John Joseph Kavanagh v. Oscar F. Holcombe Et Al‪.‬

This is an appeal from a judgment of the District Court which denied appellant relief from an order of demotion from the position of Detective to that of Patrolman, Third Grade, in the Police Department of the City of Houston. Such order was entered by the Firemens & Policemens Civil Service Commission after a hearing of appellants appeal to that body from a demotion effected by the Chief of Police. Within the time provided by law, appellant filed filed his appeal in the District Court. The basic contention, set out in appellants petition filed in court, was that the order of the Commission was not reasonably supported by substantial evidence and the action of the Commission was arbitrary, capricious and illegal. Trial, on appeal to the District Court, was before the court without a jury. The court entered this order: