NO. 0l-14-00969-CVTNTHEFIRSTCOURTOFAPPEALSATHOUSTON,TEXASBRYANBLACKAppellant,CrossAppelleev.SMITHPROTECTIVESERVICES,INC.Appellee,CrossAppellantONAPPEALFROMTHE189THJUTIICIAL DISTzuCTCOURTOFHARzuSCOLINTY,TEXASBRIEFOFCROSS APPELLEEOBRYANBLACKORAL ARGUMENTREQUESTEDACCEPTED01-14-00969-CVFIRST COURT OF APPEALSHOUSTON, TEXAS3/19/2015 3:41:11 PMCHRISTOPHER PRINECLERKMMi*)å\nLAWOFFICBSOFPATIìICKG.TIUBIIAIII),P.C.PatrickG.I-IubbardTexasBarNo.101395001075KingwoodDrive,Suite203Houston,Texas77339Telephone:(281)358-7035Facsimile:(281)358-7008ATTOIìNEYFOIIAI'I'ELLAI\1'Ilryanlìlack,Appellant:RepresentedBy:Appellee:Representedby:IDENTITYOFPARTIESANDCOUNSBLBryanBlackPatrickG.HubbardLawOfficesofPatrickG.Hubbard,P.C.phubbard@patrickhubbardlaw.comTexasBarNo.101395001075KingwoodDrive,Suite203Houston,Texas77339Telephone:(281)358-7035Facsimile:(281)358-7008SmithProtectiveServices,Inc.ToddH.TinkerLawOfficeofToddFLTinker,P.C.tinkerlaw@tinkerlaw.comTexasBarNo.20056150P.O.Box75380Dallas,Texas75380Telephone:(214)914-3760Facsimile:(214)853-4328TABLEOFCONTENTSIDENTITYOFTHEPARTIESANDCOLINSEL...........iiTABLEOFCONTENTS.......iiiTABLEOFAUTHORITIES.........ivSTATEMENTOFTHECASE/STATEMENTOFFACTS.........1SLIN4MARYOFTHEARGUMENT.......2ARGTTMENTANDAUTHORITIES.,,....2-5PRAYER.......5CERTIF'ICATEOFSERVICE.........6111TABI,EOFAUTHORITIESStatutesTexasRuleofCivilProcedure167.5(c)TexasRuleofAppellateProcedure33.2TexasRuleofEvidence103TEX.R.EVID.103(aX2),(b)CasesBeckettv.state,2012Tex.App.LEXIS2293,8-9(Tex.App.-Dallas[Mar.22,]2012,nopet.hist.)(notdesignatedforpublicarion)3Bobborav.(JnitrinIns.servs.,255s.w.3d331,33s(Tex.App.-Dallas2008,nopet.)Cale'sCleanSceneCarwash,Inc.v.Hubbard,T6S.W.3d784,787(Tex.App.-Houston[14thDist.]200|nopet)Dukev.state,365s.w.3d722(Tex.App.-Texarkana20l2,pet.refd)Fletcherv.Minn.Min.&Mfg.Co.,57S.W.3d602,606(Tex.App.-Houston[1stDist.]2001,pet.denied)1"Guidryv.State,gS.V/.3d133,t53(Tex"Crim"App"lggg)LonestarrMulti-Theatres,Ltd.v.MaxInterests,Ltd.,365s.w.3d6gg(Tex.App.-Houston[l'tDist]20ILnopet.)Midlandfitr.BHg.LLCv.FirstServ.AirConditioningContractors,Inc.300S.W.3d738739(Tex.2009).4,Sinkv.,\ink.764WW3d?4O(TevAnn-Tlolloc)O1)n^^ar\z"\^-,^.^^rr.ps,Lwe)2v\2tLvveu.,.1aJ4aJ44J43,44IVSTATEMENTOFTHECASE/STATEMENTOFFACTSBryanBlacksuedSmithProtectiveSeruices,Inc.andZaffarbaseduponawrongfularrestthatZaffar,anemployeeofSmithProtectiveServices,Inc.initiatedfalselyclaimingthatBlackhadassaultedhimwithabaseballbat.Thechargesweredropped.SmithProtectiveServices,Inc.wasgrantedanInterlocutorySummaryJudgmentagainstBlackonAugust20,2014(AppendixA)afterhavingmadeanoffertosettletheeasefor$5,000.00(AppenelixB),whiehwasnotacceptedbyBlack.TheremainderofthecaseproceededtotrialatwhichZaffarfailedtoappearanddefendhimself,andSmithfailedtoappearattrialandofferanyproofofattorneys'fees,andafinaldefaultjudgmentwastakenagainstZaffaronSeptember23,2014(AppendixC,CR647-648).SmithfiledaMotionforAttorney'sFeesAwardonSeptember25,2014(AppenciixB).tslackdemandedanoraihearing.AttheoraihearingSmith'scounselonlypresentedanoralreviewoftheirMotionforAttorneys'FeesAwardandfailedtoofferanytestimonyorevidence.Black'scounselremindedtheCourtthatafinaltrialhadtakenplaceandthatSmithfailedtoappear.TheCourtdeniedtheMotionforAttorney'sFeeAwardonDecember3,2014.SUMMARYOFARGUMENTThebasisforSmithProtectiveServices,lnc.'sMotionforAttorneyFeeAwardisthatSmithmadeanoffertosettleduringtrtal,thesettlementofferwasnotaccepted,andSmithprevailedondismissingthePlaintiffsclaimsinasummaryjudgment.Themotionfailsasamatteroflawforseveralreasons:(a)TheMotionforAttorneys'FeeAwardwasnotfiledtimelybeforefinaljudgment.(b)SmithfailedtoofferanyevidenceorproofofevidenceatthetimeofthehearingontheMotionforAttorneys'FeeAwardormakeanofferofabillofexceptions"ARGUMBNTANDAUTHORITIESDefendant,Smith'sMotionsforSummaryJudgmentweregrantedonÂ"^"-f,)flaA1A-lL^^^^^.,,^^^^11^l,C^-+-i^t^-+L^.^^^-i+^^.^Ct^-^¿^.^^t^^-^1Flr-r.LróLrùL.Lw).Lwt-Ì.rrrf.u<rùEw¿lsvclllçutulLIl¡aluilLlltrillçttL5uilùçPtgllluçlI/,2014,andafinaljudgmentwassignedonSeptember23,2014(AppendixC,CR647-648).SmithProtectiveServices,lnc.didnotappearattrial.TheCourt'sjudgmentrenderedafinaldefaultjudgmentverdictagainstZaffarandfurtherindicatedthatallotherclaimsaredenied,andthatalIcostsweretaxedagainstDefendant,Zaffar.Pointingouttheobvious,SmithhadfromAugust20,2014untilSeptember17,2014tofiletheirMotionforAttorney'sFeesAward,andtheyfailedtodosountilSeptember25,2014,twodaysafterthefinaljudgmentwassigned.Defendant'scounselforSmithProtectiveServices,lnc.failedtoappearateitherdocketcallortrialwhenthecasewascalledfortrial.TheCourtrenderedallcostsofcourtagainstZaffar.TexasRuleofCivilProcedure167.5(c)indicatesthatthecourtmust,uponrequest,conductahearingonarequestforanawardoflitigationcosts,atwhichtheaffectedpartiesmaypresentevidence.BlackdidrequestahearingonSmith'sMotion,andahearingwasgranted,butSmithofferednoproof,notestimony,andnoevidenceatthehearing.Smithonlyofferedoralargumentontheissueanditwasdenied.TexasRuleofEvidence103coversoffersofproof.Inapairofcases,theissueofanofferofproofdeterminedtheoutcomeoftheappellatepoint.rnBeckettv.State,2012Tex.App.LEXIS2293,B-9(Tex.App.-Dallas[Mar.22,]2012,nopet.hist.),thetrialcourtexcludedevidenceabouta^-^-^-i^+i^-l-,''*+^^.,^^-^L^l.^*^+l^^^ff^---Jf---¿l--1--^1-I11--,---yrtvùvrrPLr\rIr\rILrBLçllJçixltUçILIçtlIçUllgIlSËAIIUIUIüIlçIexçlUU9UtllgUOIIlfnen[Sofonetestifoingexpertaboutanexcludedexpert'sopinion.InDulcev.State,2012Tex.App.LEXIS2376(Tex.App.