Just five days before a trial was to begin in which long time companion Darla Lexington was suing the Estate of John O’Quinn. It appears everyone was happy after a four hour mediation meeting between the attorneys resulted in a sealed out of court settlement.

The Texas Lawyer announced the settlement late today.

“This afternoon, Darla Lexington, the longtime companion of prominent Houston plaintiffs lawyer John O’Quinn, settled her dispute with O’Quinn’s estate and the John M. O’Quinn Foundation over assets from his estate. O’Quinn died in an automobile accident in October 2009.

…Lexington sought court orders to force the executor of O’Quinn’s estate to return property she alleged belongs to her because of her common-law marriage to O’Quinn and because she received the property as gifts.

The estate and the foundation, which is the sole beneficiary of the estate in O’Quinn’s will, claimed that Lexington was not entitled to the property because O’Quinn specified in his will that he was not married and he left his estate to the foundation.

…Jimmy Williamson, a partner in Williamson & Rusnak in Houston who represents Lexington, says the terms provide for Lexington and her security. Kathy Patrick, a partner in Gibbs & Bruns in Houston who represents the foundation, could not be reached for immediate comment.

“I’m very happy we came to a mutual agreement and the foundation can go on and honor John,” Lexington said this afternoon.

Executor Gerald Treece, an assistant dean and professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston, said he is pleased with the settlement. “As the person John selected as the executor, I’m very happy to do what was in John’s best interest and also please Darla and the foundation,” Treece said.

The settlement averted what lawyers expected to be a five-week trial beginning on Jan. 9 in Judge Mike Wood’s Probate Court No. 2 in Houston.”

One thing I noticed was the trial was to start in Judge Mike Wood’s Probate Court, the same court that Anna Nicole Smith took on Pierce Marshall!

In other news in Houston Texas today, Jerry Eversole received a break from U.S. District Judge David Hittner who sentenced, the former Precinct 4 commissioner to 3 years probation in a case that could have landed him in federal prison for up to three years and cost him up to $100,000 in fines.

KUHF reported today that Eversole was accused of accepting bribes from developer Michael Surface. The sentence is for lying to a federal investigator about money and lavish gifts the government alleges Eversole received from Surface, a longtime friend, in return for lucrative county contracts.

“Eversole had been charged with conspiracy, accepting a bribe, and making false statements on tax returns in 2003 and 2004. All those charges were dismissed.

…Eversole refused comment on his sentencing and instead, let his attorney Rusty Hardin speak on his behalf. Hardin says he was ready to play hardball with government prosecutors, if need be.

“The judge read a provision in his sentencing memo, in which we took exception, and I said that I thought it was unseemly for the government to seek to have him punished for the counts they chose to dismiss, and that they could have asked for a trial on. We’d let a jury decide and they chose not to do that. And then they wanted the judge to punish him for something they didn’t have the courage to try.”

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©Rose Turner
January 4, 2012
All Rights Reserved, do not reproduce in whole or in part without the express written consent of the author.

The expressions in this blog article are based on the opinions of Rose Turner or our featured authors, please remember we are not lawyers and those opinions expressed here are each of our individual opinions and should not be taken as legal advice and/or legal opinions. The comments following this blog article are the opinions and sole property of the blog site members and do not necessarily reflect those of the site owners. If comments to this or any other articles are not related to the article or does not meet the terms of use for Rose Speaks, they will be removed by the moderators.

