1 ... S eeT EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH
NO. 2 - 0 7 - 1 7 2 - CV
E M M A L OU G L E NN AP P E L L ANT V . N O RTEX FO U N D A TI O N D ESI G N S, A PPELL EE S I N C . A N D JERRY L. CO FFEE , P. E.

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FR O M THE 236T H DI STRI CT CO URT O FTARRAN TCO UN TY

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

----- ----- -- I. I N T R OD U C T I ON Em m a L ou Gl enn ch al l eng est he su m m ary j udgm entgr ant ed i n f avo rof A ppel l ees N ort ex Foun dat i on D esi gns, I nc. and Jer ry L. C of f ee, P. E. on her cl ai m s f orb r ea ch ofi m pl i ed w ar r ant i esan d ne gl i gen cei n t he des i gn oft he f oun dat i on of herhom e. Because, u n d ert he sum m ary j udg m entevi dence2

pr es ent ed, no c aus e o f ac t i on exi st s i n f avo rofG l enn an d a gai ns tA ppe l l ee s f or br ea ch ofan i m pl i ed w ar r ant y a nd be ca us e Gl en n d i d notpl ea d a ny c aus e o f
ac t i on t hatw oul d e nt i t l e h ert o t he att orn e y ’s f ee s and da m age s t hats he
s o u g h t to re c o v e r fro m A p p e l l e e s , w e w i l l a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’ss u m m a ry j udg m entgr ant ed i n f avorofA ppel l ees.

II. F ACT UALAND P RO CEDU RA L B ACKGROUND G l enn pu r chased a h om e l ocat ed i n M ansf i el d, Texas, f r om M er cedes H o m e s o f T e x a s, Ltd . M e rce d e s w a rr a n ted th a t th e h o m e w a s reg i ste red w i th H om e Bu yer s W ar r ant y C or por at i on ( H B W C ) and N at i onal H om e I nsur ance C om pan y ( N H I C ) . Appel l ee s des i gne d or w er e i nvol ved w i t h t he des i gn oft he fo u n d a ti o n o f th e h o m e th a t G l e n n p u rc h a s e d . W h e n G l e n n d i sc o v e red th a t h e r h o m e h a d su sta i n e d a s tr u c tu ral d e fec t,
m ak i ng i tuns af e o runl i vab l e, s he f i l ed a not i ce of cl ai m , w hi ch w asde ni ed by HBW C a n d NHI C. Gl e n n t h e r e a ft e rf i l e d s u i ta g a i n s tM e r c e d e s , HBW C, NHI C, and A ppe l l ee s. G l enn as se rt ed cl ai m s aga i ns t( 1) M er ce desf orne gl i gen cean d
m al i ce , br ea ch ofco nt r ac tan d w ar r ant y, vi o l a ti onsoft he Texa s D ec ept i ve Tr adePr ac t i ce s A ct( D TPA ) , an d f r aud ; ( 2) H BW C and N H I C f orne gl i gen ce ; an d ( 3) A ppel l ees f ornegl i gence and br each ofw ar r ant i es. G l enn soug htm ent al angu i sh dam ages f r om al l def endan t s and at t or ney’ s f ees sol el y f r om M er cedes.3

