Personal Jurisdiction and the Appearance to Challenge Jurisdiction in Texas

Abstract

In 1964, the late Professor E. Wayne Thode wrote a law review article on personal jurisdiction and appearances in court to challenge jurisdiction over defendants. While he canvassed the then existing constitutional rules and law of all the states respecting jurisdictional contests, he ultimately focused on the Texas special appearance practice. Professor Thode's article has been without a doubt the most widely cited article in the nation on the subject of appearances to challenge jurisdiction. The purpose of this Article is to bring the subjects addressed in Professor Thode's article up to date with respect to state and federal courts sitting in Texas.