any affirmation of fact or a promise made by a seller to a buyer that is a part of the basis of the bargain. In addition, an express warranty may be created by a description, model, or sample of the goods. A seller breaches an express warranty when the goods fail to “conform to a promise or an affirmation of fact . . . , or the goods do not conform to a description, sample, or model . . . .” Herring v. Home Depot, Inc., 565 S.E.2d 773, 776 (S.C. Ct. App. 2002) (holding that an aggrieved buyer must also establish that the breach caused the damages for which it seeks to recover); see also Yurcic v. Purdue Pharma, L.P., 343 F. Supp. 2d 386, 394 (M.D. Pa. 2004) (holding that to prevail on breach of express warranty claim, a buyer must establish the existence of a warranty, a breach of warranty, and damages proximately caused by the breach)
“Whether an express or implied warranty has been breached is included in the revocation determination only in the sense that a breach of a
warranty could substantially impair the value of the goods to the buyer.”. 139 See U.C.C. § 2-106(2)
It is not necessary to use words like “warranty” or “guarantee” to create express warranties in a contract in Texas. Also, statements of opinion rather than fact , which are called “puffery”, do not create express warranties under Texas law.
TEX BC. CODE ANN. § 2.313 : Texas Statutes – Section 2.313: EXPRESS WARRANTIES BY AFFIRMATION, PROMISE, DESCRIPTION, SAMPLE
(a) Express warranties by the seller are created as follows:(1) Any affirmation of fact or promise made by the seller to the buyer which relates to the goods and becomes part of the basis of the bargain creates an express warranty that the goods shall conform to the affirmation or promise.(2) Any description of the goods which is made part of the basis of the bargain creates an express warranty that the goods shall conform to the description.(3) Any sample or model which is made part of the basis of the bargain creates an express warranty that the whole of the goods shall conform to the sample or model.(b) It is not necessary to the creation of an express warranty that the seller use formal words such as “warrant” or “guarantee” or that he have a specific intention to make a warranty, but an affirmation merely of the value of the goods or a statement purporting to be merely the seller’s opinion or commendation of the goods does not create a warranty.Acts 1967, 60th Leg., p. 2343, ch. 785, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1967. – See more at: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/txstatutes/BC/1/2/C/2.313#sthash.nshSm46H.dpuf
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.
The organizational meeting of the managers was held pursuant to the provisions of the Texas Limited Liability Company Act at the offices of ________, Fort Worth, Texas ______, on ____________, 2015, immediately following the Members meeting.
The following were present:
_________Name(s)______, Managing Member
Chris Vickers, Company Counsel
______Name(s)____ was appointed chairman of the meeting, and Chris Vickers was appointed secretary of the meeting.
Acceptance of Articles of Organization
The secretary then presented and read to the meeting a copy of the Articles of Organization and reported on that on ____________, 2003 the original thereof was filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas and that the Secretary of State issued a formal Certificate of Organization to the company on that date.
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that the Articles of Organization of ____________________, LLC be accepted and approved in all respects.
Regulations
The Secretary then presented a proposed form of regulations for the regulation and management of the affairs ____________________, LLC. The proposed regulations were considered and upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously adopted, it was:
RESOLVED, that the form of Regulations submitted and reviewed at this meeting are adopted as the Regulations of _____________________, LLC
Officers
The chairman of the meeting then called for the election of officers of ____________________________, LLC. The following persons were nominated to the office preceding their name:
President ______Name(s)___________
No further nominations being made, the nominations were closed and the Managers proceeded to vote on the nominees. The chairman announced that the foregoing nominees were elected to the offices set before their respective name.
Membership Interest Certificates
The secretary submitted to the meeting a specimen Membership Interest Certificate proposed for use as ___________________, LLC’s Certificate for Membership Interest. Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that the specimen Membership Interest Certificate presented to this meeting be and hereby is adopted as the form of Certificate for Membership Interest in _____________________, LLC.
It was ordered that the specimen Membership Interest Certificate be appended to the minutes of the meeting.
