No. 01-14-00969-CV
IN THE FIRST COURT OF APPEALS AT HOUSTON, TEXAS BRYAN BLACK, Appellant
v. SMITH PROTECTIVE SERVICES, INC.,

Appellee On Appeal from the 189th Judicial District Court The Honorable William R. Burke, Judge Presiding
CROSS-APPELLANT’S BRIEF

TODD H. TINKER State Bar No. 20056150 TinkerLaw@TinkerLaw.com LAW OFFICE OF TODD H. TINKER, PC P.O. B OX 802606 Dallas, TX 75380 Telephone: (214) 914-3760 Facsimile: (214) 853-4328 ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE ACCEPTED 01-14-00969-CV FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 2/25/2015 1:30:37 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE

CLERKI DENTI TY OF THE PARTI ES AND COUNSEL

APPELLANT/ CROSS-APPELLEE: ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT/ CROSS-APPELLEE: Bry an Bl ack Pat ri ckHub bard (“ Bl ack ”) St at e Bar No
. 1 0 1 3 9 5 0 0 p h ub b ard @ p at ri ckh ub b ard l aw.co m HUBBARD LAW

FIRM 1 0 75 Ki n g wo odDr., Su i t e 2 0 3 Ki n g wo o d , TX 7 7 3 3 9 Tel ep h o n e: (2 8 1 ) 3 58 -7 0 35 Facs i m i l e: (2 8 1 ) 3 5 8-7 0 0 8 APPELLEE/ CROSS-APPELLANT: ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE/ CROSS-APPELLANT: Sm it h Pro t ect i v e Serv i ces , In c. To d d H. Ti n k er (“ Sm i th ”) St at e Bar No
. 2 0 0 5 6 1 5 0 Ti nk erLaw@ Ti n k erLaw.co m LAW OFFICE OF TODD H. TINKER, PC P.O. Bo x 8 0 2 6 0 6 Dal l as , Tex as 7 5 3 8 0 Tel ep h o n e: (2 1 4 ) 9 14 -3 7 60 Facs i m i l e: (2 1 4 ) 8 5 3-4 3 2 8

iiTABLE OF CONTENTS

IDENTITY OF THE PARTIES AND COUNSEL.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i i TABLE OF CONTENTS.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i i i TABLE OF AUTHORITIES.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i v STATEM ENT OF THE CASE.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v ISSUE PRESENTED.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v i STATEM ENT OF FACTS.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 SUM M ARY OF THE ARGUM ENT.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ARGUM ENT AND AUTHORITIES.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 . Is Sm i th en t i t l edt o reco v er i ts at t o rn ey ’ s fees an dco s t s fro m p l ai n t i ff?
. 2 CONCLUSION AND PRAYER.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

i iiTABLE OF AUTHORI TI ES STATE CASES In wo o d No r th Ho meo wn er

s' As s 'n , In c. v. Mei er , 6 2 5 S.W .2 d7 4 2 , 7 4 3 (Tex . Ci v . Ap p . - Ho u s t o n [1 s tDi s t .] 1 9 8 1, n o wri t ).
. . . . 2 MI SCELLANEOUS Tex
. Ci v . Pract . & Rem . C. § 4 2 .0 0 1 , et .s eq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v ., 3 Tex
. R. Ci v . Pro . 1 67 .2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v .

ivSTATEMENT OF THE CASE

Bl ackfi l ed th is s u i tag ai n s tM u h amm adZaffar (“ Z affar”), Sm i th , an dth e
o wn ers /m an ag ers o f th e co n d o m i n iu m co m p l ex atwh i ch th e rel ev an tev en ts t o o k p l ace. Bl ackal l eg ed th at h e h adb een fal s el y arres t edan dm al i ci o u s l y p ro s ecu ted fo l l o w i n g h i s arres t p u rs u an tt o an as s au l t ch arg e fi l edb y Zaffar. Bl ackwas n o b i l l edb y th e g ran d jury . Sm i th was gran t edju d gm en t o n b o th trad i t i o n al an dn o -ev id en ce s u m m ary ju d g m en tm o t io ns . A n o n -ju ry tri al was h el d, atwh ich Bl ackwas g ran t ed ju d g m en tag ai n s tZaffar, t h e o n l y rem ai n in g d efen d an t . Sm i th fi l eda M o t i o n fo r At t o rn ey ’ s Fees p u rs u an t t o TRCP 1 6 7 .2 an dTex
. Ci v . Pract . & Rem . C. § 42 .0 0 1 et .s eq . , wh i ch M o t i o n was d en iedb y the t ri al co u rt wi th o u tex p lan at i on . A co p y o f t h e s i g n ed Ord er fo r In t erl o cu t o ry Su m m ary J u d g m en t[CR 6 2 1 ] i s fi ledh erewi th as Ap p en d i x A, a co p y o f t he M o t i o n fo r At t o rn ey ’ s Fees [CR 6 3 2 -4 1 ] i s fi l edas Ap p en di x B, a co p y o f Pl ai n ti ff’ s Res po n s e [CR 6 4 2 -4 9 ] i s fi l edas Ap p en d i x C, a co py o f Sm i th ’ s Rep l y

