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    <TD class=3DTextSmall><A class=3DTextSmall=20
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      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>Opinion issued May 31,=20
      2007</STRONG></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></P><BR =

      WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2"><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2"><BR =
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      WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>In=20
      The</STRONG></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 18pt"></SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: EngrvrsOldEng Bd =
BT"><STRONG>Court of=20
      Appeals</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>For=20
      The</STRONG></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 18pt"></SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: EngrvrsOldEng Bd =
BT"><STRONG>First=20
      District of Texas</STRONG></SPAN></P><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR =
WP=3D"BR2">
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: EngrvrsOldEng Bd BT">
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      </SPAN>
      <P></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG></STRONG></SPAN><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>NO. =
01-05-00973-CV</STRONG></SPAN></P><BR=20
      WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>
      <HR align=3Dcenter width=3D"15%">
      </STRONG></SPAN>
      <P></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>THE =
OFFICE OF THE=20
      ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS, Appellant</STRONG></SPAN></P><BR =
WP=3D"BR1"><BR=20
      WP=3D"BR2">
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>V.</STRONG></SPAN></P><BR =
WP=3D"BR1"><BR=20
      WP=3D"BR2">
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>JOE V. =
PHILLIPS,=20
      Appellee</STRONG></SPAN></P><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>
      <HR>
      </STRONG></SPAN>
      <P></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>On =
Appeal from the=20
      311th District Court</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>Harris =
County,=20
      Texas</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>Trial =
Court Cause=20
      No. 1986-19170</STRONG></SPAN></P><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>
      <HR>
      </STRONG></SPAN>
      <P></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: =
14pt"><STRONG>MEMORANDUM=20
      OPINION</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">This appeal arises out of a =
dispute over=20
      Joe V. Phillips's ("Phillips's") obligation to pay child support =
in the=20
      state of Texas. Pursuant to a motion filed by Phillips, the trial =
court=20
      declared void both a default divorce decree, ordering Phillips to =
pay=20
      child support, and an order denying a stay of income withholding. =
The=20
      trial court then found that Phillips owed $0 in child support =
arrearages=20
      and ordered the Office of the Attorney General of Texas ("the =
Attorney=20
      General") to return the money levied from Phillips's bank account. =
In=20
      three issues, the Attorney General contends that the trial court =
erred in=20
      (1) granting Phillips's motion to declare judgments void, (2) =
confirming=20
      Phillips's child support arrearages at $0, and (3) ordering the =
Attorney=20
      General to return money levied from Phillips's bank account. We =
reverse=20
      and remand. </SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>Background</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">In 1970, Joe and Mary Ann =
Phillips ("Mary=20
      Ann") were married in Houston, Texas. The couple later relocated =
to=20
      California, where a child, Aundre, was born to their marriage. =
Mary Ann=20
      returned to Texas, along with Aundre, when the couple stopped =
living=20
      together as husband and wife in 1977. A second child, Jamail, was=20
      allegedly born to Phillips and Mary Ann five years later. Phillips =

      remained in California.</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">In 1982, a California court =
entered an=20
      order adjudging Phillips to be the father of Aundre and requiring =
him to=20
      pay $125 per month in child support. Jamail was expressly excluded =
from=20
      the order because Phillips disputed his paternity. Pursuant to the =

      California order, Phillips paid child support until Aundre moved =
in with=20
      him eight years after the order was issued. </SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Mary Ann filed for divorce in =
Harris=20
      County, Texas in 1986. In her petition, Mary Ann alleged that her =
marriage=20
      to Phillips had become insupportable. She also alleged that both =
Aundre=20
      and Jamail were children of the marriage. Furthermore, while the =
petition=20
      acknowledged that Phillips was a resident of California, no facts=20
      supporting the Harris County court's exercise of personal =
jurisdiction=20
      over Phillips were alleged. When Phillips failed to appear for the =
hearing=20
      on the petition, the trial court entered a default divorce decree =
("the=20
      1986 decree"). The 1986 decree recited that "the Court having =
considered=20
      the pleadings, the evidence, the testimony and argument of counsel =
and=20
      being fully advised herein finds that it has jurisdiction over the =
parties=20
      and of the subject matter of this suit and finds that a divorce =
should be=20
      granted to [Mary Ann] . . . ." The 1986 decree adjudged Phillips =
to be the=20
      father of both children and ordered him to pay $500 per month in =
child=20
      support.</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Phillips testified that he =
never received=20
      notice of either the divorce action or the 1986 decree. The return =
of=20
      citation states that Phillips was personally served in California. =