G l e n n ’ s clai m s a g a i n st M e rce d e s, H B W C , a n d N H I C w e re s u b m i tted to bi ndi ng a r bi t r at i on. Al t hough A ppe l l ee s di d notpa rt i ci pat e i n t he bi ndi ng ar bi t r at i on, t he ar bi t r at orf ound t hatN orte x w a s 75% r es pons i bl e f ort he dam aget o Gl enn ’ s hom e a nd t ha tM er ce desw as25% r es pons i bl e f ort he d a m a g e to G l e n n ’sh o m e . Test i m ony at th e ar bi t r at i on r eveal ed t hatM er cedes had m ade a sett l em entof f er , w hi ch G l enn had r ej ect ed, and t hat M er cedes had t her eaft er cl ar i f i ed and r em adea s e ttlem entof f er , w hi ch G l enn al so r ej ec t ed. Gl enn adm i t t ed dur i ng t he ar bi t r at i on t hatshe had r ej ect ed t he ul t i m at e buy- back of f er ext end ed by M er ce desbe ca us e s he w oul d hav e “l os t ” $60 , 000 t o $70, 000 of t he of f er ed am oun ti n or der t o pay her at t or ney und er her40 % cont i ngen cy f ee a rr a n g e m e n t, the reb yrev e a l i n g “th a t he r rej e c ti o n w a s b a se d n o t on the p a u c i ty
o f t h e o f f e r b u t , r a t h e r , o n t h e f i n a n c i a l b u r d e n i mp o s e d b y herf ee a rra n g e m e n t.” T h e a rb i tra to r d e te rm i n e d th a t G l e n n ’s rej e c ti o n o f M e rc e d e s ’s
c l a ri fi e d se ttl e m e n t offe r w a s n o t r e a so n a b l e an d tha t G l e n n h a d f a i l e d to
m i ti g a te h e r d a m a g e s . Th e arb itra t orf oun d t hatt he r easonabl e val ue oft he necessary l egal
se rvi ce s r end er ed by Gl enn ’ s att or ney t ot al ed $91 , 150 ; how eve r , t he ar bi t r at or
r educed t he am oun tofatt or ney’ s f ees t hat G l enn coul d r ecover f r om M er cedes t o $ 50 , 00 0 b ecause ofherf ai l ur e t o m i t i g a t e. The ar bi t r at oral so f oun d t hat4

G l enn ha d f ai l ed t o e st abl i sh pr oofoft he el em ent s ofm ent al a n g u i sh by a pr epo nde r anc e o ft he evi den cean d t her ef or e d et er m i ned t hats he t ak e n ot hi ng o n t h a t c l a i m. T h e a r b i t r a t o r u l t i ma t e l y a l l o we d Gl e n n t o r e c o v e rf r om M e r c e de s a nd NH I C, j oi nt l y a nd s e ve r a l l y, $227 , 884. 39 i n da m a ge s ; $50, 000 i n r e a s on a bl e a nd ne c e s s a ry a t t or ne y’ sf e e s ; c os t si n t hes um o f$19, 736. 50;
a n d i n te re s t o n th e s e a w a rd sa t th e ra te o f 1 0 % p e r a n n u m . A ppr oxi m at el y se ven m ont hs aft er t he ar bi t r at or ent er ed hi s a w a rd, A ppel l ees f i l ed a m ot i on f or sum m ary j udg m ent on G l enn’ s cl ai m s agai nstt hem f orbr each ofw ar r ant i es and negl i gence. A ppel l ees ar gued i n t hei rm ot i on t hat
as a m at t erofl aw Texas cou rt s do not r ecogn i ze an i m pl i ed w ar r ant y bet w een a s ub c o n t r a c t o ra n d a h o me o wn e r , t h a tG l e n n ma yn o tr e c o v e rt h e s a me dam age s f r om t hem t hat sh e r ec ove r ed f r om M er ce des and N H I C i n t he
ar bi t r at i on, t hatG l enn w as col l at er al l y es t oppe d by t he ar bi t r at or ’ s aw ar d f r om o b tai n i n g d a m a g e s from A p p e l l e e s fo r m e n tal an g u i sh , th a t G l e n n fai l e d to s tate a cl ai m upo n w hi ch m ent al angu i sh coul d be r ecover ed, and t hatG l enn f ai l ed t o s t at e a cl ai m upon w hi ch att or ney ’ s f ee s cou l d ber ec ove r ed. G le n n f i l e d a re s p o n s e to A p p e ll e e s ’ m o tio n fo r s u m m a ryju d g m e n t. In herr es pons e, G l enn co nt end ed t hat A ppe l l ee s’ m ot i on f or su m m ary j udgm ent shoul d be deni ed because ( 1) Tex as l aw r ecogn i zes an i m pl i ed w ar r ant y ow ed by a s ubc ont r ac t or t o a h om eow nerw her e t he su bco nt r ac t orpe r f or m s w or k o n2 ... A lt h o u g h A p p e lle e sm a d e s o m e “ n o e v id e n c e ” a r g u m e n t sin t h e ir

