Summary:
Plaintiff alleged that the defendant, a Chinese national residing in China, initially agreed to jointly develop a piece of oil and gas interest located in Texas, then maneuvered to acquire the interest for his entities only. The defendant claimed that the Texas courts lacked jurisdiction over him.
The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision that there was personal jurisdiction. The court found that the defendant conspired to commit tort in Texas, and it was not a defense that the defendant was working on behalf of corporate entities, because the defendant himself could be individually liable.
Takeaway:
This case is a bit puzzling. If tortious interference claim can bind individual defendants negotiating on behalf of corporations, what is the point of doing business through a corporation? It's a quirk to watch for if you are doing business in Texas.
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