Limited Liability Company Record Book
Secretary presented a record book of ______________________-, LLC containing a copy of the Articles of Organization, the Certificate of Organization, the Regulations previously approved at the meeting, the Membership Interest Certificate stubs, and the Membership Interest transfer ledger. On motion duly made, seconded and unanimously adopted, it was
RESOLVED, that (1) the record book presented to this meeting by the Secretary is approved and adopted, and the action of the Secretary in inserting in it the Articles of Organization, the Certificate of Organization, and the regulations, is ratified and approved, and (2) the Secretary is instructed to authenticate the record book, to retain custody of it, and to insert in it the minutes of this meeting and of other proceedings of the Members, Managers, and any committee established by the Managers, and to keep records pertaining to the issuance and transfer of Membership Interest in the Membership Interest Certificate stubs and Membership Interest transfer book respectively.
Membership Interest Issued
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that the Managers of __________________, LLC be, and they hereby are, authorized to issue from time to time authorized Membership Interests of _________________, LLC for money paid, labor done, promissory note, or personal property or real estate or leases thereof actually acquired by, upon such terms as the Managers in their discretion may determine. Such agreement must be unanimous.
The chairman stated that an offer(s) to purchase one hundred percent (100%) of the Membership Interest of ______________________, LLC be issued to the following in the percentages set opposite their names and for the consideration stated next thereto:
________Name(s)__________ 100% $1,000
That the Managing Members of _______________, LLC are authorized to issue additional Membership Interest to appropriately qualified purchasers.
Commencing Business
The chairman announced that consideration had been received for the issuance of Membership Interest, and that consequently _________________, LLC was able to commence and transact business and to incur indebtedness.
Organizational Expenses
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that the treasurer of ____________________, LLC be and hereby is authorized to pay all charges and expenses incident to or arising out of the organization of and to reimburse any person who has made any disbursement therefor.
Bank Account
The chairman then stated that it was desirable to maintain a depository for the funds of _______________, LLC. Thereupon, on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously adopted, it was
RESOLVED, that the Managing Members be and hereby are authorized to open a bank account on behalf of ___________________, LLC with any banks the president deems appropriate.
Office
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that an office of ____________________, LLC be established and maintained at ____________________-(address) and that meetings of the Managers from time to time may be held either at the principal office or at such other place as the Managers shall from time to time order.
Licenses, Permits
Additionally, the Managing Members of _____________, LLC were directed to obtain in the name of ____________, LLC such other licenses and tax permits as may be required for the conduct of the business of ____________, LLC by any federal, state, county, or municipal governmental statute, ordinance, or regulations, and to do all things necessary or convenient to qualify to transact its business in compliance with the laws and regulations of any appropriate federal, state, or municipal governmental authority.
Other States
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that for the purpose of authorizing to do business in any state, territory or dependency of the United States or any foreign country in which it is necessary or expedient for ___________, LLC to transact business, the proper officers of ____________, LLC are hereby authorized to appoint and substitute all necessary agents or attorneys for service of process, to designate and change the location of all necessary statutory offices and, under the limited liability company seal, to make and file all necessary certificates, reports, powers of attorney and other instruments as may be required by the laws of such state, territory, dependency or country to authorize to transact business therein.
Fiscal Year
On motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that the fiscal year of ______________, LLC shall be the calendar year ending December 31 subject to change, as appropriate, at the discretion of the Managers by resolution.
Carry On Business
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED, that the signing of these minutes shall constitute full consent, confirmation, ratification, adoption and approval of the holding of the above meeting, the actions hereby taken, the resolutions herein adopted and waiver of notice of the meeting by the signatories.
Adjournment
There being no further business before the meeting, on motion duly made, seconded and carried, the meeting was adjourned.
Dated this ____ day of ___________, 2015.
__________________________________
_____Name(s)________, Managing Member
A true copy of each of the following papers referred to in the foregoing minutes is appended hereto:
Specimen Membership Interest Certificate
Articles of Organization
Regulations
Williams, McClure & Parmelee is dedicated to high quality legal representation of businesses and insurance companies in a variety of matters. We are experienced Texas civil litigation attorneys based in Fort Worth who know Texas courts and Texas law. For more information, please contact the law firm at 817-335-8800. The firm’s new office location is 5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, Texas 76112.