No. 01-15-00301-CV

______________________________________________________________________________ 

IN THE 

COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE

FIRST SUPREME JUDICIAL DISTRICT

OF 

TEXAS

AT HOUSTON, TEXAS

______________________________________________________________________________ 

DAVID M. DIGGS,

Appellant,

vs. 

VSM FINANCIAL, L.L.C.,

Appellee.

______________________________________________________________________________ 

Appeal from the County Civil Court At Law No. 1 

of Harris County, Texas 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

BRIEF OF APPELLANT

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 WILLIE & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

 Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D. 

 4151 Southwest Freeway, Suite 490 

 Houston, Texas 77027 

 (713) 659-7330 

 (713) 599-1659 (FAX) 

 SBOT# 21633500 

 attyjrwii@wisamlawyers.com

 ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

DAVID M. DIGGS

ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED

______________________________________________________________________________ 

ACCEPTED

01-15-00301-CV

FIRST COURT OF APPEALS

HOUSTON, TEXAS

6/30/2015 4:58:13 PM

CHRISTOPHER PRINE

CLERK

 FILED IN 1st COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 6/30/2015 4:58:13 PM CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk
ii

IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

The following is a complete list of all parties to the trial court’s final judgment, as well as 

the names and addresses of all trial and appellate counsel.

PARTIES COUNSEL

Appellant:

David M. Diggs Willie & Associates, P.C.

Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

4151 Southwest Freeway, Suite 490

Houston, Texas 77027

Trial and Appellate Counsel for Appellant

Appellee:

VSM Financial, L.L.C. Jenkins, Wagnon & Young, P.C.

Dan G. Young, Esquire

P.O. Box 420

Lubbock, Texas 79408

Trial Counsel for Appellee
iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

STATEMENT OF THE CASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

ISSUE PRESENTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

STATEMENT OF FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ARGUMENT AND AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

I. The trial court erred by not awarding the Defendant his costs of

court as the prevailing party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

APPENDIX

Appendix 1 – Final Summary Judgment of the trial court signed on 

 February 25, 2015.
iv

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

Page(s)

CASES:

Furr’s Supermarkets, Inc. v. Bethune,

53 S.W.3d 375 (Tex. 2001) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3

Imperial Lofts, Ltd. v. Imperial Woodworks, Inc.,

245 S.W.3d 1 (Tex. App.--Waco

2007, pet. denied) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Roberts v. Williamson,

111 S.W.3d 113 (Tex. 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3

RULES AND STATUTES:

TEX. R. APP. P. 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

TEX. R. CIV. P. 131 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3

TEX. R. CIV. P. 141 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3
v

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Nature of the Case: This is a breach of contract cause of 

action brought by VSM Financial, 

L.L.C.

Trial Court: The Honorable Debra I. Mayfield,

County Civil Court At Law No. 1,

Harris County, Texas.

Parties in Trial Court: VSM Financial, L.L.C. – Plaintiff;

David M. Diggs – Defendant.

Trial Court Disposition: Final Summary Judgment rendered 

in favor of the Defendant.

ISSUE PRESENTED

The trial court erred by not awarding the Defendant his costs of court as the prevailing 

party.
STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

On April 14, 2014, the Plaintiff filed its Original Petition alleging a breach 

of contract by the Defendant. (C.R. 4-6.) On July 24, 2014, the Defendant filed his 

Original Answer which alleged a general denial and the affirmative defenses of the 

statute of limitations and laches. (C.R. 7-9.)

On September 29, 2014, the Plaintiff filed its Motion for Summary 

Judgment. (C.R. 9-71.) On October 2, 2014, the Defendant filed his Response and 

Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. (C.R. 72-78.) On October 10, 2014, 

Plaintiff filed its Response to Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. 

(C.R. 80-86.)

On February 25, 2015, the trial court granted the Defendant’s Cross-Motion 

for Summary Judgment and denied the Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment, 

however, the trial court failed to award the Defendant his costs of court as the 

prevailing party. (C.R. 88.)

On March 27, 2015, the Defendant filed his Notice of Limitation of Appeal 

to perfect his appeal to the Court of Appeals for the First Supreme Judicial District 

of Texas. (C.R. 91-92.)
2

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT

A successful party to a lawsuit shall recover its costs of court. Additionally, 

in order for a trial court to adjudge costs differently, there must be good cause and 

the good cause must be stated on the record. The trial court’s actions in not 

awarding the Defendant his costs of court run counter to the applicable case law 

and rules of procedure. See Furr’s Supremarkets, Inc. v. Bethune, 53 S.W.3d 375 

(Tex. 2001); Roberts v. Williamson, 111 S.W.3d 113 (Tex. 2003); TEX. R. CIV. P. 

