1 ... S eeT EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 4.
2 ... W I L L I AM S HAKESP EARE , H AML ETa c t3, s c . 1.



## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 7 - 2 7 8 - CV
CE NT E R P OI NTAP AR T M E NT S AP P E L L ANT V . JEFF REY L. W EBB A PPELL EE

----- ----- -- FR O M CO UN TY CO URT AT LAW NO . 2 OF DENTO N CO UN TY

----- ----- -- 

### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- I . I nt r oduc t i on To pa r a p h r a s e t h e B a r d , “ T o b e [ a l e a s e r e n e wa l ] , o rn o tt o b e [ a l ease re n e w a l ]. T h a t i s t h e q u e s ti o n .” 2I n onei ss ue, A ppe l l antCent er poi nt A p a rt m e n t s (C e n t e r p o in t ) a p p e a ls t h e t r ia l c o u rt ’s t a k e n o t h in g ju d g m e n tin2

f avo rofA ppe l l eeJe f f r ey L. W ebb . Atr i skar e d am age s of$1,1 86. 67, pl us a tto rn e y ’sfe e s o f s e v e ra l ti m e s th a t a m o u n t. W e a ffir m . II . F a c tu a la n d P ro c e d u ra lH i s to ry O n Apr i l 29, 2004 , D al e A r m s exe cut ed a Texa s A part m entA ss oci at i on ( TA A ) M em ber f or m agr eem ent w i t h C ent er poi nt ent i t l ed “A part m e n t L e ase C ontr act ” ( Lease 1) . Lease 1’ s t er m began on M ay 1, 20 04 , ended N ovem ber 30, 2004 , r equ i r ed t hi rt y da ys ’ w r i t t en not i ceoft er m i nat i on ori nt entt o m ove ou tt o pr e ve nta ut om a t i c m on t h- t o- m on th r e ne w a l , a nd p r ov i de d f or$545
m onthl y r entand pr or at ed r entof$4 25 f ort he f i r stm onth, am ong ot her pr ovi si ons. O n M ay 1, 20 04 , D al e A r m s’ s ol derbr ot her , W ebb, ent er ed a l ease g u a ra n tyc o n tra c t (G u a ra n tyC o n tra c t) w i th C e n te rp o i n t, th e te rm s o f w h i c h a re ati ssue her e. O n S e p te m b e r 2 9 , 2 0 0 4 , C e n te r p o i n t e n te re d i n to a s e c o n d T A A fo rm a g re e m e n t w i th A rm s , a l s o e n ti tl e d “ A p a rtm e n t L e a s e C o n tra c t” (L e a s e 2 ),
w hi ch w ass ett o be gi n on D ec em ber1, 2004 , t he day aft ert he exp i r at i on of Lease 1, and t o end on June 3 0, 20 05 . Par agr aph 3 ofLease 2 pr ovi ded t hat i tw oul d aut om at i cal l y r enew m onth- t o- m onth unl ess ei t herpart y gave atl east si xt y da ys ’ w r i t t en not i ce . I tal so pr ovi ded t ha t th e re w asno p r or at ed r ent3 ... Th e A dden dum pr ovi ded as f ol l ow s:

A d d e n d u m t o l e a s e c o n t r a c t da t e d 9

- 2 4

- 0 4b e t we e n D a l e A r ms a n d C e n t e r p o in t A p a rt m e n t s [. ] R e n t f r o m 1 2 /1 /0 4 t o 6 -3 0 -0 5 w ill be $ 39 9. 0 0 p erm onth unt i l 6- 30