m ot i on f ors um m ary j ud g m e n t, t he bul k o ft hei rar gum ent s, al ong w i t h t he a tta c h e d s u m m a ryj u d g m e n t e v i d e n c e , a p p e a r to s e e ka tra d i ti o n a l s u m m a ry j udg m ent . W e t her ef or e ut i l i ze t he st andar d of r evi ew appl i cabl e t o a t r adi t i onal m o ti o n for su m m a ry j u d g m e n t. 5 a n ew l y c ons t r uct ed hom e, ( 2) A ppe l l ee s w er e n otpa rt i e s t o t he ar bi t r at i on pr oce e d i n g an d t her ef or e c ann otr ai seco l l at er ales t oppe l ori ss ue pr ec l us i on, a n d (3 ) a q u e s t io n o fm a t e r ia l f a c te x is t s a s t o w h e t h e r G le n n w a sm a d e w h o le b yth e d a m a g e ss h e w a sa w a rd e d i n th e a rb i tra ti o n p ro c e e d i n g . The t r i alco urthe l d a hea r i ng on A ppe l l ee s’ m ot i on f ors um m ary j udgm ent and gr ant ed i t . Ther ea f t er , A ppe l l ee s f i l ed, and t he t r i al cou rt gr ant ed, a m ot i on t o sev e r G l enn’ s cl ai m s agai nstt hem f r om t he cl ai m s i nvol vi ng M er cedes, H B W C , a n d N H IC . G l enn f i l ed a m ot i on f orne w t r i al ; how eve r , t he r ec or d doe s noti ncl ude
an or deron Gl enn ’ s m ot i on f or new t r i al , w hi ch pr es um abl y w asove r r ul ed by ope r at i on ofl aw . Thi s app ea l f ol l ow ed.

III. T RA DITI O NA L S UM M A RY J UDG M EN T S TANDARD OF R EV I EW 2 A de f end antw ho c onc l us i vel y ne gat es at l ea st onees se nt i alel em entof
a c a u s e o f a c ti o n i s e n ti tl e d to s u m m a ry j u d g m e n t o n th a t c l a i m . IHSCe da rs Trea tm ent

Ctr. of D eSoto, Tex. , I

nc. v. Mas on , 143 S. W .3 d 794 , 798 ( Tex. 2 0 0 4 ); seeT EX . R. C IV . P . 1 6 6 a (b), (c). W h e n rev i e w i n g a s u m m a ry j u d g m e n t,6

w e ta k e a stru e a l l e v i d e n c e fa v o ra b l e to th e n o n m o v a n t, a n d w e i n d u l g e e v e ry re a s o n a b l e i n fe re n c e a n d re s o l v e a n yd o u b ts i n t h e n o n m o v a n t’sfa v o r. IHS Ce da rsT

rea tm en t C tr. , 143 S. W . 3d a t798. I n ge ner al , i t i s i m p r ope rt o gr anta su m m ary j udgm enton a de f i ci ent pl ea di ng’ s f ai l ur e t o s t at e a c a u s e o fac t i on w hen t he def i ci enc y c an be
a tta c k e d th ro u g h a s p e c i a l e x c e p ti o n . I nreB. I. V. , 870 S . W . 2d 12, 13 ( Tex. 199 4) ; Pieti

l a v. Cr ites , 8 5 1 S .W .2 d 1 8 5 , 1 8 6 n .2 (T e x . 1 9 9 3 ); Masse y v. A r m co Steel

Co. , 6 5 2 S .W .2 d 9 3 2 , 9 3 4(T e x . 1 9 8 3 ); Tex. D ep’tof Cor rec ti ons
v. Her r i ng , 5 1 3 S .W .2 d 6 , 9

