Supreme Court of Texas

A physician's provision of life-sustaining treatment to an infant provided an exception to the general rule imposing liability on a physician for treating a minor child without parental consent, thus the physician did not commit a battery and the hospital cannot be held liable for battery and negligence claims.

Appellate Information

• Argued 04/03/2002
• Decided 09/30/2003
• Published 09/30/2003

Judges

• Justice ENOCH delivered the opinion of the Court.

Court

• Supreme Court of Texas

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• David Keltner, Fort Worth, Michael D. Sydow, Sydow, Kormanik, Carrigan, L.L.P., Houston, Murray Fogler, McDade Fogler Maines, L.L.P., Houston, Karen S. Precella, Haynes & Boone, L.L.P., Fort Worth, for petitioners.


• For Appellees:
  
• Marc O. Knisely, Patricia D. Pope, McGinnis Lochridge & Kilgore, L.L.P., Austin, Richard L. Rothfelder, Michael C. Falick, Rothfelder & Falick, L.L.P., Houston, Mike A. Hatchell, Molly H. Hatchell, Hatchell P.C., Tyler, John S. Serpe, Richard A. Sheehy, Sheehy, Serpe & Ware, P.C., Houston, Shannon H. Ratliff, Ratliff Law Firm, P.L.L.C., Austin, for respondents.