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Tags: accepting a bribe, accepting bribes, Anna Nicole Smith, Celebrity Trials, common-law marriage to John O'Quinn, conspiracy, Darla Lexington, developer Michael Surface, Estate of John O'Quinn, Executor Gerald Treece, Gerald Treece, Gerald Treece assistant dean and professor, Gerald Treece Esq, Gibbs & Bruns, High Profile Trials, Houston, Houston Texas, Jerry Eversole, Jimmy Williamson, John M. O'Quinn, John M. O'Quinn Foundation, John O'Quinn, John O'Quinn died in October 2009, John O'Quinn's Estate, Judge Mike Wood, Judge Mike Wood’s Probate Court No. 2, Kathy Patrick, KUHF, lying to a federal investigator about money and lavish gifts, making false statements on tax returns in 2003 and 2004, mediation, Michael Surface, Pierce Marshall, return for lucrative county contracts, Rose Speaks Community, Rose Speaks Face Book, Rose Speaks Twitter, Rusty Hardin, Rusty Hardin Esq., sealed out of court settlement, sole beneficiary of the estate in O’Quinn’s will, South Texas College of Law, T. Gerald Treece, Texas, The O'Quinn Law Firm, The Texas Lawyer, U.S. District Judge David Hittner, Williamson & Rusnak

The Houston Chronicle announced that a group of Texas history buffs has purchased a vacant, partially submerged 19-acre tract near the San Jacinto Monument from the estate of the late Houston lawyer John M. O’Quinn with plans to restore it to its 1836 appearance and open it to the public as an extension of the battleground complex.

The $625,000 sale was announced this week by O’Quinn’s estate and the Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground.
The group announced it’s intention to raise the $625,000 last January and said they had until June 1, 2010 to come up with the $625,000. It appears they were close enough that the Estate of O’Quinn held the property until the purchase was complete earlier this month.

The San Jacinto battlefield is a monument to the battle that secured Texas as it’s own republic from Mexico. It is not as well known throughout the U. S as the Alamo is but it is sacred ground to Texans.

The Friends of San Jacinto president Jan DeVault said work at the site likely will begin next year as an archaeological team surveys 11 acres of the site covered with shallow water in search of a Civil War-era naval compound.

The Houston Chronicle goes on to say that although the hardest fighting in the April 21, 1826, clash between Sam Houston’s 900 Texan troops and Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s 1,400 soldiers occurred near the San Jacinto Monument, the newly acquired property still holds historical significance, DeVault said. “We consider it sacred ground,” she said.

In 1836, the property was transected by the Harrisburg-Lynchburg Road, and in the days leading to the final battle of the Texas Revolution, was crossed by both Mexican and Texan troops. In the weeks before the battle about 5,000 Texas settlers fleeing the Mexican advance crossed the property.

After the battle, the site was occupied by a sawmill and a small community called San Jacinto. During the Civil War, the site was home to a Confederate armory, barracks and shipyard.

The Confederate complex was covered by water as the land subsided. DeVault said archaeologists will survey the area with side-scan sonar and “make efforts to retrieve whatever we find.”

DeVault said it is significant that work at the site will begin in 2011, the battle’s 175th anniversary. “We are giving the site to the people of the state of Texas as a birthday present,” she said.

Gerald Treece, executor of the O’Quinn estate, said he was “overjoyed that we could see that this historically significant property went to the Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground, who will not only preserve it, but work to recapture the way the land looked and felt when Sam Houston marched the Texas army across it to go to battle for the state’s independence.”

If you visit us here in Texas I would say this monument is a must see and that most visitors to vist the Alamo in San Antonia Texas are disappointed. The Alamo is in downtown San Antonia and only a chapel is left with some history and a souvenir store within it’s walls. The San Jacinto sacred ground, will give more of a feel for the true history of Texas.

We will have an article up later today that recaps the testimony in California. There is not testimony or court today or tomorrow. Testimony will resume on Monday with more of the Thompson and Shelley family testifying.

Be sure to participate in our MEMBERS ONLY FORUMS, get the most out of the site by learning your way around in the forums where you can safely discuss things you do not want to see copied and pasted on another site.

©Rose Turner
August 26, 2010
All Rights Reserved, do not reproduce in whole or in part without the express written consent of the author.

