7/15/2016 10:28:59 PM Chris Daniel - District Clerk Harris County Envelope No. 11669153 By: bradley darnell Filed: 7/15/2016 10:28:59 PM NO. 2016-642848 § § § § § § § § V. JEFFREY BROWN, M.D. Respondent. IN THE DISTRICT COURT 129TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ist ric t C ler k UNITED STATES ANTI DOPING AGENCY Petitioner, OF HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS nie l D RESPONDENT JEFFREY BROWN M.D.’S OBJECTIONS TO AND MOTION TO STRIKE PETITIONER UNITED STATES ANTI DOPING AGENCY’S RESPONSE BRIEF DATED JULY 13, 2016 AND, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, MOTION FOR SUR-REPLY AND SUR-REPLY Da TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF SAID COURT: is NOW COMES Jeffrey Brown, M.D., Respondent herein, and files these Objections and C hr Motion to Strike the brief filed by Petitioner United States Anti Doping Agency (“USADA”) on of July 13, 2016 (“July 13 Brief”) and, in the alternative, Motion for Sur-Reply and Sur-Reply. ffic e Although styled as a “Response” to Dr. Brown’s “Motion to Dismiss and Alternatively, Opposition O to Petitioner’s Rule 202 Petition” (“Motion to Dismiss and Opposition Brief”), USADA’s July 13 op y Brief instead constitutes a wholesale re-brief and re-position of its Petition, in violation of Texas C procedural rules and this Court’s instructions regarding post-hearing briefs. In the alternative, Dr. fic ial Brown requests that he be permitted to submit the below Sur-Reply to USADA’s July 13 Brief in Un of order to correct the material, knowingly false statements in USADA’s brief and to rebut the new arguments raised by USADA. I. OBJECTIONS AND MOTION TO STRIKE Although the Court permitted the parties to submit post-hearing briefs following the July 11, 2011 hearing (“July 11 Hearing”), those briefs were supposed to respond to issues already raised in the parties’ briefing or to address questions posed by the Court. (See July 11, 2016 Hr’g 1 Tr. at 15:9-16:3, 42:12-43:3, 43:5-19, 47:10-17.) USADA’s July 13 Brief goes far beyond this instruction. In an apparent “do-over” by USADA to address its groundless Petition, the July 13 Brief injects new arguments and factual allegations against Dr. Brown – some supported, some not – and a new and self-serving hearsay affidavit from its general counsel Mr. William Bock, III ist ric t C ler k and new exhibits. All this material is in excess of seventy-plus pages. But the fact remains that USADA’s petition fails to satisfy Rule 202’s requirements on many levels, which will not be rebriefed here. (See Dr. Brown’s Motion to Dismiss and Response to Rule 202 Petition, l D Supplemental Response to Rule 202 Petition, and July 13, 2013 Post Submission Letter Brief. This nie Court may not grant relief if the Petition does not state a ripe potential claim in the “right court”. Da In other words, in the Court where the Rule 202 deposition is sought. Rule 202.2; Id. hr is USADA attempts to bolster its defective petition by casting additional false allegations in C an affidavit that obviously goes beyond the personal knowledge of the affiant. This it may not do. e of See The University of Texas at Austin v. Kearney, __ S.W.3d __, No. 03-14-00500-CV (Tex. App. ffic – Austin May 3,2016, no pet hist.) (“merely pleading more facts in support of her [defective] claim op y O will not cure her pleading defects.”). Kearney relies on Texas A&M Univ. Sys. v. Koseoglu, 233 C S.W.3d 835, 839–40 (Tex. 2007) (merely pleading more facts in support of breach of contract ial claim against university would not overcome university's immunity from breach of contract suit fic absent statutory waiver). The purpose of pleading is to give the adversary party notice of each Un of party's claims and defenses as well as the relief sought. See Perez v. Briercroft Services Inc., 809 S.W.2d 216, 218 (Tex. 1991). Here USADA has utilized what was supposed to be a reply brief to completely change its allegations and its prayer for relief. See July 13 Brief at 12. The Court should reject this procedurally improper “moving target” approach that deprives Dr. Brown of a full and fair opportunity to respond prior to the Court’s reset hearing on Monday, July 18, 2016. 2 The Court should strike USADA’s July 13 Brief in its entirety. II. MOTION FOR SUR-REPLY AND SUR-REPLY If USADA’s July 13 Brief is not stricken, Dr. Brown should be permitted to submit the below Sur-Reply because USADA has injected new arguments and allegations against Dr. Brown. ist ric t C ler k Nothing in USADA’s July 13 Brief supports denying Dr. Brown’s Motion to Dismiss or granting USADA’s Petition. A. USADA’s Contention That There Is Subject Matter Jurisdiction Is Patently Frivolous. (July 13 Brief at 3, 7-9.) nie l D All questions relating to USADA’s enforcement of anti-doping policies are subject to the Da Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (“Sports Act”). The Sports Act mandates is arbitration, and this requirement deprives the Court of subject matter jurisdiction.1 USADA’s C hr contention that this action is not preempted by the Sports Act because the action does not involve of questions of sports eligibility (July 13 Brief at 8-9) is contradicted by USADA’s own Petition and ffic e its prior statements and positions. The first paragraph of the Petition states that USADA seeks a O Rule 202 deposition of Dr. Brown for