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This appellate case addresses whether a Florida attorney, Howard Acosta, representing a Texas resident, John J. Eakin, in a Florida lawsuit, is subject to personal jurisdiction in Texas for a subsequent legal malpractice claim. Eakin alleged Acosta's contacts, including long-distance phone calls to Texas and a prior license in a Texas federal court, established jurisdiction. The trial court granted Acosta's special appearance. The appellate court affirmed, holding that Acosta's contacts were insufficient to establish either general or specific jurisdiction under Texas's long-arm statute and due process requirements. The court found that isolated phone calls and a single, unrelated federal court appearance did not constitute continuous and systematic contacts or directly relate to the malpractice claim, which stemmed from work performed in Florida.
John J. Eakin, Individually and D/B/A Cypress Helicopter Company v. Howard Acosta and Myron Papadakis is a workers' compensation case decided in Texas Court of Appeals, 4th District (San Antonio). This case addresses legal issues related to compensation claims, benefits, and court rulings.
It is commonly referenced in legal research involving workers' compensation laws in Texas Court of Appeals, 4th District (San Antonio).
Full Decision Text1 Pages
This appellate case addresses whether a Florida attorney, Howard Acosta, representing a Texas resident, John J. Eakin, in a Florida lawsuit, is subject to personal jurisdiction in Texas for a subsequent legal malpractice claim. Eakin alleged Acosta's contacts, including long-distance phone calls to Texas and a prior license in a Texas federal court, established jurisdiction. The trial court granted Acosta's special appearance. The appellate court affirmed, holding that Acosta's contacts were insufficient to establish either general or specific jurisdiction under Texas's long-arm statute and due process requirements. The court found that isolated phone calls and a single, unrelated federal court appearance did not constitute continuous and systematic contacts or directly relate to the malpractice claim, which stemmed from work performed in Florida.
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