      According to Phillips, however, it was not until the Attorney =
General=20
      requested that a writ of income withholding be sent to his =
California=20
      employer in 1991, that he became aware of the 1986 decree's child =
support=20
      order. Using a form motion sent along with the writ of income =
withholding,=20
      Phillips moved to stay delivery of the writ on grounds that the =
amount of=20
      arrearages alleged was incorrect and that he was not behind in =
paying=20
      child support because he had complied with the earlier California =
order,=20
      requiring him to pay $125 per month for Aundre. In November of =
1991, when=20
      he appeared for a hearing on his motion to stay deliver of the =
writ,=20
      Phillips alleged that he was advised that the hearing would be =
reset. He=20
      testified that he was never notified of a later hearing date. The =
trial=20
      court issued a default order in July of 1992 denying his motion to =
stay=20
      ("the 1992 order") and finding a child support arrearage in the =
amount of=20
      $24,671.50. The 1992 order also required that an additional $240 =
per month=20
      be withheld from Phillips's paycheck in order to satisfy the =
arrearage.=20
      </SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Thirteen years later, the =
Attorney=20
      General sent a notice of levy to Phillips's bank. Funds in the =
amount of=20
      $12,555.38 were levied from his account. In response to the levy, =
Phillips=20
      filed a motion to confirm the amount of his child support =
arrearage. The=20
      Attorney General filed an answer and countermotion to confirm the=20
      arrearage. </SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Before the trial court ruled on =
these=20
      motions, however, Phillips filed an additional motion to declare =
judgments=20
      void, arguing that both the 1986 decree and the 1992 order were =
void. In=20
      his motion, Phillips asserted that the 1986 decree was void =
because it=20
      failed to allege jurisdictional facts and because he had never =
been served=20
      with the petition or received notice of the 1986 decree. He =
asserted that=20
      the 1992 order was void because he had never received notice of =
either the=20
      hearing on the motion or the 1992 order itself. After a hearing on =
the=20
      motion to declare judgments void, the trial court ruled in =
Phillips's=20
      favor and declared both the 1986 decree and the 1992 order void. =
In=20
      addition, the trial court found that Phillips owed $0 in child =
support=20
      arrearages and ordered the Attorney General to return the funds =
levied=20
      from Phillips's bank account. </SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">At the request of the Attorney =
General,=20
      the trial court issued findings of fact and conclusions of law. In =
a=20
      single finding of fact, the trial court found that "Joe V. =
Phillips owes=20
      $0 in child support arrears." In addition, the trial court issued =
the=20
      following conclusions of law: </SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">1. Joe V. Phillips's Motion to =
Declare=20
      Judgments Void was pled and tried as a collateral attack on the =
provisions=20
      of the 1986 divorce decree relating to paternity and child support =
and on=20
      the 1993 [sic] Order on Motion to Stay.</SPAN></P><BR =
WP=3D"BR1"><BR=20
      WP=3D"BR2">
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">2. Joe V. Phillips's claims =
that he was=20
      not served with process in the divorce action, that he did not =
receive=20
      notice of the divorce decree, the hearing on his motion to stay, =
or of the=20
      Order on the Motion to Stay, and that the court had no authority =
to enter=20
      a default judgment against him on his motion to stay cannot be =
brought in=20
      a collateral attack, but could only be brought in a bill of =
review.=20
      </SPAN></P><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">3. If the record shows that the =
defendant=20
      is not a Texas resident and long-arm jurisdiction has not been =
pled, the=20
      subject-matter jurisdiction of a Texas court has not been invoked =
and the=20
      court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction to establish the =
defendant's=20
      paternity of a child or order him to pay child =
support.</SPAN></P><BR=20
      WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">4. The provisions of the 1986 =
divorce=20
      decree relating to paternity and child support are void because =
Mary Ann=20
      Phillips's divorce petition did not plead facts sufficient to =
establish=20
      long-arm jurisdiction over Joe V. Phillips, whom she alleged to =
reside=20
      outside Texas.</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">5. The 1993 [sic] Order on =
Motion to Stay=20
      is void because it is based on the provisions of the 1986 divorce =
decree=20
      finding paternity and ordering child support, which are=20
      void.</SPAN></P><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">6. Because the 1993 [sic] Order =
on Motion=20
      to Stay and the provisions of the divorce decree ordering support =
are=20
      void, Joe V. Phillips owes $0 in child support arrears as a matter =
of=20
      law.</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">7. Because Joe V. Phillips owes =
$0 in=20
      child support arrears, the Office of the Attorney General was not =
entitled=20
      to levy his Wells Fargo account.</SPAN></P><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR =
WP=3D"BR2">
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">8. Because the Office of the =
Attorney=20
      General was not entitled to levy Joe V. Phillips's Wells Fargo =
account,=20
      Joe V. Phillips is entitled to an order requiring the Office of =
the=20
      Attorney General to return to him the money it had levied.=20
      <STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>Motion =
to Declare=20
      Judgments Void</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">In its first issue, the =
Attorney General=20
      argues that the trial court improperly granted Phillips's motion =
to=20
      declare the 1986 decree and 1992 order void. Specifically, the =
Attorney=20
      General argues that the motion was improperly granted because (1) =
Phillips=20
      could not collaterally attack a lack of notice in his motion to =
declare=20
      the judgments void and, (2) by generally appearing, Phillips =
consented to=20
      the trial court's exercise of personal jurisdiction. We agree. =
</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: =
14pt"><STRONG>Notice</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">In his motion, Phillips argued =
that both=20
      the 1986 decree and the 1992 order were void on the grounds that =
he never=20
      received notice of the divorce action, the 1986 decree, the =
hearing on his=20
      motion to stay, or the 1992 order denying his motion to stay. A =
judgment=20
      that is void may be collaterally attacked. <EM>See Solomon, =
Lambert, Roth=20
      &amp; Assocs., Inc</EM>. <EM>v.</EM> <EM>Kidd</EM>, 904 S.W.2d =
896, 900=20
      (Tex. App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, no writ) ("[A] collateral =
attack=20
      does not seek rendition of a new judgment to correct the judgment =
under=20
      attack, but merely seeks to show that the original judgment is =
void . . .=20
      ."). A judgment is void only if the court had no jurisdiction over =
the=20
      parties or property, no jurisdiction over the subject matter, no=20
      jurisdiction to enter the particular judgment, or no capacity to =
act as a=20
      court. <EM>Id. </EM>All errors other than jurisdictional =
deficiencies=20
      render a judgment merely voidable, and such errors must be =
corrected on=20
      direct attack. <EM>See id.</EM>; <EM>see also Plains Growers, Inc. =
v.=20
      Jordan</EM>, 519 S.W.2d 633, 637 (Tex. 1974) (lack of notice of =
hearing or=20
      signed judgment do not render judgment void). <EM></EM></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><EM></EM>Here, Phillips's =
motion=20
      constituted a collateral attack on the 1986 decree and the 1992 =
order=20
      because it did not seek the rendition of a new judgment to correct =
those=20
      under attack, but instead sought to show merely that the original =
decree=20
      and order were void. <EM>See Kidd</EM>, 904 S.W.2d at 900. Because =
a lack=20
      of notice would not render the 1986 decree or the 1992 order void, =