the express purpose of “investigat[ing] whether Dr. Brown op y and others violated USADA’s anti-doping rules,” a question that only involves sports eligibility C and a potential sanction under the arbitral scheme set forth by the Sports Act. USADA admitted fic ial during the July 11, 2013 hearing that this is the only “potential claim” it is purportedly Un of "investigating”. Indeed, Mr. Bock has in the past stated that “it is clear in Olympic and Paralympic sports that the exclusive means of addressing eligibility questions arising from USADA drug testing is through arbitration under the USADA Protocol and not through state or federal court 1 See Armstrong v. Tygart, 886 F. Supp. 2d 572, 580 (W.D. Tex. 2012) ; Graham v. U.S. Anti-Doping Agncy, No. 5:10–CV–194–F, 2011 WL 1261321, at *1 (E.D.N.C. Mar. 31, 2011); William Bock, III, The Role of Arbitration in Resolving U.S. Olympic Sport Doping Disputes, Sept.30, 2009, available at http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/laborlaw/meetings/2009/ac2009/154.authcheckda m.pdf. 3 litigation or resort to state law statutory claims.”2 USADA’s assertions as to Dr. Brown’s status as athlete support personnel are a red herring. It is USADA itself that claims that Dr. Brown or his athlete patients may have violated anti-doping policies, thusany “potential claim” or “investigation” of a potential claim relates solely to sports eligibility that must be arbitrated. ist ric t C ler k B. USADA’s Contention That It Has Received Consents Is Misleading and Irrelevant. Nothing in federal or state medical privacy law requires a doctor to submit to a deposition simply because a patient submitted a medical consent. USADA’s contention that it has received nie l D all necessary consents is contradicted by its Petition and its own documents. The Petition stated Da that USADA only had “received consents from many of these individuals”—and not all of the is individuals. See Petition at 3. And the seven purported medical consents attached as Exhibits D- C hr 1 to D-4 to the July 13 Brief themselves demonstrate USADA’s intent to question Dr. Brown about of individuals other than those submitting medical consents—each and every one of the consents ffic e purport to allow USADA to question Dr. Brown “about the care and services given to me and O others.” See July 13 Brief at Ex. 1 at Exs. D-1 to D-7. Moreover, USADA falsely suggests that op y it “tendered” the medical consents attached as Exhibits D-1 to D-4 to Dr. Brown previously. July C 13 Brief at 1. This is false, as evidenced by the fact that every one of the purported releases is fic ial dated June 2016, the same month that USADA filed its petition. Id. at Ex. 1 at Exs. D-1 to D-7. Un of C. USADA Cannot Compel a Deposition in Arbitration. USADA falsely claims in its brief that it is “not making an end-run around arbitration rules” and that if it pursues arbitration “USADA will have the ability to compel Dr. Brown’s testimony through subpoena just as it seeks to do here.” That statement is false. USADA is investigating 2 See Bock, supra, at 13. 4 Dr. Brown. An accused party has a right not to testify in arbitration proceedings. Under the applicable anti-doping rules and related case law it is well settled – and has been for more than a decade - that arbitration panel lacks the authority to compel a charged party to testify. USADA also is well aware of this fact. It has attempted repeatedly to force charged parties to testify at ist ric t C ler k hearings and has been scolded by arbitration panels for doing so. For example, in USADA v. Hellebuyck,3 USADA filed a Motion for a subpoena to compel Mr. Hellebuyck to testify. Hellebuyck at ¶6.15. The arbitration panel denied USADA’s motion stating: C hr is Da nie l D The motion to compel the attendance, participation and testimony of Mr. Hellebuyck at the hearing in this matter is denied….the Panel is without the power to compel the participation of a charged party at the hearing. Not only do the applicable arbitration rules not provide for requiring the attendance of a party at hearing, but the applicable arbitration rules, incorporating provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code including Article 3.2.4, as well as prior Court of Arbitration for Sport cases …provide that the [charged party] has a right to decide whether to testify or not and that the Panel may draw an adverse inference from the non-participation of the charged party in the hearing. of Id. at ¶6.21 (emphasis added). Then after having had its motion denied, USADA attempted again ffic e at the hearing to argue that the arbitration panel should compel Mr. Hellebuyck to testify against O himself – much to the dismay of the arbitration panel which stated: fic Id. at ¶6.29. ial C op y Further, in disregard of the Panel’s prior ruling regarding compulsory testimony of Hellebuyck, USADA again took substantial time arguing that the Panel should order Hellebuyck to testify, which the Panel declined in light of the provisions of World AntiDoping Code section 3.2.4. Un of Thus it is clear that USADA does not have the ability to compel Dr. Brown to testify in the mandatory arbitration system created by the anti-doping rules. USADA’s assertion to the contrary in its brief is a material knowingly false statement which clearly demonstrates USADA’s bad faith 3 In the Matter of the Arbitration