The expressions in this blog article are based on the opinions of Rose Turner or our featured authors, please remember we are not lawyers and those opinions expressed here are each of our individual opinions and should not be taken as legal advice and/or legal opinions. The comments following this blog article are the opinions and sole property of the blog site members and do not necessarily reflect those of the site owners. If comments to this or any other articles are not related to the article or does not meet the terms of use for Rose Speaks, they will be removed by the moderators.

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Tags: 175th anniversary, April 1836, archaeologists, Civil War, Civil War-era, Confederate armory, Estate of John O'Quinn, Executor Gerald Treece, final battle of the Texas Revolution, Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground., Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna', Gerald Treece, Harrisburg-Lynchburg Road, Houston, Jan DeVault, John M. O'Quinn, John O'Quinn, John O'Quinn's Executor Gerald Treece, Mexico, Republic of Texas, sacred ground, Sam Houston, San Antonia, San Antonia Texas, San Jacinto, San Jacinto battlefield is a monument, South West Law School, South West School of Law, souvenir store, Texas, Texas Revolution, The Alamo, The Houston Chronicle, The O'Quinn Law Firm

The Houston Chronicle is carrying the story by Mary Flood that famed billionaire attorney John O’Quinn’s live in companion for over 10 years has asked to be named as O’Quinn’s common-law-wife in order to get part of O’Quinn’s Estate.

Darla Lexington’s attorney has approached the Executor of O’Quinn’s Estate, Gerald Treece to ask that she be named as O’Quinn’s common-law wife and thus that would make Lexington entitled to part of O’Quinn’s billion dollar Estate.

However as the copy carried here at Rose Speaks.com stated, John O’Quinn’s will was written in the summer of 2008 well into his relationship with Lexington and left her nothing and further stated that O’Quinn was “single” and that all of his money and property was to go to his charitable foundation. .

Jimmy Williamson is the attorney for Lexington, Houston Chronicle Article states that he said; “They are trying to handle this claim diplomatically and have filed no legal papers yet. There’s no question that Darla and John loved each other and John introduced Darla as his wife on many, many occasions.”

Lexington who lived with O’Quinn in a million dollar plus River Oaks Estate in Houston Texas moved out so it could be sold. “Selling the home was painful for Darla. It had been her home for 10 years,” Williamson said in the article.

Dale Jefferson, a lawyer for the estate, told the paper that; “They are also selling many of O’Quinn’s beloved antique cars and his ranch as well. The estate executor, and the foundation are completely aligned in thinking O’Quinn was single and the money goes to the foundation.

During O’Quinn’s life, Lexington headed the nonprofit corporation, Classy Classic Cars Ltd., which oversaw O’Qunn’s massive antique care collection numbering close to 1,000 vintage cars at one time. Lexington and O’Quinn had plans to establish a car museum before his sudden death in October 2009.

Wonder who else might want a piece of this billion dollar estate, guess time will only tell that?

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©Rose Turner
April 21, 2010
All Rights Reserved, do not reproduce in whole or in part without the express written consent of the author.

The expressions in this blog article are based on the opinions of Rose Turner or our featured authors, please remember we are not lawyers and those opinions expressed here are each of our individual opinions and should not be taken as legal advice and/or legal opinions. The comments following this blog article are the opinions and sole property of the blog site members and do not necessarily reflect those of the site owners.

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Tags: billion dollar Estate, Dale Jefferson Esq., Darla Lexington, Executor Gerald Treece, Gerald Treece, High Profile Trials, Houston Chronicle, Jimmy Williamson Esq., John O'Quinn, John O'Quinn's Estate, John O'Quinn's Executor Gerald Treece, John O'Quinn's Foundation, John O'Quinn's Will, MARY FLOOD, million dollar plus River Oaks house, ommon-law wife, reporter Mary Flood, River Oaks Houston Texas, The O'Quinn Law Firm

John O’Quinn has been as complex in death as he was in life. There are no simple answers or simple liquidation of his assets for his Estate, his foundation or even the Trustees who now run The O’Quinn Law Firm Trust; as rumors of cars being sold, employees leaving or being laid off sent many scrambling for answers. The Executor of the Estate, the board members of the John M. O’Quinn Foundation and even the Trustees for the Law Firm have been pretty mum over the last few weeks.

