The Dishonorable Tarrant County Judge Vincent G. Sprinkle Has Some Explaining To Do

That is the corrected for accuracy logo that sits on top of Judge Vincent G. Sprinkle's Tarrant County Court webpage.

Tarrant County, the perfect mix of Cowboys and Culture and Corruption. Leading the world, at #1, in eminent domain abuse, with the cooperative help of a well-oiled local pseudo judiciary system.

Many moons ago a private business named Chesapeake Energy needed a pipeline. Chesapeake figured they could easily shove a pipeline under a street called Carter Avenue, with none of the property owners having the ability to fight the assault, due to the high cost of legal help.

Chesapeake Energy did not factor Steve Doeung into their plan. Steve Doeung, a heroic American who did not begin his life in America. Steve is from Cambodia. He and his family narrowly escaped the murderous Khmer Rouge communists. The family had several countries they could have chosen to flee to, but Steve's dad wanted to come to America, due to admiring America and the American Way.

And so the Doeung's came to Texas, not realizing, at the time, that Texas really is not quite like the rest of America.

During the course of fighting for his right to be free of a high pressure non-odorized natural gas pipeline being run under his house, Steve has been the victim of multiple raids on his home, with the intention of the raids being to intimidate Steve into submission. Yes, you reading this in the free part of America, this really happened.

Chesapeake Energy forced Steve Doeung to defend himself in court against Chesapeake's eminent domain takeover of his property. All sorts of shady shenanigans took place in the courtroom of Judge Vincent G. Sprinkle. Chesapeake claimed Steve Doeung could not be located and so a lawyer was assigned to represent him named Ed Fitzgerald. This bogus lawyer submitted various documents on Steve's behalf, unbeknownst to Steve.

Eventually Steve came to know about the dirty dealings and took on his own defense, thus upsetting the proceedings. In Judge Sprinkle's courtroom none of these shenanigans had any relevance to justice being served on Steve's behalf. Key documents were withheld from Steve, with some of those finally showing up at what turned out to be, for now, Steve's final hearing, that being on March 4.

On that date Judge Sprinkle said he had no option but to sign Chesapeake's condemnation order, because Steve had not followed some proper procedure. Yes, in Judge Sprinkle's court Steve Doeung had to toe a precise line, while the Chesapeake Energy lawyers were granted a wide high jinks latitude.

Judge Sprinkle, in front of a packed courtroom, told Steve and dozens of witnesses that Steve had 30 days to file an appeal, with those 30 days beginning when the Judge signed the order. Judge Sprinkle clearly told Steve that he would be notified when the Judge signed the order.

However, Judge Sprinkle signed the order on March 9. And once again, Steve was not informed, til March 15, when Steve went to the courthouse to file a case-related document, only to be informed by Judge Sprinkle's clerk that the Judge had signed the order and that the case was now closed!

Yes, I know you reading this in the rest of America are thinking what is wrong with Texas? I don't know the answer to that one. I've been trying to figure it out for over 10 years.

Below is an email I sent to Judge Sprinkle this morning. You can email him if you like. I'll put other contact info below the email...

Judge Sprinkle,

I was in your courtroom March 4 to witness the Steve Doeung hearing. At the conclusion of that hearing you indicated you had no option but to sign the condemnation order granting Chesapeake Energy the right to run a pipeline under Steve Doeung's property.

You quite clearly said that Steve Doeung had 30 days to file an appeal with the 30 days starting when you signed the order.

You also quite clearly said that Steve Doeung would be notified when you signed the order.

On Monday, March 15, Steve Doeung returned to the Tarrant County Courthouse to file some sort of petition regarding his case. Just as the clerk was taking Steve's $50 filing fee, your clerk showed up, asking Steve what he was doing there. Your clerk then informed Steve Doeung that you had signed the condemnation order on March 9 and that the case was now closed with no further appeal possible.

First off, why was Steve Doeung not informed that you had signed the order? Second off, why did you say, in open court, that Steve Doeung had 30 days to file an appeal? Why did your clerk tell Steve Doeung the case was closed?

Something is very wrong here. Throughout this case Steve Doeung has time after time not been properly served, with the failure to inform him that you had signed that order being the latest example.

Waiting for an explanation that I suspect will not be forthcoming,

Durango Jones

Judge Vincent G. Sprinkle
Tarrant County Courthouse
100 West Weatherford Street
Fort Worth, TX 76196-0240
817-884-1095

Court Coordinator - 817-884-1914
Court Clerk - 817-884-1440
Court Reporter - 817-884-1916
Bailiff - 817-884-1095
Fax Number - 817-884-2964