between United States Anti-Doping Agency, and Eddy Hellebuyck, AAA Case No. 77 190 168 11 JENF (January 30, 2012), available at http://www.usada.org/wpcontent/uploads/hellebuyckaaaruling.pdf 5 in filing the Rule 202 petition. D. USADA’s Interpretation of Rule 202 is Wrong. USADA contends in its July 13 Brief that Rule 202 allows depositions even if there is no possibility that a “suit” in court will be filed. July 13 Brief at 4-5. This is a total reversal from ist ric t C ler k USADA’s Original Petition. In the Petition, USADA acknowledged that Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 202 assumes that the petitioner may at some point file a “suit” in court and, on that basis, contended that it was “investigating potential claims or suit.” Petition at 2 (emphasis added). l D Specifically, Rule 202.2 requires a petition to “be filed in a proper court of any county: (1) where nie venue of the anticipated suit may lie, if suit is anticipated; or (2) where the witness resides, if no Da suit is yet anticipated.” (Emphasis added.) There is no provision for the filing of a Petition when hr is no suit is anticipated at all as USADA has judicially admitted. C E. There Is No Reason to Compel Arbitration Because there is No Potential Claim. e of USADA’s argument that Dr. Brown has not filed a motion to compel a sports arbitration ffic is irrelevant—as the Court observed, because any claim brought by USADA would be filed in op y O arbitration, a “motion to compel is kind of unnecessary [because] no one is ever going to file a C claim in state court.” July 11, 2016 Hr’g Tr. at 40:2-7. In addition, a motion to compel under ial these circumstances would be ludicrous. USADA is essentially arguing that Dr. Brown should fic “compel” USADA to prosecute him when it admits that it has no evidence to support a claim Un of against him. Further, any claim brought in arbitration would not permit forcing Dr. Brown to testify, and therefore, USADA is simply trying to obtain in Texas court that which it would expressly not be entitled to in the only forum that exists for this “potential claim.” 6 F. USADA’s Speculative “Potential Claim” Is Precisely the Reason the Rule 202 Petition Should Be Denied. USADA admits that a petitioner cannot use Rule 202 “to investigate future, speculative ist ric t C ler k events that by his own admission may or may not come to pass.” July 13 Brief at 11. That is precisely what USADA seeks to do here. As USADA states in its July 13 Brief, it is “investigating past occurrences which may give rise to a claim against Dr. Brown” but it currently does not have l D a claim and may never have a claim. Id. at 2, 5-6, 11-12. nie G. The Bock Affidavit Should Be Stricken. Da USADA’s submission of a nine-page affidavit from its general counsel, William Bock III, is is procedurally improper. See July 13 Brief at Ex. 1. The affidavit makes new and self-serving C hr hearsay allegations regarding USADA and its investigation of Dr. Brown, including, but not of limited to, an entirely new and baseless contention that an athlete “was asked by Dr. Brown to ffic e transport testosterone from Texas to Oregon.” Id. ¶ 19(b). Such statement is purely hearsay, and O not true. USADA’s tactic of throwing mud -- by making unfounded false and spurious allegations op y -- to see if something sticks should not be tolerated by this Court, particularly where as here, the C victim can do little to defend himself because of strict medical privacy laws. Mr. Bock’s affidavit fic ial should be rejected because it fails to meet the requirements that an affidavit be based upon personal Un of knowledge. Because Mr. Bock is an interested party, the affidavit must also meet more stringent requirements which it completely fails to do. CONCLUSION USADA’s ever-shifting positions raise grave concerns about its credibility and true purposes in seeking a Rule 202 deposition of Dr. Brown. Moreover, USADA’s improper conduct in effectively re-briefing its Petition deprives Dr. Brown of a full and fair opportunity to respond. 7 Had USADA asserted these new arguments and purported evidence in its Petition, Dr. Brown would have had several weeks to investigate and prepare a response. However, Dr. Brown now has no automatic right to a sur-reply and, moreover, the Court reset the hearing for Monday, July 18, 2016. It is precisely because of this unfairness that the rule against injecting new issues in a ist ric t C ler k reply brief exists. The Court should strike USADA’s July 13 Brief. In the alternative, the Court should permit Dr. Brown to submit the above Sur-Reply. Respectfully submitted, nie l D BAIN & BAIN PLLC /s/ J Lucci Bain Da By: CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE Un of fic ial C op y O ffic e of C hr is Joan Lucci Bain Texas Bar No. 01548020 Email: JBain@BainandBainlaw.net Bruce W. Bain Texas Bar No. 01549700 Email: BBain@BainandBainLaw.net 10810 Katy Freeway, Suite 102 Houston, Texas 77043 Tel. (713)629-6222 Fax (713)629-6226 Attorney for Respondent Jeffrey Brown, M.D. This Respondent’s Objections to and Motion to Strike Petitioner’s July 13, 2016 Response Brief and, in the Alternative, Motion for Sur-Reply and Sur-Reply, was served on the appropriate parties in accordance with Rule 202.3 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure on July 15, 2016. /s/ J Lucci Bain Joan Lucci Bain 8