The Estate as all of you know, is being handled by a life long friend, T. Gerald Treece. Mr. Treece was of counsel to the O’Quinn Law Firm before O’Quinn’s death. Mr. Treece also is an assistant dean at Southwest School of Law, counsel to the president of the law school, and instructor at the law school as time permits which leaves him at the Law School for most of his time and less time at the firm’s office.

Beginning February 4 rampant rumor mills started over the weekend, some saying the Estate with problems, is planning selling the car collection that John O’Quinn made in his Will as a separate entity and not part of the Estate and the rush to get quotes on the record or find reliable information began.

Part of what you need to know about O’Quinn his firm and Texas is that since 2003 Texas has undergone major class action suits tort reform. Some have said it should have been called the O’Quinn – Nix Tort reform act of Texas. Prior to the extensive reform Texas was known as “the lawsuit capital of the world”, which made Texas not surprisingly, what the insurance companies consider;”Texas the worst jurisdiction in the nation”. In fact Texas ranked last among insurers willing to insure firms that could be subject to a huge lawsuit and Texas jurors were known to give HUGE settlements. “In 2003 the doctor-per-citizen ratio Texas ranked 49th out of 50 states.” Of the state’s 254 counties, more than 150 had no obstetrician in 2003, and more than 120 had no pediatrician.

Thus began the migration of huge tort cases were often paired up in Mississippi where the filing of these type of mass class actions suits were still money makers under their state laws.

You probably had noticed that John O’Quinn began to partner with attorneys out of state in these filings but O’Quinn also did something else. He turned his attention from huge personal injuries pay outs to other types like the penny-stock and then attacked some of the largest stock investment firms in New York. He also turned to lawsuits like the Overstock.com suit he was on his way for a mediation when that tragic accident happened. Just as the Overstock.com lawsuit, there are many pending lawsuits that owe Mr. O’Quinn’s Estate, O’Quinn’s share of the winnings, or the debts if that is the case.

Fortune magazine once dubbed John O’Quinn as the “lawyer from hell.”

Still, facing O’Quinn was “as difficult as anything I’ve ever experienced in 40 years as a lawyer,” Terry Scarborough said, describing an opponent who mercilessly probed for any weakness and exploited every advantage. “He had an unlimited pocketbook on top of the fact that he was gifted, smart and worked hard.” Scarborough had fought O’Quinn for ten years for the silicon implant case to reimburse the women in that class action suit. The Estate announced on Dec. 19, 2009 it would settle the suit for $46.5 million dollars to almost 3,500 former clients without further litigation.

Gerald Treece, the executor of O’Quinn’s estate, in a statement told the Houston Chronicle’s Mary Flood recently that some of the cars were being sold at auction to help pay the $45 million legal settlement over legal fees for breast-implant litigation that O’Quinn lost before his death.

Last week the word came that some of O’Quinn’s car collection of over 670 classic cars might be sold off in lots, the first two, was one on the March 13, 2010 of about 55 cars and another at the end of the month, March 26-28, of 150. More of the prized collections made RM the auctioneer and car collectors salivate There are persistent rumors that more will be sold in lots over the summer, RM has verified that the 150 cars to auctioned off on March 26-28 will be sold with conditions stating “no reserve” for those cars. Auto Week has confirmed that they might expect more of the cars to go to auction over the summer.

Car collectors in Houston are saddened they see the “world’s greatest car museum” fading fast. Ken Daugherty, an early consultant to O’Quinn’s car collection, has said, “The loss of O’Quinn’s proposed car museum is incalculable to Houston.” “It’s a tragedy that this happened,” said Ron Stein, a friend of O’Quinn’s who frequently gave tours of the collection on the lawyer’s behalf. “It was a world-class collection.” Treece and Stein both said a museum remains a possibility, noting that even after the planned sales, hundreds of classic cars will remain in the collection. Scrapping the museum plans “would be a big loss not just for the car collectors but for the city of Houston.” The facility would bring international attention to the city, Treece said.