      Phillips's assertions that he never received notice of the divorce =
action,=20
      the 1986 divorce decree, the hearing on his motion to stay, or the =
1992=20
      order denying his motion to stay were not properly made in his =
motion to=20
      declare judgments void. <EM>See id.</EM>; <EM>see also Plains =
Growers,=20
      Inc.</EM>, 519 S.W.2d at 637. We agree with the trial court's =
second=20
      conclusion of law, in which the trial court properly recognized =
that=20
      Phillips's complaints about lack of notice could not be asserted =
as a=20
      collateral attack in his motion to declare judgments void. For =
this=20
      reason, neither the 1986 decree nor the 1992 order could be =
declared void=20
      for lack of notice.<STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>Personal=20
      Jurisdiction</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG></STRONG>Phillips also =
challenged=20
      the 1986 decree on the grounds that the trial court lacked =
personal=20
      jurisdiction, and, in its conclusions of law, the trial court =
stated that=20
      the 1986 decree was void because the divorce petition did not =
plead facts=20
      sufficient to establish long-arm jurisdiction over Phillips, a=20
      non-resident of Texas.<A=20
      =
href=3D"http://www.1stcoa.courts.state.tx.us/opinions/htmlopinion.asp?Opi=
nionId=3D84317#N_1_"><SUP>=20
      (1)</SUP></A> Because the divorce petition requested the =
appointment of a=20
      managing and possessory conservator over the Phillips children, as =
well as=20
      child support, the suit was one affecting the parent-child =
relationship.=20
      <EM>See </EM>Tex. Fam. Code Ann. =A7 101.032(a) (Vernon 2002). In =
a suit=20
      affecting the parent-child relationship, a court may exercise =
personal=20
      jurisdiction over a non-resident if "the person submits to the=20
      jurisdiction of this state by consent, by entering a general =
appearance,=20
      or by filing a responsive document having the effect of waiving =
any=20
      contest to personal jurisdiction . . . ." Tex. Fam. Code Ann. =A7=20
      102.011(b)(2) (Vernon 2002). A party enters a general appearance =
whenever=20
      it invokes the judgment of the court on any question other than =
the=20
      court's jurisdiction; if a defendant's act recognizes that an =
action is=20
      properly pending or seeks affirmative action from the court, that =
is a=20
      general appearance. <EM>Moore v. Elektro-Mobil Technik GmbH</EM>, =
874=20
      S.W.2d 324, 327 (Tex. App.--El Paso 1994, writ denied).</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Here, Phillips filed two =
motions seeking=20
      affirmative action from the trial court before filing his motion =
to=20
      declare the 1986 decree void for want of personal jurisdiction.=20
      Specifically, in 1991, Phillips filed a motion to stay delivery of =
the=20
      writ of withholding, and, in 2005, a motion to confirm child =
support=20
      arrearages. In his motion to confirm arrearages, Phillips sought=20
      affirmative relief from the trial court in the form of a temporary =

