Reina Gonzalez Sanctions Against Randy Walters
Reina Gonzalez Sanctions Against Randy Walters
1 REPORTER'S RECORD
VOLUME 1 OF 1 VOLUME
2 TRIAL COURT CAUSE NO. DC-17-17591-A
3 SALVADOR ROMERO, REBECCA ) IN THE DISTRICT COURT
"REBECA" ROMERO, AND TATIANA )
4 ROMERO, )
PLAINTIFFS, )
5 )
vs. ) DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
6 )
BONFILIO MARTINEZ NAVARRO, )
7 DEFENDANT. ) 14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
8
9
10 _____________________________________________
11 PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO COMPEL
_____________________________________________
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13
14 On the 7th day of June, 2018, the following
15 proceedings came on to be held in the above-titled and
16 numbered cause before the Honorable Eric V. Moyé, Judge
17 Presiding, held in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.
18 Proceedings reported by computerized stenotype
19 machine.
20 DIANE L. ROBERT, CSR, RPR
TEXAS CSR NO. 2179
21 Expiration Date: 12/31/2018
Official Court Reporter of the 14th
22 Judicial District Court
Dallas County, Texas
23 600 Commerce Street, Dallas, Tx 75202
214-653-7298
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25
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
2
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
1 APPEARANCES
2
3 REPRESENTING PLAINTIFFS:
4 MS. REINA GONZALEZ
SBOT NO.: 24083089
5 GONZALEZ LAW GROUP
10000 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400
6 Dallas, Texas 75231
Telephone: (214) 222-9096
7 Facsimile: (972) 2946404
Email: [email protected]
8
9 MR. SEAN R. COX
SBOT NO. 24031980
10 LAW OFFICES OF SEAN R. COX
P.O. Box 130864
11 Dallas, Texas 75313
Telephone: 214.500.9280
12 Facsimile: 844.501.8688
Email: [email protected]
13
- and -
14
15 REPRESENTING DEFENDANT:
16 MR. MICHAEL TWINING
SBOT NO. 24098530
17 WALTERS, BALIDO & CRAIN, L.L.P.
2500 Tanglewilde
18 Suite 250
Houston, Texas 77063
19 Telephone: 713.335.0285
Email: [email protected]
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DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
3
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
1 VOLUME 1
2 PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO COMPEL
3 June 7, 2018
4 PAGE VOL.
Appearances .......................................4 1
5
Proceedings .......................................4 1
6
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel Discovery Response ...4 1
7
Argument by Ms. Gonzalez ..........................4 1
8
Response by Mr. Twining ...........................5 1
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Response by Ms. Gonzalez ..........................9 1
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Disclosures .......................................9 1
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Court's Ruling ...................................10 1
12
Response by Mr. Twining ..........................10 1
13
Court's Ruling ...................................12 1
14
Interrogatories ..................................13 1
15
Court's Ruling ...................................13 1
16
Requests for Production ..........................14 1
17
Court's Ruling ...................................14 1
18
Attorneys' Fees ..................................14 1
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Court's Ruling ...................................15 1
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Court's Ruling ...................................17 1
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Adjournment .....................................18 1
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Reporter's Certificate ...........................19 1
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DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
4
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 (Open Court; Proceedings commenced at 10:31 a.m.)
3 THE COURT: We are on the record in
4 17-17591, Romero versus Navarro. May I have
10:31:45 5 announcements, please?
6 MS. GONZALEZ: Reina Gonzalez for Salvador
7 Romero, Rebecca Romero and Tatiana Romero.
8 MR. COX: Sean Cox also for the Romeros.
9 MR. TWINING: Michael Twining for
10:31:57 10 Defendant Bonfilio Navarro.
11 THE COURT: Last name is?
12 MR. TWINING: Twining. T-W-I-N-I-N-G.
13 THE COURT: All right. We've got
14 Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel Discovery Responses. I'll
10:32:12 15 hear from you briefly, Ms. Gonzalez.
16 MS. GONZALEZ: Yes, Your Honor. We have
17 been able to narrow our requests. Defendant provided a
18 response and supplemental discovery --
19 THE COURT: When?
10:32:24 20 MS. GONZALEZ: At 6:00 p.m. last night.
21 But we have -- We have -- We went through
22 it and we have been able to trim it down.
23 Discovery was served on Defendant on
24 January 20th -- I'm sorry. -- January 10th of this
10:32:40 25 year. It was due on March 1st. I e-mailed defense
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
5
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
6
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
7
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
8
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
9
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
10
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
10:39:04 1 withdrew those from the written order, leaving only the
2 ones in dispute.
3 THE COURT: Okay. (e)?
4 MS. GONZALEZ: Yes, (e) is persons who
10:39:13 5 have knowledge of relevant facts. They list the
6 parties --
7 THE COURT: Uh-huh.
8 MS. GONZALEZ: -- and then a former party
9 who was the co-owner of the vehicle and lists nobody
10:39:25 10 else and then plead the Fifth.
11 THE COURT: Okay. I'm going to let them
12 stand on their objection, and I'm going to enter a 215
13 order at the end of this hearing.
14 MS. GONZALEZ: Okay, Your Honor.
10:39:37 15 THE COURT: I'm going to let them stand on
16 all of their objections, (e), (h), (i) and (j).
17 MS. GONZALEZ: And (l). I'm sorry --
18 THE COURT: I'm sorry. That is an "L"
19 that is not a "J". That is an "L".