t o Pl ai n t i ff’ s Res p on s e [CR 6 5 2 -5 4 ] i s fi l ed as Ap p en d i x D, an d a co p y o f t h e Ord er d en y i n g M o t io n fo r At t o rn ey ’ s Fees [CR 6 5 5] i s fi l ed as Ap p en d i x E.

vI SSUE PRESENTED

1
. Is Sm i th en ti t l edt o reco v er i t s at t o rn ey ’ s fees an dco s t s fro m p l ai n t i ff?

viSTATEMENT OF FACTS

Zaffar, a d efen d an ti n t h i s m at t er, h adb een p o s t edb y Sm i th atthe v eh i cl e
en tran ce t o a co n d o m i ni u m co m p l ex atwh i ch Bl ackwas l i v i ng . Irri t at edb ecau s e Zaffar refu s eden try

t o a g u es to f o n e o f Bl ack ’ s fri en d s, Bl ackdro v e d own t o th e g at e area, p ark ed , ex i t edh i s v eh i cl e, an dp ro ceed edt o l ou d ly b erat e Zaffar fo r h is act i on s , s h o u ti n g an du s i ng p ro fan e l an g u ag e wh i le d o i n g s o . Up o n co m

pl et i n g h i s s h ift , Zaffar wen tt o a Ho us t o n Po l i ce Dep art m en ts ub
s t at i o n an dfi leda cri m i n al as s au ltch arg e ag ai n s tBl ack
. Aft er s p eak i n g wi th Zaffar, an du ns u cces s fu l l y at t em p t i n g t o s p eakwi th Bl ack , th e i n v es t i g at i n g
o ffi cer referred th e m at t er t o an As s is t an tDi s tri ct At to rn ey , wh o cau s edan arres t
warran tt o b e i s su edfo r Bl ack
. Bl ackwas s ub seq u en t l y arres t ed , i n carcerat edfro m earl y o n a Fri d ay
ev en in g u n t i l earl y

Su nd ay m o rn i n g , an drel eas edo n b ai l . Bl ack i ns t i tu t edth i s
s u i tag ai n s tth e o wn ers an d m an ag em en to f t he co n d o m i n i um co m p lex , Zaffar, an d Sm it h . Th e co n d o m i n iu m d efen d an t s were d i sm i s s ed an d o n Au g us t2 0 , 2 01 4 , the tri al co u rts i g n edan Ord er g ran t i n g Sm i th ’ s M o t io n s fo r No -Ev i den ce an d Trad i t i on al Su m

m ary J u d g m en t , d is m i ss i n g al l o f Bl ack ’ s cl ai m s ag ai ns tSm i th [Ap pen d i x A]
. 1Wh en th e cas e was cal l edt o tri al , i n th e ab s en ce o f an ap p earan ce b y Zaffar, Bl acks ub m i t t edh i s ev i d en ce t o th e co u rtwi th o uta ju ry , an dju d g m en t was g ran t edi n h i s fav o r an d ag ai n s tZaffar o n Sep tem ber 2 3 , 2 0 1 4 [CR, p p . 6 3 0 -3 1 ]
. Sm i th fi l edi t s M o t i o n fo r At t o rn ey Fees Awardo n Sep t em b er 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 [Ap pen d i x B] . By

Ord er d at edDecem

b er 3 , 2 0 14 , th e t ri al co u rtd en i ed Sm i th ’ s M o t i on fo r At to rn ey ’ s Fee Award[Ap p en d ix E] . Sm i th ap peal s thi s Ord er.