- 05 . The t ot al concessi on t hat you w i l l be r ecei vi ng i s $1 , 02 2. 00 . . . . W hen t hi s l ease t er m ends, r entw i l l aut om at i cal l y go t o t he cur r entst r eetr at e. A tt hatt i m e, p l e a se co n tac t t h e o ffi c e to fi n d o u t w h a t th e stree t r a te i s o r i f w e a re o ffe ri n g a n yd i s c o u n ts a t th a t ti m e . Th e under l i ned po rt i ons her e and t hr oug hou tt hi s opi ni on r epr esent t he l i nes t hatw er e c om pl et ed by h and . 3 am ount , buti ti ncl ude d an “Addend um f orRent al Conces si ons , ” ( A dde ndum ) da t e d Se pt e m be r29, 2004 . 3 A r m s f ul f i l l ed hi s co n tra c tual obl i gat i onsunde rLe as e 1; how eve r , he br ea che d L ea se2. C ent er poi nt f i l ed su i t i n t he j us t i ceco urtag ai ns tW ebb f or b rea c h o f t h e G u a ran ty C o n tr a c t an d p rev a i l e d . W e b b ap p e a l e d to th e co u n ty
c o u rt . D ur i n g t h e b e n c h t r i a l , t h e c o u n t yc o u rth e a r d t e s t i mo n ya n d a r g u m ent and r evi ew ed evi den ce r ega r di ng w het her Le as e 2 w asa new l ea seco nt r ac tor a r ene w al ofLe as e 1. The t r i al co urtad m i t t ed C ent er poi nt ’ s exh i bi t s, i ncl udi ng th e G u a ra n tyC o n tra c t, L e a s e 2 , a n d th e A d d e n d u m . I t a l s o a d m i tte d W e b b ’s
e x h i b i ts , i n c l u d i n g th e T A A fo rm L e a s e C o n tra c t G u a ra n tya n d L e a s e 1 . K endr a H ei nt zel m an, C ent er poi nt ’ s a s s i s t a ntpr opert y super vi sor , t est i f i ed t hatt he G uar ant y C ontr act“w i l l guar ant ee r enew al s, or i gi nal cont r actr enew al s,4

r oom m at e a ddi t i ons , de l et i ons , m odi f i c a t i o n s , a p a rt m entnum berch ang es . ” She
a l so tes ti fi e d tha t C e n terp o i n t ha d m o d i fi e d T A A ’ s L e a se C o n tr a c t G u a ran ty fo rm , w h i c h w a s a d m i tted i n to e v i d e n c e to c o m p a re to the G u a ran ty C o n tr a c t, p a rt ic u la r l y the“[ v]er b ia g e re g a r d in g re n e w a ls , a m e n d m e n t s , m o d if ic a t io n s , u n it
num berchanges. ” S he t est i f i ed t hat C ent er poi nt di d not use a TA A r enew al le a s e f o r m , t h a tt h e g u a r a n t o r ’s o b lig a t io n t e r m in a t e s w h e n t h e a p a rt m e n tis
vac at ed, an d t hatt he gua r ant or ’ s r i ght s w er e i n t he l ea se c o n trac t . She t es t i f i ed t hats he bel i eve d t hatLe as e 2 w asa r ene w al . W ebbt es t i f i ed t hathe unde r st ood t he G uar ant y Cont r ac tt o beonl y f ora si x m ont h pe r i od. A tt he t r i al ’ s concl usi on, t he t r i al court hel d t hatW ebb w as notsubj ect t o l i abi l i t y un dert he G uar ant y Cont r ac t , s t at i ng, Th e do c um entt hatt he apart m entcom m i ssi on has chosen to use is a d o c u m e n t e n t it le d A p a rt m e n t L e a s e C o n t r a c t . Itd o e s n o t , in any w ay, i ndi cat e t hat i t i s a r enew al . Th at t he apart m entcom pl ex cho os es t o us e t hat as i t s veh i cl e f or con t i nua t i on of occ upa ncyby ten a n ts i n t h is a c ti o n d o e s n o t ch a n g e i t i n to a re n e w a l co n tr a c t. Itisn o tla b e le d a s s u c h . . . . A n d t h e C o u r t isg o in g t o s t r ic t ly con st r ue t he l ang uag e o ft he doc um ent s t hatt hese pa rt i esha ve si gne d. Ther ef or e, I do not f i nd t hatt he Le as e Cont r ac tG uar ant y,