– 1 0 ( T e x . 1 9 7 4 ). B u t i f t h e p a r t y r e f u se s to
a m e n d , o r th e a m e n d e d p l e a d i n g fa i l sto s t a t e a c a u s e o f a c ti o n , su m m a ry j u d g m e n t m a yb e g r a n te d . S ee Fr i esenhahnv. Ryan , 960 S. W . 2d 656, 658 ( Tex. 1998 ) . M or eov er , w hen t he pl ea di ng def i ci enc y i s t he t ypet hatca nnot b e c u re d b y a n a m e n d m e n t, a s p e c i a l e x c e p ti o n i su n n e c e s s a rya n d a s u m m a ry j u d g m e n t b a s e d o n th e p l e a d i n g ’sfa i l u re to s ta te a l e g a l c l a i m i si n o rd e r. Id. I V. G L ENN ’ S C LAI MS A GA I NST A P P EL L EES A s m ent i one d a bove , G l enn , i n he rs ec ond a m end ed or i gi nalpe t i t i on, pl ea ded ca us esof ac t i on aga i ns tA ppe l l ee s f orbr ea ch ofi m pl i ed w ar r ant y a nd fo r pro fes sion a l n e g l i g e n c e . H o w e v e r, afte r c u l l i n g th rou g h G l e n n ’s ap p e l l a te b r ie fn u m e r o u st im e s , a sb e s tw e c a n t e ll, G le n n ’s a r g u m e n t so n a p p e a l a r e a ll
an att em ptt o r ec ove rt he att or ney ’ s f ee s and m ent alan gui sh da m age s t hats he3 ... G l enn st at es, “A s a r esul toft he dam age el em entbei ng w i ped cl ean

fro m [h e r] tw o c a u s e s o f a c ti o n , [A p p e l l e e s ] p re v a i l e d o n s u m m a ryj u d g m e n t.”

4 ... Bec aus e Te xasco urt s hav e c ons i st ent l y r ul ed on t hi s i ss ue and ha ve ade qua t e l ys e tf o rt h t h e p u b l i c p o l i c yc o n s i d e r a t i o n si n v o l v e d , we d e c l i ne G l e n n ’sre q u e s t to s e t fo rth y e t a n o th e r i n -d e p th p u b l i c p o l i c ya n a l y s i s . 7 w asuns ucc es sfu l i n r ec ove r i ng f r om M er ce desdur i ng t he ar bi t r at i on. A ft er 3
r evi ew i ng t he evi dence, w e c o n c lu d e t hatshe i s ent i t l ed t o nei t herand t hat
s u m m a ryj u d g m e n t fo r A p p e l l e e sw a sth e re fo re p ro p e r. A . I m pl i ed W ar r anty Cl ai m By O w nerA gai ns tASubco nt r ac t or I n he rf i r sti ss ue, G l enn att e m pt s t o r ec ove ratt or ney ’ s f ee s by a r gui ng t hat a l i censed st r uct ur al engi neer , w ho desi gns a f oun dat i on f ora p art i cul ar
r es i den cean d t her ea f t er app l i es hi s se alt o c ert i f y t he f ounda t i on’ s eng i nee r i ng pl ans, w hi ch t he engi neer know s w i l l be used t o bui l d t he f oun dat i on descr i bed i n t he pl ans , i m pl i edl y w ar r ant s t o t he ul t i m at e p ur cha se roft he hom e t hatt he f ounda t i on ha s bee n de si gne d i n a good an d w or km a n l i kem ann er . Gl enn t her ef or e a r gue s t hatt he t r i alco urter r ed asa m a tte r ofl aw by gr ant i ng s u m m a ryj u d g m e n t i n fa v o r o f A p p e l l e e so n th i si s s u e . Texa s cou rt s hav e c ons i st entl y h e l d t hata pr ope rt y ow nerm ay not
r ecoverf r om a subcont r act orw i t h w hom t he ow ner had no di r ectcont r act ual
r el at i ons hi p. S e e J.M. Krup a r Co n s tr. Co . v. Ro s en b erg , 95 S . W . 3d 322, 332 4 (T e x . A p p .— H o u s t o n [1 s tD is t .] 2 0 0 2 , n o p e t .) (h o ld in g t h a th o m e o w n e rd id8