The maintenance staff that takes care of O’Quinn’s car collection has been reduced to a skeleton crew, Darla Lexington, frequently described as O’Quinn’s soul mate and president of Classy Classic Cars LTD, first through her attorney over the weekend said several cars have already been auctioned off, much to her dismay.

Lexington’s attorney Jimmy Williamson says it’s a matter of economics. “The estate is on solid ground, but, of course, there are settlements out there. There are claims against the estate. There are debts, just like any person who has assets has debts and all of those have to be accommodated and dealt with in a responsible fashion. While it’s not to say a museum won’t happen, Williamson says it certainly won’t be on the scale they had hoped for. Williamson says Lexington is fully supportive of the executor’s efforts to keep the estate on solid footing.

At the first of this week, Ms. Lexington released her own statement saying; “John loved the cars and planned on building the world’s greatest car museum, his untimely death in the midst of the great recessions created a number of unforeseen issues for the estate, which the sale will help alleviate.”

There has been speculation that the number and quality of O’Quinn cars coming to market could cause a drop in overall collector car pricing of as much as 25 percent.

On February 4, 2010 another announcement was made in regards to property held by O’Quinn’s Estate. On the steps of the Texas State Capitol, the San Jacinto Battleground was named among seven sites (the only one in Harris County) to the list of 2010 Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places. The selection was made by Preservation Texas, Inc., a statewide partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Friends President Jan DeVault announced the launch of a $1 million statewide campaign to purchase and rehabilitate a 19-acre tract located outside the state-owned area, but within the battlefield. The Friends’ immediate goal is to raise $625,000 by June 1, 2010, to acquire this property, now owned by the estate of late Houston attorney John O’Quinn, to protect it from recently proposed development and industrial encroachment.

Upon John O’Quinn’s death everything concerning the law firm was moved into the O’Quinn Law Firm Trust with three co-trustees at the helm, Mr. Treece, C. David Towery and David L. Griffis.

To me “trustees” pretty much equals “bean counters” or better known as accountants with the task to get a stable bottom line and make hard decisions as to who stays and who goes.

I have been told by several who do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the firm or the Estate that since the first of the year about half of the lawyers and their support staff have left. Some who were in business on their own and merged with O’Quinn in the last decade have moved back into their own practices. Others have been laid off with the support staff laid off as well and “Severance Packages” as John O’Quinn had left the trustees of the firm’s trust to say who, how much and when. I believe there are a record number of lawyers without work already in Texas related to the recession, this will just increase those numbers.

The Will gives the trustees the sole power to “sell or otherwise dispose of all of the other assets of the Firm and make such employment decisions concerning any or all of the employees of the Firm including the payment of severance pay and make all decisions concerning any office or real property least obligations the Firm may have including the payment of sums to landlords to satisfy and/or compromise any outstanding obligations.” We know from a on the record comment by Mr. Neil McCabe to several sites that before the first of the year the Law Firm Trust, signed another five year contract on the office space. I have said before that makes sense because it could take 5 to 7 years to tidy up what is owed and to whom.

So what has happened in the last couple of weeks? I have been told by a source familiar with the firm that Don Clark had left the firm because he had been in the right place at the right time to be offered a job as a anti-terrorist consultant to a major import – export firm that uses the Houston Texas port. At the time we learned of this we had been asked not to share that and when people share things off of the record to us on any of the suits we are following we honored that. Although many times it has meant we lost the “exclusive” label or “First to Report”, however you build up good sources by keeping those promises and gaining the trust of a lot of people who will give you a look inside of a case, trial etc. After we confirm that on Topix the rumors that yes Mr. Clark had departed, we began to work our sources for on the record comments, and that can take days. We have now learn that Mr. Clark will remain with the Estate of O’Quinn working directly under Gerald Treece as a consultant during this transition time. I am sure if the firm ever needs his service he will do it as a independent consultant.