. . . ext ends t o t he subsequen t docu m ent , . . . says dat e ofLease Con t r a c t , 9/ 24/04, w i t h t hes t a rt i ng d a t e b e i ng Dec e m be r1, 2004 . S o th e j u d g m e n t i s fo r th e D e fe n d a n t i n th i s a c ti o n . T h i s a p p e a l fo l l o w e d .5 III. A nal ysi s I n i t s so l e i ss ue, Cent er poi ntar gue s t hat t he t r i al co urter r ed by r end er i ng j udg m enti n f avorofW ebb, cl ai m i ng t hati t est abl i shed as a m at t erofl aw t hat W ebb br eached t he G uar ant y C ontr act . Speci f i cal l y, C ent er poi ntcl ai m s t hat t he G uar ant y C ontr act ’ s expr ess t er m s ext e n d ed W ebb’ s l i abi l i t y t o i ncl ude a br ea ch ofa l ea ser ene w al oran y l ea se s si gne d byW ebb ’ s b ro th er , t hatt he l ea seco nt r ac t t i t l e w asnotdi sp os i t i ve ofan i nt entt o r ene w ort o di sc ont i nue W ebb ’ s gua r ant orl i abi l i t y, an d t hatCent er poi ntes t abl i sh e d att r i al al l oft he
e le m e n t s o fa b r e a c h o fg u a r a n t yc la im . A . St andar d ofRev i ew W e rev i e w d e n o v o a tri a l co u rt ’ s c o n c l u sion s o f l a w w i th reg a rd to
c o n tra c t i n te rp re ta ti o n . See M CI Telec om m . Cor

p. v. Tex. U ti

l s. El ec . Co. , 995 S .W .2 d 6 4 7 , 6 5 0

– 5 1 (T e x . 1 9 9 9 ); Hun tle yv. E n o nL td. P ’sh ip , 197 S. W . 3d 8 4 4 , 8 4 9 (T e x . A p p .— F o rtW o rt h 2 0 0 6 , n o p e t. ). W e ac c o rd n o d e fere n c e to th e l o w e r c o u rt’sd e c i s i o n . Q uickv. Cityo f A us tin , 7 S. W . 3d 109 , 116 ( Tex. 1 9 9 8 ). B. Cont r ac tI nt er pr et at i on W hen i nt er pr et i ng a contr act , no si ngl e pr ovi si on t aken al one w i l l be gi ven contr ol l i ng ef f ect ; r at her , al l t he pr ovi si ons m ustbe consi der ed w i t h r ef er ence to th e w h o l e i n s tru m e n t. Citi zens Nat ’

l Bank i n A bi lene v. Tex. & Pac . Ry. Co. ,6

1 3 6 T e x . 3 3 3 , 1 5 0 S .W .2 d 1 0 0 3 , 1 0 0 6 , cert. denied, 3 1 4U .S . 6 5 6 (1 9 4 1 ). I f an i ns t r um ent i s w r i t t en so t hat i t ca n be gi ven a def i ni t e l ega l m ea ni n g or i n te rp re ta ti o n , th e c o u rt s h o u l d c o n s tru e i t a s a m a tte r o f l a w . Coker v. Coker, 6 5 0 S .W .2 d 3 9 1 , 3 9 3 (T e x . 1 9 8 3 ); Pham v. Mongi el lo, 58 S . W . 3d 284, 288 (T e x . A p p .— A u s ti n 2 0 0 1 , p e t. d e n i e d ). T o a c h i e v e th i s o b j e c ti v e , th e c o u rt sh oul d e xam i ne and co n si dert he ent i r e w r i t i ng i n a n e f f ortt o ha r m oni z e a nd gi ve ef f ectt o al l t he p ro v is io n s o ft he contr actso t hatnone w i l l be r ender ed
m e a n i n g l e s s . Univer sal C. I. T. CreditCor

p. v. D aniel, 150 Te x. 51 3 , 243 S .W .2 d 1 5 4 , 1 5 8 (1 9 5 1 ). The f ac tt hatt he part i est o a con t r ac t di sa gr eeove rt he i nt er pr et at i on of th e c o n tra c t d o e s n o t n e c e s s a ri l yre n d e r i t a m b i g u o u s . Pham , 58 S. W . 3d at 288 . L i ke w i se , unc ert ai nt y ora l ac k o fcl ar i t y i n t h e l a ngua ge us ed i n t he
c o n tra c t d o e sn o t a u to m a ti c a l l yre n d e r i t a m b i g u o u s . Id . A n d a n a m b i g u i ty does not ar i se si m pl y because t he part i es advance confl i ct i ng i nt er pr et at i ons;
r at her , f oran am bi gui t y t o e x is t , bot h i nt er pr et at i ons m ustbe r easonabl e. Lop ez v. Munoz, Hockem a & Reed, L. L. P. , 2 2 S .W .3 d 8 5 7 , 8 6 1 (T e x . 2 0 0 0 ); Sef zi k v. MadyD ev. , L. P. , 231 S. W . 3d 456, 460 ( Tex. A pp. — D al l as2007 , no p e t.). 1 . G u a ra n tyC o n t r a c tT e r ms Th e G uar ant y C ontr actpr ovi des i n pert i nent partas f ol l ow s:7