10:39:58 20 MR. TWINING: If I may, Your Honor, we
21 actually withdrew our privilege assertion as to
22 194.2(h).
23 THE COURT: When did you withdraw that?
24 MR. TWINING: Last evening, Your Honor. I
10:40:07 25 don't believe it was at 6:00, I be- -- not that it
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
11
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
12
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
10:41:15 1 working --
2 THE COURT: I didn't ask you if you're the
3 associate, sir. And that's the last time that I want
4 you to not answer the question that I pose to you and
10:41:25 5 answer another question. Do you understand what I'm
6 saying?
7 MR. TWINING: I do, Your Honor.
8 THE COURT: Is this your work or is this
9 somebody else's work?
10:41:31 10 MR. TWINING: It's a combination of my
11 work and Randy Walters' work.
12 THE COURT: Give me a percentage. Which
13 is which?
14 MR. TWINING: I type it up, Randy signs
10:41:40 15 off.
16 THE COURT: When you say you "type it up",
17 do you -- was it your idea to create the -- to come up
18 with all of these -- with the same objection to each of
19 these requests? Was it your idea or was this
10:41:54 20 Mr. Walters'?
21 MR. TWINING: It's a collaborative effort,
22 Your Honor, it's ...
23 THE COURT: Have a seat.
24 I specifically find that you are not being
10:42:08 25 candid with the Court, and I find that to be troubling.
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
13
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
10:42:12 1 And as you are not being candid with the Court, there's
2 probably not very much that you can say that is going to
3 be effective. You're violating your duty of candor.
4 You're violating the Texas Lawyer's Creed.
10:42:34 5 MS. GONZALEZ: Your Honor, if I may move
6 on to interrogatories?
7 THE COURT: Yes, ma'am, you may.
8 MS. GONZALEZ: Interrogatories 3 -- 2, 3,
9 4 and 5.
10:42:45 10 THE COURT: Have not been answered?
11 MS. GONZALEZ: Correct. As well as 8, 12,
12 and 18.
13 (Clarification by the reporter.)
14 MS. GONZALEZ: 8, coma, 12, coma, 18.
10:42:58 15 THE COURT: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12.
16 MS. GONZALEZ: We have a copy of the
17 motion --
18 THE COURT: I've got it here, Counsel.
19 MS. GONZALEZ: Okay.
10:43:56 20 THE COURT: The notion that identifying
21 conversations that the Defendant had with the Plaintiff
22 is somehow violative of the Fifth Amendment is on its
23 face absurd. As is identification of any felony or
24 crime involving moral turpitude. As is the identity of
10:44:57 25 anyone who might possess rebuttable evidence. As is the
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
14
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
15
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
10:48:40 1 fees.
2 MS. GONZALEZ: Our motion has the amount
3 of 762 with 50 cents for both trial and appellate
4 counsel. $762.50.
10:48:50 5 THE COURT: Tell me what that entails.
6 MS. GONZALEZ: The drafting of the motion.
7 I would -- My rate is 225 an hour. Sean Cox's rate is
8 $300 an hour. We reduced the drafting of this motion,
9 the cost, at $500, and attended -- for this hearing and
10:49:10 10 in preparation and attendance of this hearing to
11 $262.50.
12 THE COURT: The Court finds that the fees
13 are reasonable and necessary for the advancement of this
14 motion.
10:49:46 15 I am really, really unhappy with the
16 performance of Defense Counsel in this matter. The
17 reason that we have discovery --
18 Have a seat.
19 The reason that we have discovery is so
10:50:03 20 that you can be a better lawyer for your client. The
21 only way that you can be a good lawyer for your client
22 is to be able to advise your client of what is likely to
23 happen in a case. The only way you can do that is when
24 you have all of the information that the other side has.
10:50:24 25 The rules do not permit one to hide the
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
16
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
17
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
18
Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel
June 7, 2018
10:54:00 1 minutes doing things that never should have had to see
2 the inside of a courthouse, for you to tell me that you
3 don't want to waste my time is at best gratuitous and at
4 worst disingenuous.
10:54:17 5 You should never put yourself in a
6 position of going before any judge with a record like
7 the one that you've created. Ever. Ever. It's a
8 disservice to you personally. It's a disservice to your
9 law firm. It's a disservice to the profession to which
10:54:44 10 you swore an oath.
11 We're off the record. That concludes our
12 business.
13 (Proceedings adjourned at 10:54 a.m.)
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DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
19
1 STATE OF TEXAS
2 COUNTY OF DALLAS
3 I, Diane L. Robert, Official Court Reporter in
4 and for the 14th District Court of Dallas County, State
5 of Texas, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing
6 contains a true and correct transcription of all
7 portions of evidence and other proceedings requested in
8 writing by counsel for the parties to be included in
9 this volume of the Reporter's Record in the above-styled
10 and numbered cause, all of which occurred in open court
11 or in chambers and were reported by me.
12 I further certify that this Reporter's Record
13 of the proceedings truly and correctly reflects the
14 exhibits, if any, offered by the respective parties.
15 WITNESS MY OFFICIAL HAND, on this the 8th day
16 of June, 2018.
17
18
BY: /s/ Diane L. Robert
Diane L. Robert, CSR
Texas CSR 2179
19 Official Court Reporter
14th District Court
20 Dallas County, Texas
600 Commerce Street
21 Dallas, Texas 75202
Telephone: 214.653.7298
22 Expiration: 12/31/2018
[email protected]
23
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DIANE L. ROBERT
14TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT * DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS