ACCEPTED
12-14-00288-CV
TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS
TYLER, TEXAS
12/31/2015 1:41:00 PM
Pam Estes
CLERK
No. 12-14-00288-CV
_____________________________________
In the Twelfth Court of Appeals
Tyler, Texas 12/31/2015
_____________________________________
J. MARK SWINNEA,
Appellant,
v.
ERI CONSULTING ENGINEERS, INC.
AND LARRY G. SNODGRASS,
Appellees.
_____________________________________
On Appeal from the 114th Judicial District Court
Smith County, Texas
MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE
A SUPPLEMENTAL POST-ARGUMENT LETTER BRIEF
TO THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS:
The Appellees, ERI Consulting Engineers, Inc., and Larry Snodgrass, move
the court under Rule 38.7 of the TEXAS RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE for leave
to file a supplemental post-argument letter brief to supply authorities that were the
subject of the Court’s questions during oral argument.
The grounds for the motion are:
1. During oral submission of this case, the Court asked a number of
questions about the existence of further authorities discussing whether disgorged
sums can be treated as punitive damages for purpose of the “proportionality”
element in a U.S. Constitution “due process” analysis, which was virtually the only
subject Swinnea argued.
2. Following the argument, the Court’s inquiries prompted Appellees to
research nationwide on the subject and also to research other Texas cases before
and after Burrow v. Arce and the Texas Supreme Court’s opinion in this case for
additional authority to answer the Court’s questions. Appellees have collected the
relevant product of that research in two charts attached to the post-argument
supplemental letter brief tendered with this motion.
Appellees move the Court to grant leave to file the supplemental post-
argument letter brief in aid of the Court’s questions to counsel at oral argument.
Respectfully submitted,
LOCKE LORD LLP
By: /s/ Mike A. Hatchell
Mike A. Hatchell
State Bar No. 09219000
mahatchell@lockelord.com
600 Congress Avenue, Suite 2200
Austin, Texas 78701
512-305-4700 (Telephone)
512-305-4800 (Facsimile)
Deborah Race
State Bar No. 16448700
drace@icklaw.com
IRELAND, CARROLL & KELLEY, P.C.
6101 South Broadway, Suite 500
Tyler, Texas 75703
903-561-1600 Telephone
903-581-1071 Facsimile
COUNSEL FOR APPELLEES
CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE
I hereby certify that Greg Smith, counsel for Appellant, indicated to Deborah
Race via phone conversation on December 30, 2015, that he opposes the motion.
/s/ Mike A. Hatchell
Mike A. Hatchell
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify that on December 31, 2015, a true and correct copy of the foregoing
was e-served via EFileTx.gov upon the following counsel of record:
Gregory D. Smith Michael E. Gazette
Nolan Smith megazette@suddenlink.com
gsmith@rameyflock.com LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL E. GAZETTE
nolans@rameyflock.com 100 E. Ferguson, Suite 1000
RAMEY & FLOCK, P.C. Tyler, Texas 75702
100 E. Ferguson, Suite 500
Tyler, Texas 75702
Counsel for Appellant
/s/ Mike Hatchell
Mike Hatchell