L e a s e C o n tra c t In fo rm a ti o n . . . A B O U TL E A S E : D a te o f L e a s e C o n tra c t . . . 4 /2 9 /0 4. . . M o n th l yre n t fo r d w e l l i n g u n i t $ 5 4 5 . . . B e g i n n i n g d a te o f L e a s e C o n tra c t: 5 /1 /0 4. . . E n d i n g d a te o f L e a s e C o n tra c t: 1 1 /3 0 /0 4 [.]

. . . Y ou, as guar ant orsi gni ng t hi s Lease C ontr actG uar ant y, guar ant ee a l l o b l i g a ti o n s o f r e side n t( s) u n d e r t h e ab o v e Le a se C o n tr a c t, in c lu d in g b u tn o t lim it e d t o re n t , la t e f e e s , p r o p e rt yd a m a g e , r e p a ir c o sts , a n i m a l v i o l a ti o n ch a rge s, rel e tti n g c h a rge s, u ti l i ty p a y m e n ts a n d al l ot hersum s w hi ch m ay becom e due und ert he Lease C o n t r a c t . Y o u a g r e e t h a ty o u ro b lig a t io n s a s g u a r a n t o rw ill conti nue and w i l l notbe aff e c t ed by am endm ent s, m odi f i cat i ons, r oom m at e c han gesorde l et i ons , uni t# cha nge s, r ene w al s oran y le a s e a g r e e m e n t s w h ic h m a yb e a g r e e d t o f r o m t im e t o t im e b e tw e e n an yo f t h e res i d e n ts a n d u s ( in c l u d i n g m o n th to m o n th r ene w al i n P .# 3 o f l ea se . ) Guar ant ori s r es pons i bl e f oran y h o l d o v e rs, (p a r a g r a p h # 3 2 o f l e a se .) I f gu a ran to r gi v e s n o ti c e to m oveout , ( P. #3 a n d # 3 7 ofl ea se ) an d r es i den tr ene w s l ea seor si gnsa new l ea se , gua r ant or ’ s not i cew i l l beco ns i der ed voi d.

. . . G u a ra n to r u n c o n d i ti o n a l l yu n d e rs ta n d s th a t th e g u a ra n to r fo rm al l ow s t he r esi dent t he r i ght t o r enew h is o rh e rle a s e a t a n yt im e he ors he des i r es w i t hout app r ova l f r om gua r ant orornot i f i ca t i on by apa rt m entm ana gem entt o gua r ant or of su ch r ene w al . G uar ant or i s re sp o n sibl e for a n yren e w a l s s i g n e d b yres i d e n t. 2 . L e a s eT it l ea n d T e r ms C ent er poi ntar gues t hat , contr ar y t o t he t r i al court ’ s i nt er pr et at i on, Lease 2’ s t i t l e, “ A part m entLe as e Cont r ac t , ” w as not di sp os i t i ve of t he part i es ’ i nt ent t o r ene w Le as e 1 o r t o c ont i nueW ebb ’ s l i abi l i t y. How eve r , w hi l e t i t l e a l one8

m ay not be di sp o si t i ve, w e m ay consi deri ti n i nt er pr et i ng t he part i es’ i n te n ti o n s . C f

. S e f zik , 231 S . W . 3d at 462 ( “Te xasco urt s att ac h gr ea t erw ei ght to th e o p e ra ti v e c l a u s e s o f a c o n tra c t th a n th ec a p ti o n s o r ti tl e s .” ); see al so Enter. Leasi