131; TEX. R. CIV. P. 141.

ARGUMENT AND AUTHORITIES

I. The trial court erred by not awarding the Defendant his costs of court 

as the prevailing party.

The Plaintiff clearly pled that he be awarded his costs of court if it was 

adjudged that he was the prevailing party in the action below. (C.R. 8.) On 

February 25, 2015, trial court entered its Final Summary Judgment which granted 

Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and denied Plaintiff’s Motion 

for Summary Judgment. However, the trial court failed to award the Defendant his 

costs of court as the prevailing party. (C.R. 88.)
3

It is well-settled law that a prevailing party is entitled to recover his costs of 

court. See Furr’s Supremarkets, Inc. v. Bethune, 53 S.W.3d 375, 376 (Tex. 2001);

Imperial Lofts, Ltd. v. Imperial Woodworks, Inc., 245 S.W.3d 1, 8 (Tex. App.--

Waco 2007, pet. denied); TEX. R. CIV. P. 131. It is very plain from this appellate 

record that the Defendant was not awarded his costs of court.

A trial court may either not award and/or otherwise adjudge costs, however, 

there must be good cause and the good cause must be stated in the record. See 

Roberts v. Williamson, 111 S.W.3d 113, 124 (Tex. 2003); Furr’s at 53 S.W.3d at 

376-377; TEX. R. CIV. P. 141. The trial court did not state any good cause for not 

awarding the Defendant his costs of court in its Final Summary Judgment. The trial 

court’s Final Summary Judgment should be modified to award the Defendant his 

costs of court and the remainder of the trial court’s Final Summary Judgment 

should be affirmed.

PRAYER

For the foregoing reasons, Appellant, David M. Diggs, requests that the trial 

court’s Final Summary Judgment be modified to award the Appellant his costs of 

court and that the remainder of the trial court’s Final Summary Judgment be 

affirmed.
4

Respectfully submitted,

WILLIE & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

 By:/s/ Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

4151 Southwest Freeway, Suite 490

Houston, Texas 77027

(713) 659-7330

(713) 599-1659 (FAX)

SBOT# 21633500

attyjrwii@wisamlawyers.com

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

DAVID M. DIGGS

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing document was 

served via e-service to Dan G. Young, P.O. Box 420, Lubbock, Texas 79408, on 

the 30th day of June, 2015.

/s/ Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

I certify that the Brief of Appellant submitted complies with TEX. R. APP. P.

9 and the word count of this document is 560. The word processing software used 

to prepare the document and to calculate the word count is Windows 7.

/s/ Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.
APPENDIX 
Appendix 1 
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No. 1046110 

/;j VSM FINANCIAL, L.L.C. § IN THE COUNTY CIVIL 

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VS. § COURT AT LAW NO. I 

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DAVID M. DIGGS § HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS 

FINAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT 

Came on to be heard Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. The 

Court, after being fully informed and after hearing the argument of counsel, is of the 

opinion that the cross~motion is, in all things: 

1('5 ~ ~ED~~ IT ISs THFJUivQR.S; QIU)~R£D that the Plaintiffs cause of action is hereby~ 

d:l:sed because It Is b::':: l>:::::tute oflimitations. IT I~ FURTHER ORDERED ® 

t t e Defendant reeov . ... ~,,~~ .. 'f..!.'_Dllrt and 'hat tRI J!lalRuffis tueu With ail costs - , 

ofeoutt It)] wlticlt let axeCIJtjOD issue. All other relief not hereby granted is DfNlg9. 

S:~NED on thas day of ~ ,20 ~ 

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PRESIDING JUDGE 

RECORDER'S MEMORANDUM: 

At the time of recordation, thIs In,trument wei 

bind to be Ine:de'luate for tM D6st photographic 

reproduction beceuBo of lIIeg1bJUty, carbon or 

photo copy, dlscolorod P'!Pf:r, etc, All bloc:koutl. 

addlUon, and cha n-jes WtltD present.t ttw tImI 

the In_truman! ""!lS i\1od 3nd f'OO/'df)d, 

88