James M. Hanners v. State Bar Texas

After James Hanners did not appear at an attorney disciplinary action initiated against him by the State Bar of Texas, the trial court entered a post-answer default judgment disbarring him from the practice of law in Texas and ordering him to pay restitution to the victims of his misconduct. Hanners generally asserts, in seven points of error, that the trial court erred by (a) denying his motion for a new trial, (b) taking judicial notice of a letter allegedly notifying him of the trial date, (c) granting trial amendments by the State Bar, (d) awarding excessive damages, and (e) denying his request for a jury trial on damages pursuant to rule 243 of the rules of civil procedure. For the reasons that follow, we affirm the trial courts judgment.