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No.
2.011-01272
INTHEMATTEROFTHEMARRIAGEOFANDINTHEINTERESTOFR.B.ANDM.B.,MINORCHILDREN
§
§
§§§§§§§§
INTHE
DISTRICTCOURT
R.G.B.ANDM.G.B.OFHARRISCOUNTY,TEXAS309
th
JUDICIALDISTRICT
RESPONDENT'SANDTHIRD-PARTIES'MOTIONFORSANCTIONS
COMENOW,RespondentMichael
G:
Brown,Third-PartiesBrownMedicalCenter,Inc.,SuperiorVehicleLeasingCompany,Inc.,TexasHandTherapyCenter,Inc.,
d/b/
aTheHandCenter,MGBrownInternational,
L.L.c.,
MGBrownInvestmentGroup,
L.L.c.,
Prorentals,Inc.,LionheartCompany,Inc.,andCastlemane,Inc.(collectively,"theCorporateThirdParties"),andThirdPartyBHCF,LLC,andfilethistheirMotionforSanctions,andwouldrespectfullyshowthecourtasfollows:
I.
FACTUALBACKGROUND
Atalltimesmaterialhereto,PetitionerRachelBrownhasbeenrepresentedbyMarshallDavisBrown,Jr.,andRobertS.Hoffman.TheundersignedcounselareattorneysrepresentingPetitionerMichaelGlynBrown,theCorporateThirdParties,andBHCF,LLCrespectively.Onmultipleoccasionsthroughoutthependencyofthislawsuit,femaleCounselhavebeensubjectedtoextreme,outrageous,andsexually-inappropriatestatementsmadebyopposingcounsel,MarshallDavisBrown,Jr.Suchstatementsgofarbeyondtheboundsof"typical"opposing-attorneybanterandhaveescalatedinrecentmonths.Thecomments,allmadeatdepositionsorhearingsand/orincidenttocounsel'srepresentationoftheirrespectiveclients,havebeenunrelenting,andbecauseoftheextraordinarynatureoftheseinsults,theMovingCounselnowtaketheadmittedlyextraordinarystepofseekingthiscourt'sinterventionpriortotheupcomingMay15hearings,inordertoensurethatthesetacticsdonotaffecttheirrepresentation,norfurtherdemeantheintegrityofthisCourtortheseproceedings.A
non-exhaustive
listofMr.Brown'sincendiarycommentsareasfollows:•Referringtoafemaleattorneyasa"cunt,"a"flat-chestedbitch,"anda"dumbshit";
 
•Tellingafemaleattorneythathe"hasneverbeensoembarrassedofawhitewoman";•Askingafemaleattorneyifshewantedhimto"examineherbreastsforlumps";•Referringtoafemaleattorneyasworkingforan"escortservice";•Suggestingtoafemaleattorneythatheandshe«shareahotelroom";and•Referringtoafemaleattorneyasa"bitch"andsayingofher,"Daddylike...."
II.DISCUSSION
Intheircombined56yearsofpractice,thefemaleattorneyshaveneverbeeninasimilarposition,and,frankly,theyhaveeachattemptedtodealwiththisissuewithoutsuccess.Eachisanexperiencedtrialattorney,andeachhasconsideredherselfcapableofdealingwitheventhemostcombativeopposingcounselonlegitimatesubstantiveissues.Mr.Brown'sconduct,however,issimplybeyondthepale,andthefemaleattorneys,asofficersofthecourt,havemadethe'collectivedecisiontoseekthiscourt'sassistance.MaleattorneysforM.G.B.,theCorporateThirdParties,andBHCF,LLC,joininsupportoftheirfemalecolleagues.Mr.Brown
is
fullyconsciousandawareoftheinappropriateandinherentlyharmfulnatureofhiscomments,andhemakesthemrepeatedlyinanattempttoimproperlyintimidateorharassopposingcounselonthebasisoftheirgender.Thisconductdemeans.theintegrityofthejudicialprocessand
is
anunfair,egregiousandinappropriatecourseofconduct.Movingcounselshouldbeabletodotheirjobswithoutconstantlybracingfor
a
sexually-explicitverbalvolleyfromMr.Brown.TheTexasLawyer'sCreedprovidesthatanattorneyinTexasshouldnotengagein"antagonisticorobnoxiousbehavior."TheCreedalsoadmonisheslawyersnottomake"disparagingpersonalremarks"toopposingcounsel.Courtshaveaninherentpowertousesanctionstodisciplineattorneyswhenappropriate.
SeeLawrencev.Kohl,
853S.W.2d697,700(Tex.App.-Houston[1stDist.]1993,nowrit).Moreover,atrialcourthastheinherentpowertosanctionapartyforanabuseofthejudicialprocessevenwhentheparty'sconductisnotcoveredbyaspecificruleorstatute.
InreBennett,
960'
S.W.2d35,40
(Tex.
1997)(percuriam);
HoutexReac!JMixConcrete
&
aterialsv.EagleConstr.
&
Envtf.Servs,
L.P.,
226S.W.3d514,524(Tex.App.-Houston[1stDist]2006,nopet.)(citing
IslandEntm't,Inc.u:Castaneda,
882S.W.2d2,5
(Tex.
App.-
F:IClientslBrown,Michaelil'leadingsiMotionforSanctions
514/2012
Page20/6
 
Houston[1stDist.]1994,writdenied)).Thisinherentpowerallowstrialcourtstoimposesanctionstotheextentnecessarytodeter,alleviate,andcounteract"badfaithabuse"ofthejudicialprocess.Badfaithismorethanbadjudgmentornegligence.
SeeElkinsv.Stotts-Brown,
103S.W.3d664,669(Tex.App.-Dallas2003,nopet.);
Camposv.Ys!eta
Gen.
Hosp.,
Inc.,
879S.W.2d67,71(Tex.App.-El.Paso1994,
writ
denied).Toshowbadfaith,themovingpartymustpresentevidenceofconsciouswrongdoingfor
a
dishonest,discriminatory,and/ormaliciouspurpose.
SeeMattIJv.Spiegel,Inc.,
19S.W.3d890,896(Tex.App.-Houston[14thDist.]2000,nopet.).Basedontheforegoingevidence,therecanbenoquestionthatMr.Brownhas
consciouslY
engagedinbad-faithconductforadiscriminatorypurpose.Thisconductisnotattributabletohisclient,butrather,toMr.Brownalone.
III.
CONCLUSION
WHEREFORE,premisesconsidered,
in
advanceoffurtherproceedingsinthiscase,MovingCounselrespectfullyaskthatthiscourtenteranorder:•AdmonishingMr.Brownfrommakingsexually-basedremarkstoopposmgcounsel;•AdmonishingMr.Brownnottomakedisparagingremarksbasedongender
in
thecourseofhisrepresentation;•DirectingMr.Browntomakea$1,000donationtotheHoustonAreaWomen's.Shelter(orotherappropriatecharityofthecourt'schoosing)asasanctionforhisconduct;and•Forsuchotherandfurtherreliefasthecourtdeemsnecessary.
F:\Clients\Brown,Michaelsrleadings'MouonforSanctions
51412012
Page3016
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