Can’t “Refuse” Service on the Secretary of State

Big D appealed from the denial of its motion for new trial following a no-answer default judgment. The court of appeals found that the trial court properly refused to set aside the default judgment.  Big D did not prove that its failure to answer was not intentional or the result of conscious indifference but was due to a mistake or accident.  Rollins properly served Big D by substituted service on the secretary of state after seven failed attempts to serve Big D’s registered agent at the agent’s registered office and home.  The substitute service on the secretary of state was not rendered void by the process being returned with the notation “Refused” because the secretary is not an agent for serving but for receiving process on the defendant’s behalf.  Big D also failed to show that the evidence was insufficient to support the amount of damages awarded by the trial court.  The court of appeals found that the car owner’s testimony regarding the “Blue Book” value of her vehicle was not so weak that the finding of damages was clearly wrong and unjust.  Thus, the court of appeals affirmed the trial court’s judgment.

Big D Transmission v. Rollins, No. 05-11-01019