-Texarkana[Mar.27,]2012,noper.hist.),thetrialcourtexcludedaffidavitssignedbythewitnessanddeniedimpeachmentfromtheaffidavits.Bothcourtsreasonedthattopreserveacomplaintabouttheerroneousexclusionofevidence,thecomplainingpartymustbringforwardarecordindicatingthenatureoftheevidence.SeeGuidryv.State,gS.W.3d133,153(Tex.Crim.App.1999).Thereisnorecordinthisinstance,becausenorecordwasmade,andtherewasnoofferofproofonattorneys'fees.lJnlesstheexcludedevidenceisapparentfromthecontextoftherecord,theofferingpartymustpresentatimelyofferofprooforbillofexceptions.SeeTEX.R.EVID.103(a)(2),(b);Guidry,9S.W.3dafI53."Absentashowingofwhatsuchevidencewouldhavebeen,oranofferofastatementconcerningwhattheexcludedevidencewouldshow,nothingispresentedforreview."Guidry,,9S.W.3datl53.InbothBeckettv.StateandDukev.Statethecompleteabsenceofanofferofproofoftheexcludedevidencepreventedappellatereview.LoneStarrMulti-Theetres,Ltd.v.MaxInterests,Ltd.,365S.W.3d688(Tex.App.-Houston[1'tDist]2011.nopet.)seealsoSinkv.Sink,364W.\M.3d340(Tex.App.-Dallas,2012nopet("Texasrccognizestwotypesofofferstopreserveerror:theofferofproofandtheformalbillofexception.SeelFletcherv.Minn.Min.eL[fs.Co.,57S.V/.3d602,606(Tex.App.-HoustonflstDist.]2001,pet.denied)]....Whennoofferofproofismadebeforethetrialcourt,thepartymustintroducetheexcludedevidenceintotherecordbyaformalbillofexception.SeeBobborav.UnitrinIns.Servs.,255S.W.3d331,335(Tex.App.-Dallas2008,nopet.").TexasRuleofAppellateProcedure33.2providesthatnospeeialwordsarerequiredbutthefbrmalbillofexceptionsmustbefilednolaterthanthirtydaysaftertrial.However,evenwhenattorneys'feesareotherwisemandated,denialisappropriate'oiftheevidence:(1)failedtoprove(a)thatanyattorney'sserviceswereprovided;or(b)thevalueoftheservicesprovided.Cale'sCleanSceneCarwash,Inc.v.Hubbard,76S.w.3d784,787(Tex.App.-Houston¡l4thDist.l2001,nopet).AlsoseeMídlandw.Btdg.LLCv.Firstserv.AirConditioningContractors,Inc.300S.W.3d735739(Tex.2009).PRAYERWHEREFORE,PREMISESCONSIDERED,CrossAppellee,BlackpraysthatuponhearinghereoftheCourtdenyappealontheMotionforAttorneyFeesandthatCrossAppellanttakenothing,andthatCrossAppelleehaveallrelieftowhichheisjustlyentitled.IPATRICKG.HUBBARD,P.C.PatrickG.Hubbardphubbard@patricl<hubbardIaw.comTexasBarNo.101395001075KingwoodDrive,Suite203Houston,Texas77339Telephone:(281)358-7035Facsimile:(281)358-7008ATTORNEYFORAPPELLANTANDCROSS-APPELLEE,BryanBlack,ctfullySubmitted,LAWOFFICESOFCERTIFICATEOFSERVICE.ûþThisistocertiffthatonthe-!-\dayofMarch,20!5,atrueandcorrectcopyoftheaboveandforegoinghasbeenserveduponcounselofrecordviae-fileandemailasfollows:ViaEmailToddH.TinkeroEsqTinkerlaw@TinkerLaw.com6