Hon. Bonnie Crane Hellums | Appeals from the 247th Family District Court in Houston

For judge's photo and contact info for her court go to --> Official 24 7 th District Court web page

Recent Appeals from cases in Judge Hellums's Court

Whyte v. Whyte (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Feb. 25, 2010)(Jenning)
(bill of review, partial summary judgment, no interlocutory appellate jurisdiction)
DISMISS APPEAL: Opinion by Justice Sharp
Before Justices Keyes, Sharp and Massengale
01-08-00834-CV Marsha Whyte v. Lawrence Whyte
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Bonnie Hellums

In re Gawlikowski (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Jan. 4, 2010)(per curiam)
(sanctions order attorney and client sanctioned)(setting of trial improperly conditioned on payment of
sanctions)
GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART: Per Curiam
Before Justices Brock Yates, Anderson and Boyce
14-09-00985-CV In Re Daniel Gawlikowski
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Judge Bonnie Crane Hellums

In re Robertson (pdf) (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Dec. 22, 2009)(per curiam)
(defective petition for mandamus, inadequate record)
AFFIRMED: Per Curiam
Before Chief Justice Hedges, Justices Anderson and Boyce
14-09-01053-CV In Re Ted Lawrence Robertson
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Judge Bonnie Crane Hellums

He who represents himself has a .... for a lawyer:
Pro-Se litigant gets stuck with spouse's attorney's fees and loses on appeal, as
expected
Appellant husband raised five issues on appeal: (1) the trial court judge abused her discretion when
she refused to transfer the divorce suit to the district court where a prior divorce suit between the
parties had allegedly been filed; (2) the trial court abused her discretion when she denied appellant a
jury trial; (3) the trial court erred when she assessed wife's attorney's fees against him; (4) the trial
court erred when it denied a motion for continuance allegedly filed by appellant; and (5) the trial court
erred by not enforcing a local rule requiring service on appellant of a copy of a proposed judgment or
final order at least five days before the entry date of the same. The court of appeals overrules all
complaints presented by the husband and affirms the judgment.
Patterson v. Patterson (Tex.App. - Houston [14th Dist.] May 13, 2008)(Anderson)(divorce, pro se,
waiver of jury trial, Harris County local rules of the Family Trial Division)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice Anderson
14-07-00487-CV Richard Steven Patterson v. Gwendolyn Elizabeth Patterson
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Judge Bonnie Crane Hellums

Family Court judge sent man to jail for 152 years for failure to pay child support -
court of appeals voids commitment order
On March 18, 2008, relator, Israel Dominguez, Sr., filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus, claiming
the orders under which he is being held are void. See Tex. Gov't Code Ann. ' 22.221(d) (Vernon
2004); see also Tex. R. App. P. 52. On March 21, 2008, after a preliminary review of relator's
petition for writ of habeas corpus, we ordered relator released upon his posting of a bond in the
amount of $500, pending a final determination of his petition. Because we conclude that relator is
entitled to relief, we grant his petition for writ of habeas corpus, order relator released from the bond
set by this court on March 21, 2008, and order him discharged from custody.

In Re Israel Dominguez, Sr. (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] May 5, 2008) (Hedges) (child support
contempt, consecutive sentences, commitment order void, habeas corpus relief granted)
MOTION OR WRIT GRANTED: Opinion by Chief Justice Hedges
Before Chief Justice Hedges, Justices Seymore and Brown
14-08-00206-CV In Re Israel Dominguez, Sr.
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Bonnie Crane Hellums

Challenge to Mediated Settlement Agreement Fails
Olvera v. Olvera (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Mar. 6, 2008)(Higley)
(family law, mediated settlement agreement stands)
AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT: Opinion by Justice Higley
01-07-00231-CV Maria Reyna Olvera v. Jose Pablo Olvera
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Bonnie Hellums

