Sec. 443.005. JURISDICTION AND VENUE. (a) Except as authorized by Section 203(e)(3), Pub. L. No. 111-203, a delinquency proceeding may not be commenced under this chapter by a person other than the commissioner, and a court does not have jurisdiction to entertain, hear, or determine any delinquency proceeding commenced by any other person.

(b) A court of this state does not have jurisdiction, other than in accordance with this chapter, to entertain, hear, or determine any complaint praying for:

(1) the liquidation, rehabilitation, seizure, sequestration, conservation, or receivership of any insurer; or

(2) a stay, injunction, restraining order, or other relief preliminary, incidental, or relating to proceedings described by Subdivision (1).

(c) The receivership court, as of the commencement of a delinquency proceeding under this chapter, has exclusive jurisdiction of all property of the insurer, wherever located, including property located outside the territorial limits of the state. The receivership court has original but not exclusive jurisdiction of all civil proceedings arising:

(1) under this chapter; or

(2) in or related to delinquency proceedings under this chapter.

(d) In addition to other grounds for jurisdiction provided by the law of this state, a court having jurisdiction of the subject matter has jurisdiction over a person served pursuant to Rules 21 and 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, or other applicable provisions of law in an action brought by the receiver if the person served:

(1) is or has been an agent, or other person who, at any time, has written policies of insurance for or has acted in any manner on behalf of an insurer against which a delinquency proceeding has been instituted, in any action resulting from or incident to such a relationship with the insurer;

(2) is or has been an insurer or reinsurer who, at any time, has entered into a contract of reinsurance with an insurer against which a delinquency proceeding has been instituted, or who is an agent of or for the reinsurer, in any action on or incident to the reinsurance contract;

(3) is or has been an officer, director, manager, trustee, organizer, promoter, or other person in a position of comparable authority or influence over an insurer against which a delinquency proceeding has been instituted, in any action resulting from or incident to such a relationship with the insurer;

(4) at the time of the institution of the delinquency proceeding against the insurer, is or was holding assets in which the receiver claims an interest on behalf of the insurer in any action concerning the assets; or

(5) is obligated to the insurer in any way, in any action on or incident to the obligation.

(e) If, on motion of any party, the receivership court finds that any action, as a matter of substantial justice, should be tried in a forum outside this state, the receivership court may enter an appropriate order to stay further proceedings on the action in this state. Except as to claims against the estate, nothing in this chapter deprives a party of any contractual right to pursue arbitration. A party in arbitration may bring a claim or counterclaim against the estate, but the claim or counterclaim is subject to this chapter.

(f) Service must be made upon the person named in the petition in accordance with Rules 21 and 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. In lieu of such service, upon application to the receivership court, service may be made in any manner the receivership court directs if it is satisfactorily shown by affidavit:

(1) in the case of a corporation, that the officers of the corporation cannot be served because they have departed from the state or otherwise concealed themselves with intent to avoid service;

(2) in the case of a Lloyd's plan or reciprocal or interinsurance exchange, that the individual attorney in fact or the officers of the corporate attorney in fact cannot be served because of departure or concealment; or

(3) in the case of an individual, that the person cannot be served because of the individual's departure or concealment.

(g) An action authorized by this section must be brought in a district court in Travis County.

(h) At any time after an order is entered pursuant to Section 443.051, 443.101, or 443.151, the commissioner or receiver may transfer the case to the county of the principal office of the person proceeded against. In the event of transfer, the court in which the proceeding was commenced, upon application of the commissioner or receiver, shall direct its clerk to transmit the court's file to the clerk of the court to which the case is to be transferred. The proceeding, after transfer, shall be conducted in the same manner as if it had been commenced in the court to which the matter is transferred.

(i) A person may not intervene in any delinquency proceeding in this state for the purpose of seeking or obtaining payment of any judgment, lien, or other claim of any kind. The claims procedure set forth in this chapter constitutes the exclusive means for obtaining payment of claims from the receivership estate. This provision is not intended to affect the rights conferred on the guaranty associations by Section 443.008(l).

(j) The foregoing provisions of this section notwithstanding, the provisions of this chapter do not confer jurisdiction on the receivership court to resolve coverage disputes between guaranty associations and those asserting claims against them resulting from the initiation of a delinquency proceeding under this chapter. The determination of any dispute with respect to the statutory coverage obligations of any guaranty association by a court or administrative agency or body with jurisdiction in the guaranty association's state of domicile is binding and conclusive as to the parties in a delinquency proceeding initiated in the receivership court, including the policyholders of the insurer. With respect to a guaranty association's obligations under a rehabilitation plan, the receivership court has jurisdiction only if the guaranty association expressly consents to the jurisdiction of the court.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 995 (H.B. 2157), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.

Redesignated from Insurance Code - Not Codified, Art/Sec 21A.005 by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B. 2636), Sec. 3B.004(a)(1), eff. September 1, 2007.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B. 2636), Sec. 3B.004(c), eff. September 1, 2007.

Redesignated from Insurance Code - Not Codified, Art/Sec 21A.005 by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 9.004(a)(1), eff. September 1, 2007.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 9.004(c), eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 193 (S.B. 1433), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.