ng Co. v. Bar

r i os , 156 S . W . 3d 547, 549 ( Tex. 2004 ) ( r ec ogni z i ng t ha t i n c e rt a i n c a s e s , c o u rt s ma y c o n s i d e r t h e t i t l e o f a c o n t r a c t p r o v i s i o n or se ct i on t o i nt er pr eta con t r ac t , al t hough gr ea t er w ei ght sh oul d be gi ven t o t he
c o n tra c t’s o p e ra ti v e c l a u s e s ). O n i t s f ac e, L e a s e 2 d o e s notap pea rt o bea r ene w al orex t ens i on of Le as e 1. L e a se2 i s nott i t l ed a “ r ene w al ” or“ ext ens i on” ; r at her , i ti s t i t l ed, “Apart m entLe as e Cont ra c t,” and pur port s t o s etouta new ag r ee m entby st a ti n g , “ [T ] he i ni t i al t er m oft he Le as e Cont r ac tbe gi nson t he 1 dayof D ecem ber , 20 04 . . . .” IfC ent er poi nthad i nt ended f orLease 2 t o be a
r enew a l o f L e a s e 1, i tcoul d have easi l y l abel ed i tas s uch orot her w i se i ndi ca t ed i ts om ew her e o n t he c o nt r ac ti t se l f . Hei nt z el m an t es t i f i ed t hatt he
m aj or i t y ofC ent er poi nt ’ s f or m s w er e TA A and t hatC ent er poi nthad m odi f i ed t h e T A A L e a s e G u a r a n t yC o n t r a c t“ t o m a k e t h e G u a r a n t yw h a tt h e yw a n t e d it t o be . ” She p r ovi ded no t es t i m ony w i t h r ega r d t o w hy C ent er poi nt cou l d not h a v e l a b e l e d an ysu b se q u e n t ap a rt m e n t l e a se co n tr a c t a “ ren e w a l co n tr a c t” to f i tt h e la n g u a ge t hatshe t est i f i ed C ent er poi nthad added t o T A A ’ s Lease G u a ran ty C o n tr a c t t o cre a te th e G u a ran ty C o n tr a c t.9

Fu rt he r m or e , t heGua r a nt y Con t r a c ts pe c i f i c a l l y r e f e r e nc e s Pa r a gr a ph 3,
w hi ch pr ovi des f oraut om atic re n ew al , i n i t s l i stofcont i nui ng ob l i gat i ons, s ta ti n g : Y o u a g r e e t h a t y o u r o b lig a t io n s a s g u a r a n t o r w ill c o n t in u e a n d w ill not be af f ect ed by am endm ent s, m odi f i cat i ons, r oom m at e changes o r de l e ti o n s, u n i t #ch a n g e s, r e n e w a l s o r an yl e a se ag ree m e n ts w hi ch m ay be agr ee d t o f r om t i m e t o t i m e b e t w ee n a ny o ft he r esi dentsand us (

i ncl udi ng m onth to m onth rene wal i n P. #3 of le a s e .)[E m p h a s i s a d d e d .] Par agr aph 3 i n Lease 1 set s out t he i ni t i al t er m of t he l ease and pr ovi des,

“ Th i s Lease Contractwi l l autom ati

cal ly renewm onth- to-m onth unlessei t her part y gi vesatl ea st30 daysw r i t t en not i ce of t er m i nat i on or i nt entt o m ove - out
as r e q u i r e d b y p a r a g r a p h 3 7 . ” [ E mp h a s i s a d d e d . ] P a r a g r a p h 3 i n Lease 2 req u i res si x ty d a y s’ w ri tten n o ti c e to p rev e n t au to m a t ic ren e w a l . B o th
con t r ac t s st at e u nde rPar agr aph 10( 5) , “ M ont h t o m ont h renewal i n pa r agr aph #3 con ti

nues i nde f i nitely f orcosi gner s, r esi dentsand guarant or s unt i l w r i t t en
n o t i c e o fin t e n tt o v a c a t e isg iv e n a s re q u ir e d b yp a r a g r a p h # 3 7 .” [E m p h a s is
a d d e d .] N o th i ng i n e i t herl ea sepr ovi desf oran y s ortofr ene w al ot hert han t he
m ont h- t o- m ont h r ene w al r ef er r ed t o i n Par agr aph 3. U nde r t he pl ai n t er m s of ei t her l ea se , r ene w al i s aut om at i c; t her ef or e, i fA r m s had not s i gn e d L e a s e 2, L e a se1 w oul d ha ve aut om at i ca l l y r ene w ed and W ebb ’ s l i abi l i t y w oul d ha ve10

con t i nue d. I ns t ea d, Cent er poi ntan d Ar m s si gne d L ea se2, w hi c h i n cl ude d a d if f e r e n tt e r m in a t io n t e r m t o p r e v e n t a u t o m a t ic r e n e w a l a n d d if f e r e n tm o n t h ly
ren t i n the A d d e n d u m . T o tr e a t Le a se 2 as a re n e w a l w o u ld req u i re u s to i g n o re P a ra g ra p h 3 , w h i c h w e m a yn o t d o . See For bau v. A etna Lif

