San Antonio Court of Appeals holds that a trial court erred in dismissing suit for lack of standing when there was conflicting testimony. In re Y.B., ___ S.W.3d ___, 2009 WL 1405166 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2009, no pet. h.) (5/20/09)

Facts: Wife adopted children in 12/04 before husband was in the picture. On 4/22/07, husband and wife married. On1/21/08, husband moved out of wife’s house. Husband filed a SAPCR seeking to be appointed MC of wife’s children on 3/10/08. Wife filed a motion to dismiss and a plea to the jurisdiction. Trial court held a hearing with conflicting testimony about the extent of husband’s involvement with the children and granted the motion to dismiss. Trial court also awarded attorney’s fees to wife under T.R.C.P. 13.

Held: Reversed and remanded.

Opinion: TFC §102.003(a)(9) grants standing to any person who cares, controls and possesses a child for at least six months prior to and not more than 90 days before the date of filing of a petition. Witnesses gave conflicting evidence as to husband’s involvement with the children. Since there was a question of fact regarding husband’s standing, trial court erred in dismissing husband’s petition. Therefore, husband’s pleadings were not groundless, and trial court erred in awarding attorney’s fees.

Section 102.003(a)(9) is probably THE most litigated section of the code right now. I currently have several cases pending in Dallas County family law courts which are testing the limits of this section. Look for more cases to come out on how far the courts of appeals, and maybe ultimately the Texas Supreme Court, will extend this vague section.

This commentary originally appeared in the June 2009 Section Report of the Texas Family Law Section newsletter, where I serve as a guest editor.
 

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Photo of Michelle O'Neil Michelle O'Neil

Michelle May O’Neil has 30+ years’ experience representing small business owners, professionals, and individuals in litigation related to family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and complex property division. Described by one lawyer as “a lethal combination of sweet-and-salty”, Ms. O’Neil exudes…

Michelle May O’Neil has 30+ years’ experience representing small business owners, professionals, and individuals in litigation related to family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and complex property division. Described by one lawyer as “a lethal combination of sweet-and-salty”, Ms. O’Neil exudes genuine compassion for her client’s difficulties, yet she can be relentless when in pursuit of a client’s goals. One judge said of Ms. O’Neil, “She cannot be out-gunned, out-briefed, or out-lawyered!”

Family Law Specialist

Ms. O’Neil became a board-certified family law specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 1997 and has maintained her certification since that time. While representing clients in litigation before the trial court is an important part of her practice, Ms. O’Neil also handles appellate matters in the trial court, courts of appeals and Texas Supreme Court. Lawyers frequently consult with Ms. O’Neil on their litigation cases about specialized legal issues requiring particularized attention both at the trial court and appellate levels. This gives her a unique perspective and depth of perception that benefits both her litigation and appellate clients.

Top Lawyers in Texas and America

Ms. O’Neil has been named to the list of Texas SuperLawyers for many years, a peer-voted honor given to only about 5% of the lawyers in the state of Texas. Ms. O’Neil received the special honor of being named by Texas SuperLawyers as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas, Top 100 Lawyers in Texas, and Top 100 Lawyers in DFW for multiple years. She was named one of the Best Lawyers in America and received an “A-V” peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directories for the highest quality legal ability and ethical standards.

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A noted author, Ms. O’Neil released her second book Basics of Texas Divorce Law in November 2010, with a second edition released in 2013, and a third edition expected in 2015.  Her first book, All About Texas Law and Kids, was published in September 2009 by Texas Lawyer Press. In 2012, Ms. O’Neil co-authored the booklets What You Need To Know About Common Law Marriage In Texas and Social Study Evaluations.  The State Bar of Texas and other providers of continuing education for attorneys frequently enlist Ms. O’Neil to provide instruction to attorneys on topics of her expertise in the family law arena.