Those that have left the O’Quinn Law Firm since the first of the year as well as those familiar with the plans for the future of the Firm have stated we need to watch the firm for more surprising announcements as to what “new” turns the Firm will take over the next six months.

Be sure to participate in our MEMBERS ONLY FORUMS, get the most out of the site by learning your way around in the forums where you can safely discuss things you do not want to see copied and pasted on another site.

©Rose Turner
February 10, 2010
All Rights Reserved, do not reproduce in whole or in part without the express written consent of the author.

The expressions in this blog article are based on the opinions of Rose Turner or our featured authors, please remember we are not lawyers and those opinions expressed here are each of our individual opinions and should not be taken as legal advice and/or legal opinions. The comments following this blog article are the opinions and sole property of the blog site members and do not necessarily reflect those of the site owners.

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Tags: Anna Nicole Smith, Auto Week, breast-implant litigation, Celebrity Trials, Chronicle's Mary Flood, Classy Classic Cars LTD, Daniel Smith, Dannielynn, Darla Lexington, Don Clark, Don Clark ex-FBI, Estate of John O'Quinn, Fortune magazine, Gerald Treece, great recession, High Profile Trials, Jan DeVault, Jimmy Williamson, John O'Quinn's Classic Car Collection, John O'Quinn's Will, Ken Daugherty, lawyer from hell, MARY FLOOD, midst of the great recession, Neil McCabe, O'Quinn Law Firm Trust, Overstock.com, RM the auctioneer, Ron Stein, San Jacinto Battleground, silicon implant case, Southwest School of Law, T. Gerald Treece, Terry Scarborough, Texas Tort Reform, the John M. O’Quinn Foundation, The O'Quinn Law Firm, The O’Quinn Law Firm Trust, Tort Reform, world-class collection

JOHN M. O’QUINN, dedicated and extremely successful trial lawyer, generous benefactor, and devoted friend to those who loved him, has ended his earthly journey far too soon. John’s journey was always exciting because he demanded so much of himself. Born on the 4th of September 1941, he passed away Thursday, the 29th of October 2009.

John spent his professional life as a powerful advocate for the powerless – he was the courtroom champion of the ordinary person. He seemed bigger than life with his dynamic personality and folksy presence, which cleverly masked a giant intellect. He believed that the courtroom was the great common denominator: this was where each person was truly equal. John was the “difference maker” in so many major cases. He considered the courtroom much like the athlete considers the playing field. John took each and every case seriously and personally. As the “people’s champion,” even those who opposed him in court soon realized his unflinching commitment to his clients, and that even they were enhanced by his presence. Each client was unique; each case special. John was very much the home-town boy – he loved the city of Houston which helped create his legendary skills: both were robust, confident, extremely successful, with an unyielding attitude. Recognized publicly as a legal icon, he was named one of the 100 Legal Legends of the Law by the Texas Lawyer and recognized by the National Law Journal and Harvard Law Review as one of the Best Lawyers in America, receiving four of the largest verdicts in Texas legal history. An honors graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, he served as a Regent for the University of Houston, as well as a trustee of the UH Law School Foundation. He truly loved the UH Law School and all UH athletic activities.

John used his fame and fortune to assist not only the University of Houston with the John O’Quinn Law Library and the John O’Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium, but also The Children’s Assessment Center, The Women’s Center, Baylor College of Medicine, The End Hunger Network, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, the South Texas College of Law Advocacy Center, and so many more endeavors of equal importance. He was a man who was determined to give back to the city, which had been so very good to him. He once said, “The only things you get to take with you are those things you give away.”