e I ns . Co. , 876 S. W . 2d 132, 133 ( Tex. 1994 ) ( “[ E] ac h pa rt o ft he con t r ac ts houl d be gi ven ef f ec t . ”) . Ther ef or e, w e c onc l udet hatLe as e 2 w asa new l ea se , an d not
a re n e w a l. C ent er poi ntal so co nt end s t hatt he G u a r ant y Cont r ac tl ang uag e, “ any le a s e a g r e e m e n t s w h ic h m a yb e a g r e e d t o f r o m t im e t o t im e ,” m a k e s a s p e c if ic refe ren c e to fu tu re tran sa c ti o n s a n d sh o u l d n e c e ss a ri l yex ten d W e b b ’s l i a b i l i ty t o L ea se2. W ebbco unt er s t hatt he “a ny l ea seag re e m e nt s”l ang uag e i n t he G uar an ty C o nt r ac tonl y r ef er s t o L ea se1 bec aus e t he pr ec edi ng t er m s i n t he sent ence onl y r ef er ence chang es t o Lease 1, notnew l eases. The con t r over si al pr ovi si on r eads as f ol l ow s: Y o u a g r e e t h a ty o u ro b lig a t io n s a s g u a r a n t o rw ill c o n t in u e a n d w ill not be af f ect ed by am endm ent s, m odi f i cat i ons, r oom m at e changes o r d e l e ti o n s , u n i t #c h a n g e s , re n e w a l s o r a nyle a s eagre e m e n ts which m ay be agree d to f rom ti m e to ti

m e bet w ee n a ny o ft he r es i den t s and us( i ncl udi ng m ont h t o m ont h r ene w al i n P. #3 of l e a s e . ) Gua r a nt ori s r e s po ns i bl e f ora nyh ol do ve r s , ( pa r a gr a ph #32 ofl ea se . ) I f gua r ant or gi vesnot i cet o m oveout , ( P. #3 and #37 of l e a s e ) a n d re s i d e n t re n e w s l e a s e o r s i g n s a n e w l e a s e , g u a ra n to r’s n o ti c e w i l l b e c o n s i d e re d v o i d . [E m p h a s i s a d d e d .]4 ... N o t h in g w a s p r o d u c e d a t t r i a l t o s h o w t h a tt h is e x c e p t io n w o u ld

app l y. 11 The G uar ant y C ont r ac t ’ s l ang uag e con t em pl at es t hat C ent er poi n t and A rm s m i g h t re n e w , m o d i fy , o r m a k e c h a n g e s to L e a s e 1 d u ri n g L e a s e 1 ’ste rm
w i t hou tvoi di ng t h e G uar ant y C ontr act , dem onst r at ed by t he sect i on enti t l ed “Lease Co nt r actI nf or m at i on, ” w i t h i t s speci f i c begi nni ng and endi ng dat es, as
w el l as t he l angu age st at i ng t hat t he guar ant orguar ant ees al l obl i gat i ons “under t he abov e Lease Co nt r act , ” and t he l angu age pr ovi di ng f orr enew al s and ot her
c ha ng e s u nd e rL e a s e 1. H ow ever , w e have been un abl e t o f i nd l angu age i n t he G uar ant y C ontr act t hat , asa m att erofl aw , w oul d ext end W ebb ’ s l i abi l i t y as a g uar ant orbe yond Le as e 1 t o ne w l ea se s bet w ee n Ar m s and Cent er poi ntw i t houtW ebbgi vi ng “not i ce t o m ove ou t . ” U nderth a t one ci r cum st ance, i ft he r esi dent t hen “r enew s l ease or

s i g n s a n e w l e a s e , g u a ra n to r’s n o ti c e w i l l b e c o n s i d e re d v o i d .” [E m p h a s i s a d d e d .] 4H ad C ent er poi nt w ant ed t o expr essl y i ncl ude new l eases i n t he G uar ant y Cont r ac tunde ran y ot her ci r cum st anc e, i t cou l d hav e add ed t he
w or d “ ne w ” t o t he c l a u s e l i s t i ng e ve r y ot he rt yp e o fc ha ng e t o L e a s e 1:5 ... Lease 1 and Lease 2 both pr ovi de f or ext ensi on of t he l ease cont r act

