Denise Wells Novotny

From XFamily - Children of God

Denise Wells Novotny (U.S. citizen, born 1957-03-12) is an attorney in Houston, Texas, Activated Ministries Treasurer and the sister of Family International member Jeff Wells and Activated Ministries director Valorie Wells Davenport.

Novotny has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston where she majored in Accounting. Novotny is a December 1995 graduate of the South Texas College of Law.[1] She has been licensed to practice law in the state of Texas since November 1, 1996. [1]

When her sister Valorie Davenport opened her own law firm in 1989, Novotny helped Davenport open her office, stayed on as an employee of the firm and helped run the office.[2] After graduating from law school, Novotny worked at her sister's firm as a practicing lawyer. [2]. Novotny continued to work for Davenport until opening her own firm, Novotny Legal Group, run out of her home, where she lives with Davenport, sometime in 2006.[3]

Novotny drew national attention in 1990 when, while attending a George Strait concert, she used a men's restroom and was "stopped by a police officer, given a $200 fine and escorted out of the arena, abandoning the third-row seat for which she had paid a ticket broker $125."[4] She was represented in court by her sister Valorie Davenport and a jury acquitted her after 23 minutes of deliberation. [5] The story was featured on the ABC Evening News [6] program and the New York Times reported that Novotny "appeared on Johnny Carson's and Joan Rivers's television shows and she said she had received "a slew of requests" for interviews from magazines and radio talk shows around the country."[7]

In November 2005, Novotny reportedly joined the staff of Activated Ministries as its Treasuer.[8]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 State Bar of Texas Member Directory, accessed July 31, 2006.
  2. 2.0 2.1 United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, Case 03-38089-11, Adv. No. 04-3618, Memorandum Opinion dated February 7, 2006, page 46 (Part 3).
  3. Judge Jeff Bohm, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, Case 03-38089-11, Adv. No. 04-3618, Memorandum Opinion on (1)the defendant's motion to enlarge time to file notice of appeal; and (2) the plaintiff's motion to strike/dismiss defendant's motion to extend time to file notice of appeal and request for evidentiary hearing, May 10, 2006, page 6.
  4. Belkin, Lisa, "Seeking Some Relief, She Stepped Out of Line," New York Times, 1990-07-21.
  5. "Woman Is Acquitted in Trial For Using the Men's Room," New York Times, 1990-11-03
  6. * Jennings, Peter, "Houston, Texas / Woman Using Men's Restroom", ABC Evening News for Tuesday, Oct 30, 1990, 05:55:30pm-05:58:10.
  7. "Woman Is Acquitted in Trial For Using the Men's Room," New York Times, 1990-11-03
  8. Wikipedia: Activated Ministries, accessed 2006-07-31.
    GuideStar.org profile for Activated Ministries — (via California Dept. of Justice), accessed 2006-10-22