But despite the public persona, John O’Quinn was also a very complicated private person. He seemed as if he were a walking contradiction. Few people knew the John O’Quinn who helped so many when no one else would. Not many knew of the wonderful friendship he shared with the few people who saw this private manifestation of his generous nature. The private John O’Quinn was the first to answer the call when a friend was in need, and he was loved by his classmates at the UH Law Center. From this class developed a strong bond between John and his contemporaries – Alvin Zimmerman, Jack Raines, Al Levin, and especially this writer, Gerald Treece. He was a friend to all of us and he is already being missed more than any of us can truly express.

The private John O’Quinn faced many demons. He fought them with the same zeal he approached the courtroom. John was a proud member of The 12-Step Fellowship, a group known as the “Motley Crew.” Only one woman was invited into this group, Darla Lexington, and together with these men, the group helped one another to fight the monster called alcoholism. John’s friends made him stronger and he them. His sobriety was nearing eleven years.

He truly loved these guys. standing by his side was Darla Lexington, the love of his life. They shared a passion for philanthropy, the arts, and classic cars. Their dream was to build an automotive history museum in Houston and Darla intends to build that legacy in John’s name. They escaped to their beautiful ranch in Wimberley, Texas whenever they could and planned to retire there.

John also deeply cared for Darla’s daughter, Michelle Coopwood, and referred to her as his daughter. John also leaves behind his beloved aunt, Ruth O’Quinn, and cousin, Carol O’Quinn, his extended family, as well as many dear friends. Darla, along with the guidance of Dr. Ed Young and others at Second Baptist, helped John on his journey to find his spiritual self. We can all rejoice that John found peace, and that he knows the full love of God, which is forever.

A writer to the Houston Chronicle, responding to the news of John’s death, wrote, “JMO was a brilliant attorney. He was a generous soul. The last samurai warrior. A real gunslinger. JMO championed the causes of the nameless and faceless individuals who did not have the means to challenge the mammoth defendants. UH has lost its son. Houston has lost its friend. The world has lost a generous soul….He loved hard work. He was a dedicated man.”

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o’clock in the afternoon until eight o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 3rd of November, at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.All are invited to the funeral service to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 4th of November, in the Sanctuary of Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston, where Dr. H. Edwin Young, Pastor, is to officiate. A reception is to immediately follow the service in the adjacent Deacons’ Parlor. The entombment services are to be privately conducted on the O’Quinn River Ranch in Wimberley, Texas.

For those desiring, contributions in memory of John M. O’Quinn may be directed to the University of Houston John O’Quinn Memorial Fund, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5016 (please indicate whether you prefer to support the UH Law Center or UH Athletics); The Texas Heart Institute, 6770 Bertner St. (MC3-116), Houston, TX, 77030 (please indicate whether your contribution is designated for Dr. Willerson’s Research or Dr. O.H. Frazier’s Surgical Research); The Children’s Assessment Center, 2500 Bolsover St., Houston, TX, 77005; The Women’s Center, 1010 Waugh Dr., Houston, TX, 77019; or to the John M. O’Quinn Foundation, 3518 Travis St., Suite 200, Houston, TX, 77002.

______________________________________

In other news about John O’Quinn’s Estate the sole executor of the Estate of his good friend, Gerald Treece, gave an interview on November 1 to the Houston Chronicle about the big question in car collectors minds. “What will become of the museum and the collection?”

“The simple answer is I don’t know,” said Gerald Treece, a longtime friend who also will serve as executor of the estate. Treece said O’Quinn’s personal property has been left to the foundation that served his charitable giving. It will take awhile to determine whether the cars in effect belong to the foundation or to the separate corporation, Treece said. …O’Quinn was not married and had no children, reducing the likelihood of a probate dispute. His longtime girlfriend, Darla Lexington, oversaw the corporation in charge of the collection and usually accompanied him on his trips to car auctions around the country.

….after his 60th birthday, it resumed at a classic car auction in Katy and continued until the prominent Houston litigator died in a car accident last week, when he had invited an overseas expert and a film crew to witness the rebirth of one of the great novelties of his vast collection: the oldest existing working automobile.