not have cause of act i on f orcom m on l aw br each ofi m pl i ed w ar r ant y agai nst subcon t r act orw ho per f or m ed f oun dat i on w or k on hom e and st at i ng t hat hom eow ner ’ s r em edy f o r dam ages r esul t i ng f r om f aul t y const r uct i on w as a g a i n s t g e n e ra l c o n tra c to r); Ra ymo n d v. Ra hme , 78 S. W . 3d 5 5 2 , 563 ( Tex. A pp. — A ust i n 2 00 2, no pet . ) ( noti ng t hat , because pr opert y ow nerhas r ecour se aga i ns tge ner alco nt r ac t orw i t h w hom he c ont r ac t ed, “ t her e i s no c om pel l i ng p u b l i c p o l i c yre a s o n to i m p o s e a n i m p l i e d w a rra n tya g a i n s t a s u b c o n tra c to r,”
a n d h o l d i n g ev i d e n c e l e g a l l yi n su ffi c i e n t to su p p o rta fi n d i n g o f i m p l i e d w a rr a n ty
o f g o o d a n d w o rk m a n l i k e c o n d u c t b e tw e e n s u b c o n tra c to r a n d p ro p e rtyo w n e r); Codner v. A rel

l ano , 40 S. W . 3d 666, 672– 74 ( Tex. A pp. — A us t i n 2001, no pet . ) ( “d ec l i n[ i ng] t o a ppl y, asa m att erofpubl i c p o l i c y , a n i m pl i ed w ar r ant y

. . . b e tw e e n a h o m e o w n e r a n d a s u b c o n tra c to r”w h o c o n s tru c te d th e h o m e ’s f oun dat i on) . Thi s courthas al so speci f i cal l y hel d t hata hom eow ner ’ s i m pl i ed
w a rra n ty c l a i m a g a i n s t a s u b c o n tra c to r i sb a rre d a sa m a tte r o f l a w . See Ra yon
v. Ener gy Speci

alti e s, I nc. , 121 S. W . 3d 7, 21 ( Te x. App . — Fo rtW ort h 2002,
n o p e t.). In s p i te o f s u c h p r e c e d e n t a n d G l e n n ’sc o n c e s s i o n i n h e r s u m m a ry j udg m entr esponse th atA ppel l ees w er e “nota part y t o any con t r act[ she]
s i g n e d re g a rd i n g th ep u rc h a s e o f [h e r] h o m e ,”G l e n n a rg u e sth a t n e i th e r Rayon , norot heri m pl i ed w ar r ant y c as esi nvol vi ng ho m eow ner s, ha ve “p r es ent ed t he5 ... See Jac ob E. D ecker & Sons, I nc. v. Capps , 139 Te x. 609, 622, 164 S.W .2 d 8 28, 834 ( 194 2) ( hol di ng t hatde f end ant , ast he m anu f ac t ur eran d v e n d o r of sa u sa g e , w a s l i a b l e to c o n su m e r pl a i n ti ffs for the i n j u ri e s c a u se d to t h e m b yt h e c o n t a m in a t e d a n d p o is o n o u ss u b s t a n c e in t h e s a u s a g e a tt h e t im e t he def end ant s m anu fa ct ur ed and s ol d i t , ev en t hough de f end antw asnot n e g l i g e n t i n p ro c e s s i n g i t).

6 ... The “ C onc l us i onsofLa w ” se ct i on oft he ar bi t r at or ’ s aw ar d s t at est he f ol l ow i ng: M e rce d e s H o m e s a l l e g e d the o r ie s o f co n tr i b u ti o n an d i n d e m n i ty a g a i n st [A p p e l l e e ] N o rt e xi n the ab o v e -de sc ri b e d l a w [] su i t. [A p p e l l e e s] are n o t de sign a ted as R e sp o n d e n ts, T h i rd-P a rt y Res ponde nt s orRes ponsibl e Thi r d Pa rt i esi n t hi s ar bi t r at i on. The Pr el i m i nary O r der , dat ed 27 M ar ch 200 6, an t i ci pat i ng t he den i alof M er cedes H o m e s[ ‘ s] M ot i on t o D esi gnate [ A ppel l ees] as Res pons i bl e T h i rd Pa rt i es , i s her ebym adea Fi nalO r derf or pur p o s e s o f t h i s a r b i t r a t i o n a n d wi t h o u t r e g a r d t o t h e s t at us of 9 cr i t i ca l co ndi t i on, ashe r e, w her e t he st r uct u r alen gi nee r , w ho de si gne d t he fo u n d a t io n an d ap p l i e d h i s e n g i n e e ri n g se a l to th e fou n d a ti o n p l a n s, fai l e d to pr ope r l y de si gn t he fo unda t i on up on w hi ch t he f ut ur e h om eow ner ’ s hom e
w oul d r est . ” G l enn’ s ar gum ent , att em pt i ng t o carve out a speci al com m on l aw i m pl i ed wa r r a n t y f o r h o l d i n g e n g i n e e r s l i a b l e b y a n a l o g i z i n g h e r s i t u a t i o n t o a case hol di ng a f ood m a n u factur erl i abl e, has f ai l ed t o per suade us t hat 5 f oun dat i on eng i neer s s h o u ld be t r eat ed di f f er ent l y und ert he l aw t han other
su bco nt r ac t or s. Nordoe s G l enn ’ s ar gum entnul l i f y he rr em edyag ai ns tt he b u i l d e r— w h i c h s h e h a s a l re a d y o b ta i n e d v i a th e a rb i tra ti o n a w a rd