      restraining order, sanctions, and attorneys fees. Because Phillips =
invoked=20
      the judgment of the court on a question other than the court's=20
      jurisdiction, he entered a general appearance. <EM>See id.</EM> By =

      entering a general appearance, Phillips consented to the trial =
court's=20
      exercise of personal jurisdiction. <EM>See </EM>Tex. Fam. Code =
Ann. =A7=20
      102.011(b)(2)<EM>.</EM> Because Phillips consented to the trial =
court's=20
      exercise of personal jurisdiction, we hold that the trial court =
erred in=20
      concluding that the 1986 decree was void because no jurisdictional =
facts=20
      were pled in the divorce petition. </SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Because the trial court =
adjudged that=20
      Phillips owed $0 in child support arrears and ordered the Attorney =
General=20
      to return funds levied from his account as a result of the finding =
that=20
      the 1986 decree and 1992 order were void, the error in granting =
Phillips's=20
      motion probably caused the rendition of an improper judgment. =
<EM>See=20
      </EM>Tex. R. App. P. 44.1(a). As such, it is reversible error. =
<EM>Id.=20
      </EM></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Accordingly, we sustain the =
Attorney=20
      General's first issue. <STRONG>Judgment on Arrearage and Levied=20
      Money</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG></STRONG>In its second =
and third=20
      issues, the Attorney General argues that (1) the trial court erred =
in=20
      confirming Phillips's arrears at $0 because that finding was based =
on an=20
      incorrect conclusion of law, namely the conclusion that the 1986 =
decree=20
      and the 1992 order were void, as well as legally and factually=20
      insufficient evidence, and (2) the trial court erred in ordering =
the=20
      Attorney General to return levied money based on the same =
incorrect=20
      conclusion of law. We agree. </SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">An erroneous finding of fact or =

      conclusion of law does not mandate that judgment of trial court =
must be=20
      reversed. <EM>Lee v. Lee</EM>, 981 S.W.2d 903, 906 (Tex. =
App.--Houston=20
      [1st Dist.] 1998, no pet.). If the judgment is otherwise correct =
upon the=20
      merits, it is not to be reversed because the trial court grounded =
it upon=20
      incorrect legal reasons. <EM>Id. </EM>Here, in its sixth and =
seventh=20
      conclusions of law, the trial court concluded that, "[b]ecause the =
1993=20
      [sic] Order on Motion to Stay and the provisions of the divorce =
decree=20
      ordering support are void, Joe V. Phillips owes $0 in child =
support=20
      arrears as a matter of law" and "[b]ecause Joe V. Phillips owes $0 =
in=20
      child support arrears, the Office of the Attorney General was not =
entitled=20
      to levy his Wells Fargo account." That is, the trial court =
premised its=20
      judgment confirming arrears and ordering the return of levied =
funds on its=20
      conclusion that the 1986 decree and the 1992 order were void, a =
conclusion=20
      we held to be erroneous. The record does not demonstrate any other =
basis=20
      which would render the trial court's judgment confirming arrears =
at $0 and=20
      ordering the return of levied funds correct. As a result, we hold =
that the=20
      trial court erred in adjudging Phillips's child support arrears at =
$0 and=20
      in ordering the Attorney General to return the levied funds. =
</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Accordingly, we sustain the =
Attorney=20
      General's second and third issues. <STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P align=3Dcenter><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><STRONG>Conclusion</STRONG></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Because we have concluded that =
neither=20
      the 1986 decree nor the 1992 order is void, we reverse the =
judgment=20
      confirming arrears at $0 and ordering the Attorney General to =
return funds=20
      levied from Phillips's bank account. We remand Phillips's motion =
to=20
      confirm child support arrearages to the trial court for further=20
      consideration. <A name=3Dstart></A></SPAN></P><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR =
WP=3D"BR2"><BR=20
      WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2"><BR WP=3D"BR1"><BR WP=3D"BR2">
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">George C. Hanks, Jr.</SPAN></P>
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Justice</SPAN></P><BR =
WP=3D"BR1"><BR=20
      WP=3D"BR2">
      <P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Panel consists of Justices =
Nuchia, Hanks,=20
      and Bland.</SPAN></P>
      <P><A name=3DN_1_>1. </A>' - - - ' -- - - - -- ' '=20
</P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BODY></HTML>

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