Starting on that day in 2003 when he purchased 14 cars at his first auction, O’Quinn became a towering figure in the world of automotive collecting. He amassed a collection that numbers more than 800 vehicles, from the overtly silly Batmobile to a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow once owned by a maharaja. …from the world’s best assortment of Duesenbergs — including the most expensive one ever sold — to iconic American muscle cars to the rarest Ferraris to a Lincoln ordered by Queen Elizabeth II. Certainly a main attraction of the museum would be a Rolls-Royce purchased by Houstonian Howard Hughes for his new bride from a local Packard dealership. …… O’Quinn surpassed them all, and he boasted a vision beyond the mere acquisition of cars for personal whim or pleasure. He planned to build a museum to display them that he claimed would be the greatest in the world. He had already hired people to compile archival research on cars and to take oral histories from important automotive figures. … He had even scouted potential sites. He was intrigued by one tract near downtown and one closer to the Museum District. He predicted the museum would be completed by 2010, and he acknowledged he was far from finished buying more cars. …What car lovers wandering through such a museum might someday see are samples of a mind-boggling inventory assembled in a stunningly short amount of time…

…O’Quinn was a force previously unwitnessed in the classic car world. He bought and bought and never stopped…

The irony of the way O’Quinn died — a car wreck on a wet street near downtown — was lost on no one aware of the passion that had come to consume him, and surprised no one who had ever ridden with him as he drove at breakneck speeds around town.

Gerald Treece besides being the sole executor of John O’Quinn’s Estate is rumored to be one of three “succession administrators” of the John O’Quinn Law Firm to be sure it continues as a tribute to his friend’s memory in the legal world and also maintains the power of a force to be dealt with in litigation. The succession plan was announced as being in place early Friday Morning, October 29, 2009 on the O’Quinn Law Firm’s web site.

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The service and official obituary for Johnny Lee Cutliff has not yet been announced however when it is we will give it the same space as we have to Mr. O’Quinn, it seems that he was the type of man that would have wanted Mr. Cutliff remembered as well.

For all of you who are emailing us wanting to know if Mr. Cutliff will get the same type of coverage by Rose Speaks.com as John O’Quinn has and our answer is YES.

We have asked for a formal obituary for Mr. Cutliff and will have that up once we receive it. We have been now been able to confirm that Duncan Funeral Home Chapel will be the providing the arrangements for Johnny Lee Cutliff. Viewing will be on Viewing Friday, November 6, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Funeral Service will be Saturday, November 7, 11:00 at the funeral home chapel as soon as we get Mr. Cutliff’s official obitiuary from his family or the O’Quinn law firm it will appear here with Mr. Cutliff’s pictures members of the O’Quinn Law Firm will be able to attend both services this week.

Tags: Al Levin, Alvin Zimmerman, automotive The John O'Quinn history museum in Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, Christian A. Steed Esq., Don Clark, Don Clark ex-FBI, Dr. Ed Young, Dr. O.H. Frazier's Surgical Research, Dr. Willerson's Research, Gerald Treece, Jack Raines, John M. O'Quinn Foundation, John Maurice O'Quinn, John O'Quinn, John O'Quinn Law Library, John O'Quinn's renowned car collection, John O'Quinn's Wimberley Texas Ranch, Johnny Lee Cutliff, Michelle Coopwood, Ms. Darla Lexington, Neil McCabe, O'Quinn River Ranch - Wimberley Texas, Regent for the University of Houston, Ruth O'Quinn, Sanctuary of Second Baptist Church, Second Baptist Church Houston Texas, South Texas College of Law Advocacy Center, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, The 12-Step Fellowship, The Children's Assessment Center, The End Hunger Network, The O'Quinn Law Firm, The Texas Heart Institute, The Women's Center, trustee of the UH Law School Foundation, University of Houston, University of Houston John O'Quinn Memorial Fund, University of Houston Law School