Title: Kissman v. Bendix Home Systems, Inc.

State: texas

Issuer: Texas Supreme Court

Document:

587 S.W.2d 675 (1979) Martin W. KISSMAN et al., Petitioners, v. BENDIX HOME SYSTEMS, INC., Respondent. No. B-8229. Supreme Court of Texas. October 3, 1979. *676 Kuhn, Collins & Alexander, Richard W. Alexander, Austin, for petitioners. Kendall, Randle, Finch & Osborn, Terrence Kendall, Austin, for respondent. CAMPBELL, Justice. This case began as a deceptive trade practice case involving the sale of a mobile home. The primary question on this appeal is whether the pleadings were sufficient to allow evidence of cost of repairs. Plaintiff, Kissman, in a nonjury trial, recovered judgment against Laney, seller of the mobile home for $1.00, and against Bendix, the manufacturer, for $23,748.81 plus attorney's fees and court costs. Only Bendix appealed, and the Court of Civil Appeals reversed the trial court judgment and rendered judgment that Kissman take nothing. 582 S.W.2d 471. The petition alleged: Kissman, by his last witness, attempted to offer evidence on the cost of repairs. Bendix's objection, the trial court's remarks, and the witness' answer is as follows: In its findings of fact, the trial court found the reasonable cost of repairing the damages to be $7,916.27, and entered judgment for three times this amount. Because Kissman did not assert a cause of action nor seek damages for cost of repairs, the Court of Civil Appeals held evidence on cost of repairs was not admissible. Evidence of cost of repairs is not admissible if pleadings allege only the difference in the market value before and after a collision. Tinney v. Williams, 144 S.W.2d 344 (Tex.Civ.App.Amarillo 1950, no writ). Evidence of market value before and after a collision is not admissible under allegations of cost of repairs. South Plains Ready-Mix, Inc. v. McDermett, 278 S.W.2d 575 (Tex.Civ.App.Amarillo 1954, no writ). Pleadings are sufficient under the Rules of Civil Procedure if they give fair and adequate notice to the adversary. Stone v. Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, 554 S.W.2d 183 (Tex.1977). Rule 45, T.R.C.P. provides: Pleadings in the district and county courts shall Kissman's trial pleadings do not give fair notice of a claim for reasonable and necessary cost of repairs. The variance between the pleadings and proof is substantial, misleading, and prejudicial and therefore, fatal. Stone v. Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, supra. The prayer for general relief is of no assistance because a prayer must be consistent with the facts stated as a basis for relief. Starr v. Ferguson, 140 Tex. 80, 166 S.W.2d 130 (1942). Only the relief consistent with the theory of the claim reflected in the petition may be granted under a general prayer. Jennings v. Texas Farm Mortg. Co., 124 Tex. 593, 80 S.W.2d 931 (1935). Kissman urges the Court of Civil Appeals should have remanded the cause for a new trial because Bendix did not make a pre-judgment motion or motion for new trial on the no evidence point relied upon by the Court of Civil Appeals. To support his position that the proper appellate predicate had not been made for an appeal, he relies on Gillespey v. Sylvia, 496 S.W.2d 234 (Tex.Civ.App.El Paso 1973, no writ) and Southwestern Mobile Homes, Inc. v. Panel Corp. of America, 373 S.W.2d 879 (Tex.Civ.App.Tyler 1963, no writ). These *678 cases are not in point. Gillespey was a jury case in which a motion for new trial was required prior to the Amendment of Rule 324, T.R.C.P. In Southwestern Mobile Homes no statement of facts was presented to the Court of Civil Appeals. A statement of facts was filed with the Court of Civil Appeals in this case; therefore, objections to the findings of fact can be raised for the first time on appeal. Swanson v. Swanson, 148 Tex. 600, 228 S.W.2d 156 (1950). This brings us to the final question of whether this case should be remanded in the interest of justice. The ends of justice do not require a remand in every instance where a case was tried on the wrong theory, City of Fort Worth v. Pippen, 439 S.W.2d 660 (Tex.1969), or where the evidence was not fully developed, Jackson v. Ewton, 411 S.W.2d 715 (Tex.1967). This case was tried on the one theory of recovery pleaded by Kissman and this theory was waived by him in the Court of Civil Appeals. He did not request a trial amendment. Judgment of only one dollar was had against Laney who is no longer in the case. The parties cannot be returned to the positions they previously occupied because a remand would require a trial only against Bendix. A remand would not be in the interest of justice. The judgment of the Court of Civil Appeals is affirmed.