Mandamus action: Pre-suit discovery precluded as petitioner did not support the petition with evidence and trial court failed to issue mandatory findings
In Re: City of Tatum, Texas, 12-18-00285-CV (Tex. App. – Tyler, December 21, 2018)
This is a writ of mandamus original proceeding where the Tyler Court of Appeals conditionally granted the City’s relief and precluded a potential party from taking pre-suit depositions pursuant to Rule 202.
Peterson filed a petition for a pre-suit deposition of the police chief pursuant to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 202. The grounds for the deposition are that Peterson asserts a Tatum police officer sexually assaulted her when the officer arrived in response to a call for assistance at the home. She alleged that the City knew the officer “exhibited indicators” of this type of behavior; negligently hired, trained, controlled, supervised, and monitored the officer; did not have a policy to prevent such behavior and she anticipated being a party to a lawsuit involving the City. The City objected. The trial court signed an order allowing the deposition and the City filed this original mandamus proceeding.
Pre-suit discovery is not intended for routine use; it creates practical and due process problems because discovery demands are made of individuals or entities before they are told of the issues. Rule 202.4 states a trial court must order a pre-suit deposition to be taken only if it finds: (1) allowing the deposition may prevent a failure or delay of justice in an anticipated suit (to be used if the purpose is to collect evidence for a lawsuit )or (2) the likely benefit to investigate a potential claim outweighs the burden or expense of the procedure (to be used in order to investigate if a claim even exists). The verified statements in a Rule 202 petition are not considered competent evidence. Peterson presented no evidence to support possible claims to investigate or collect. That a party (i.e. City) may be in possession of evidence pertinent to the subject matter of the anticipated action or to the petitioner’s potential claims does not alleviate the petitioner of her burden of providing evidence to support a Rule 202 request for pre-suit depositions. Further, the order does not contain the findings required to make it a proper order. The Texas Supreme Court has made clear that Rule 202.4 findings cannot be implied from the record and the findings are mandatory. Because the requirements of Rule 202.4 are mandatory, the City’s failure to object in the trial court does not result in waiver. The court conditionally granted the writ and stated an unconditional writ will issue only if the trial court’s order is not corrected.
If you would like to read this opinion click here. Memorandum opinion by Justice Neeley. The attorney for the City is listed as Darren K. Coleman. The attorney for Peterson is listed as Ron Adkison.