te rm fo r h o l d o v e rs , u n d e r P a ra g ra p h 3 2 . 12 am en d m ent s, m odi f i cat i ons, r oom m at e changes, uni tnum berchanges,
r enew al s, orhol dovers . 5 Th er ef or e, w e di sagr ee w i t h C ent er poi nt ’ s cont ent i on t hat t he “any l ease agr eem ent s” l angu age i ncl uded orcont em pl at ed any f ut ur e cont r act s bet w een A rm s an d Cent er poi nt . I fw e w er e t o f ol l ow t hi s r ea so ni ng, t hen Le as e 1 ‘s
e n d i n g d a te , w h i c h w a s i n c l u d e d i n th e G u a ra n tyC o n tra c t, w o u l d b e a te rm
r e n d e re d m e a n i n g l e s s . S ee For bau , 8 7 6 S . W . 2 d a t1 3 3 . T h e wo r d s “new l ea se ” ar e n otus ed any w her e i n t he “a ny l ea seag r ee m ent s”s ent enc e a nd t he pr ec edi ng i t em s i n t hat se nt enc e al l r ef ert o c han gest o L ea se1. Addi t i ona l l y, t he G uar ant y C ontr actm akes m ul t i pl e r ef er ences t o t he “Lease Co nt r act ” t hat i s bei ng gu ar ant eed, w i t h a capi t al L and a capi t al C ; Lease 1 i s t i t l ed “Apart m entLe as e C o n tra c t, ” asi s Le as e 2. How eve r , t he se ct i onsi n t he G uar ant y Cont r ac tt hatcl ar i f y ob l i g a ti onsunde rLe as e 1, i ncl udi ng t he “a ny l ease agr eem ent s” s ect i on, r ef ert o t he l ease w ith a l ow ercase “ l ”— a cl ear d i sti n c ti o n b e tw e e n the sp e c i fi c “L e a se C o n tr a c t” a n d a n y g e n e ral ag ree m e n ts th a t m i g h t ta k e p l a c e u n d e r th a t L e a s e C o n tra c t. S e ei d. at133– 34 ( r ec i t i ng t h e g e n e r a l c o n t r a c tc o n s t r u c t i o n r u l e t h a tt h e m o r e s p e c if ic p r o v is io n w ill g o v e rn th e g e n e ra l ).6 ... B e c a u s e t h is isd is p o s it iv e o fC e n t e r p o in t ’s b r e a c h o f g u a r a n t yc la im ,

w e n e e d n o t a d d re s s th a t p o rti o n o f C e n te rp o i n t’s s o l e i s s u e . S eeT EX . R. A PP . P. 4 7 .1 . 13 W e i n te rp r ett he “a ny l ea seag r ee m ent s”l ang uag e t o s i m pl y e xt end W ebb ’ s l i abi l i t y to a n y l ea sech ang esal ong t he l i nesofam end m ent s or
m o d i fi c a ti o n s th a t m i g h t o c c u r “ fro m ti m e to ti m e ” u n d e r L e a s e 1 . C f . Blount
v. Wes ti

ngh o us eCre d

it Co rp . , 432 S . W . 2d 5 4 9 , 552– 53 ( Tex. Ci v. A p p .— D a l l a s 1 9 6 8 , n o w ri t) ( sta ti n g tha t l a n g u a g e reg a rding “a g ree m e n ts

. . . i n f or ce or

herea fter

m ade ” c l e a rl yco m p reh e n d e d g u a ran to r’ s i n ten t t o guar ant ee obl i gor ’ s pr esentand f ut ur e i ndeb t edness i n obl i g o r’s usual cour se ofbusi ness ( em phasi s added) ) . A ccor di ngl y, w e hol d t hatW ebb w as notl i abl e, a s a m a t t e r o f la w , a s g u a r a n t o r u n d e rL e a s e 2 . W e o v e r r u le C e n t e r p o in t ’s s o le i ssue. 6 I V . Concl us i on H a v i n g o v e r ru l e d C e n te rp o i n t’s s o l e i s s u e , w e a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s j u d g m e n t. P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: M C C O Y, H O LM A N , an d GA RD N ER, JJ. DEL I VERE D: Aug us t28, 2008