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT Th e t ri al co u rterred i n d en y i n g Sm i th ’ s M o ti o n fo r Awardo f At t o rn ey ’ s Fees as , up o n p ro o f o f co m pl i an ce wi th th e s tatu to ry an dp ro cedu ral req ui rem en ts , s u ch anaward was m an d at o ry , an dn o twi th i n th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d i scret i o n as t o wh et h er t o g ran tt o d en y

an award
. ARGUMENT AND AUTHORI TI ES 1 . I s Sm ith Enti tl ed to Reco v er i ts Atto rney ’s Fees a nd Co s ts fro m Pl a i nti ff? Sm i th i n co rp o rat es i n t h e en t i ret y th e ev i d en ce an d arg u m en ts s ub m it t edt o th e t ri al co urti n Ap p en d i ces B an dD. As au tho ri ty

fo r t h e p ro p o s i t i o n t h atan awardo f at t o rn ey ’ s fees t o Sm i th
was m an d at o ry

rat h er t h an d i s cret i o n ary , Sm i th rel i es o n In wo o d No rth Ho meo wn er

s ' As s'n , In c. v. Mei er , 6 25 S.W .2 d7 4 2 , 7 4 3 (Tex . Ci v . Ap p . - Ho u s t o n

2[1 s tDi s t .] 1 9 8 1 , n o wri t ). Th e ap pl i cab l e s t atu t e, Tex . Ci v . Pract . & Rem . C.

§ 4 2 .0 0 4 p ro v i d es th at , “ (a) If a s et t lem en t o ffer i s m ad e an dreject edan d th e ju d g m en tt o b e ren dered wi l l b e s i g n i fi can tl y l es s fav o rab le t o th e reject i n g p art y th an was th e s et t l em en t o ffer, t h e o fferi ng p art y s ha ll reco v er l i t i g at i o n co s t s fro m th e reject i n g p art y .” [em p h as i s ad d ed ]
. Acco rd i ng l y , as Sm i th p ro v i d edth e t ri al co urtwi th ev i d en ce t h ati t fi l edth e req u i s i t e d ecl arat io n , m ad e a s et t l em en to ffer t o Bl ackwh i ch was reject edwh en
n o tt i m el y

accep t ed , an dth e ju d g m en t (d i s m i s sal ) was s i g n i fi can t l y l es s fav o rab l e t o Bl ack th an th e s et t l em en t o ffer, Sm i th d em o n st rat ed i t s en t it l em en t t o at t o rn ey ’ s fees an dco s t s as a m at t er o f l aw.

CONCLUSI ON AND PRAYER In th e ab s en ce o f an y

fi n d i n g s o f fact o r co n cl u si on s o f l aw b y th e t ri al co u rt reg ard i n g i t s d en i al o f Sm i th ’ s M o t i o n fo r Award o f Att o rn ey ’ s Fees , th is Co u rti s
es s en t i al l y fo rcedt o rev i ew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g d e n ov o . Th e ev id en ce i s
u n d i s p u t edth atSm i th co m p l iedwi th th e ap p l i cab l e s t atu t e, p res en t edthe t ri al
co u rtwi th b o th ev i d en ce o f i t s co m p l i an ce, an dev i d en ce o f t h e reas o nab l en es s o f th e fees an d co s t s s ou g h tt o b e reco v ered . Acco rd in g l y , th e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g Sm i th i t s fees an dco s t s an dth is Co u rt s ho u l drev ers e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en ti n th i s reg ardan dren d er ju d g m en tthatSm it h reco v er i t s reas o nab l e 3at t o rn ey ’ s fees i n th e am o u n t o f $ 8 ,1 2 5 .0 0 an dco s t s i n th e am o u n to f $ 8 ,7 9 3 .9 7 ,

fo r a t o tal ju dg m en tag ai n s tBl acki n th e am o u n to f $ 1 6,9 1 8 .9 7 , p l us ap p l i cab l e p re an dp o st -ju d g m en ti n teres t . Sm i th p ray s fo r ju d g m en ti n thi s am ou n t , an d s u ch o th er an d fu rt h er rel i ef, atl aw o r i n equi ty

t o wh i ch i tm ay

s h o wi t s el f t o b e ju s t l y

en t i t l ed
. Res p ect fu l ly

s ub m i t t ed , LAW OFFICE OF TODD H. TINKER, PC P.O. Bo x 8 0 2 6 0 6 Dal l as , Tex as 7 5 3 8 0 (2 1 4 ) 9 14 -3 7 6 0 (t el ep h o n e) (2 1 4 ) 8 53 -4 3 2 8 (facs i m i l e)
By : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TODD H. TINKER St at e Bar No
. 2 0 0 5 6 1 5 0 Ti nk erLaw@ Ti n k erLaw.co m ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE/ CROSSAPPELLANT

4CERTI FI CATE OF SERVI CE

Th i s i s t o cert i fy

th at o n th e 2 5 t h d ay

o f Feb ru ary , 2 0 1 5 , a tru e an d co rrect co p y o f t h e ab o v e an dfo reg o i n g h as b een s erv edup on co u n s el o f reco rdv i a e-fi l e an d em ai l as fo l l o ws : Vi a Em ai l Pat ri ck G. Hub b ard , Es q p h ub b ard @ p at ri ckh ub b ard l aw.co m

_ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ To d d H. Ti n k er

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