Family Court judge exceeded authority in clarifying divorce decree
Metzger v. Metzger Westbo (Tex.App.- Houston -1st. Dist.] Jun. 7, 2007)(Taft)
[family law, divorce, post-divorce suit for clarification order, limited continuing jurisdiction]
MODIFY TC JUDGMENT AND AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT AS MODIFIED: Opinion by Justice Taft
Before Justices Taft, Alcala and Hanks
01-04-00893-CV Mark A. Metzger, Jr. v. Patricia Metzger Westbo
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Hon. Bonnie Hellums)

In re Louis Charles Munks (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist] Jun. 28, 2007)(Higley)(mandamus)(child
support contempt)
GRANT PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: Opinion by Justice Higley
(Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Keyes and Higley)
01-07-00094-CV In re Louis Charles Munks, Jr.
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Trial court judge: Hon. Bonnie Hellums)

DISMISS APPEAL: Per Curiam (nonpayment of fees)
(Before Justices Taft, Jennings and Alcala)
01-07-00371-CV William Pace v. Leslie Pace
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Hon. Bonnie Hellums)

In re Louis Charles Munks (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist] Jun. 28, 2007)(Higley)(mandamus)
(child support contempt)
GRANT PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: Opinion by Justice Higley
(Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Keyes and Higley)
01-07-00094-CV In re Louis Charles Munks, Jr.
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Trial court judge: Hon. Bonnie Hellums)

Default Order in SAPCR Affirmed on Appeal
Harris v. Burks (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Jun. 21, 2007)(Radack)(SAPCR, default judgment
affirmed)
AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT: Opinion by Chief Justice Radack
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Keyes and Higley
01-06-00128-CV        William Francis Harris, Sr. v. Thyra Burks
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Hon. Bonnie Hellums)

Metzger v. Metzger Westbo (Tex.App.- Houston -1st. Dist.] Jun. 7, 2007)(Taft)
[family law, divorce, post-divorce suit for clarification order, limited continuing jurisdiction]
MODIFY TC JUDGMENT AND AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT AS MODIFIED: Opinion by Justice Taft
Before Justices Taft, Alcala and Hanks
01-04-00893-CV Mark A. Metzger, Jr. v. Patricia Metzger Westbo
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Hon. Bonnie Hellums)

Default Judgment in Parentage Action Reversed in Part in Restricted Appeal, No
evidence regarding father's earnings, retroactive child support factors, or best
interest in denying any and all visitation - Bio Dad waived statute of limitations
defense by failing to plead it.

Miles v. Peacock and AG (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Apr. 19, 2007)(Bland)
[family law, restricted appeal, default judgment, retroactive child support, paternity, limitations]
AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT IN PART, REVERSE TC JUDGMENT IN PART, AND REMAND CASE TO TC
FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS: Opinion by Justice Bland
(Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Jennings and Bland)
01-06-00313-CV In The Matter of the Marriage of Bridget Peacock and Carnell Peacock
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Judge Bonnie Hellums)
We conclude that Miles has waived any statute of limitations defense and therefore affirm that portion of the trial court’
s judgment adjudicating his paternity of N.S.P. With respect to the portions of the judgment awarding child support
and denying possession, we conclude that insufficient evidence supports the trial court’s findings and therefore
reverse and remand for further proceedings.

In Re Heany (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Dec. 7, 2006)(per curiam)
(mandamus to set aside disqualification order denied)
DENY PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: Per Curiam
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Alcala and Bland
01-06-01090-CV        In re Shawn Heany
Appeal from 247th District Court of Harris County (Judge Bonnie Crane Hellums)
(MEMORANDUM OPINION Relator, Shawn Henry, has filed a petition for a writ of mandamus
complaining of an order announced by the Honorable Bonnie Crane Hellums on September 20, 2006,
which order disqualified relator's counsel, Bruce A. Baughman. We deny the petition for a writ of
mandamus.

Hon. Bonnie Crane Hellums
Family District Court Judge in Harris County, Texas
Recent Appealed Cases from the 247th Court
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1115 Congress, Houston TX 77002

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