— w h o i n tu rn can l ook t o t he subcon t r act or s f or contr i buti on or i ndem ni t y , a s a ppl i cabl e. 6[A p p e l l e e s ] i n th e s u i t n o w p e n d i n g i n th e 2 3 6 D i s tri c t C o u rt. th 10 G l enn has t hus f ai l ed t o per suade us t hat pub l i c pol i cy consi der at i ons ent i t l e her t o a doub l e r eco v e ry fr o m bot h t he bui l derand t he subcon t r act or s, t he l at t er
w i th w h o m s h e h a d n o d i re c t c o n tra c tu a l re l a ti o n s h i p . S ee Codn er, 40 S . W . 3d at67 3 ( st at i ng t hatan i m pl i ed w ar r ant y w i l l not be i m posed unl ess t her e i s a dem onst r at ed, com pel l i ng need f ori tand t hati t i s not necessary t o i m pose an i m p l ie d w a r r a n ty a s a m a tter of p u b l i c p o l i c yi f plai n ti ff h a s o th e r ad e q u a te
re m e d i e s to re d re s sth e a l l e g e d w ro n g sc o m m i tte d b yd e fe n d a n ts ). T o t h e e x t e n tt h a tG le n n a t t e m p t st o a r g u e t h a ts h e w a sn o tf u lly
com pensat ed by t he bui l der because t he ar bi t r at ordi d not al l ow hert o col l ect t he f ul l am ountofatt or ney ’ s f ee s f r om t he bui l der , G l enn ’ s ar gum entf ai l s. The
ar bi t r at orst at ed t hatG l enn’ s r ecover abl e att or ney’ s f ees w er e r educed as a res u l t of her

fa i l u re to m i ti g a te d a m a g e sa fte rs h e rej e c te d M e rc e d e s ’s
r easonabl e sett l em entof f er . A ddi t i onal l y, G l enn’ s second am en ded or i gi nal p e ti ti o n ap p e a rs to p l e a d fo r a ttorn e y ’s fee s s o l e l yfr o m M e rce d e s a n d fai l s to st at e a cl ai m agai nstA ppel l ees t hat w oul d enabl e hert o r ecoveratt or ney’ s f ees fro m th e m . S ee general ly Hol l and v. W

al
-MartStores, I

nc. , 1 S. W . 3d 91, 95 ( Tex . 19 99 ) ( r eci t i ng w el l
- est abl i shed r ul e t hat “[ a] n aw ar d of at t or ney’ s f ees
m ay not be s u p p li e d by i m pl i cat i on bu tm ustbe pr ovi ded f orby t he expr ess7 ... G l enn ar gued i n herappel l at e br i eft hati fw e det er m i ned t hatan

i m pl i ed w ar r ant y exi st s, she w oul d be f r ee t o am end hercom pl ai ntt o al l ege a D TPA ca us e o fac t i on a gai ns t A ppe l l ee s bas ed upon t he br ea ch ofw ar r ant y a nd t h a ts h e w o u ld b e e n t i t l e d t o a t t o r n e y ’s f e e sifs h e p r e v a ile d o n t h a tn e w ly add ed ca us e o f ac t i on. Thus , G l enn r ec ogni z ed t hats he di d notpl ea d a D TPA ca us e o fac t i on a g a i n s t A ppe l l ee s, an d be ca us e w e h ol d t hatno c l ai m f or br ea ch ofan i m pl i ed w ar r ant y e xi st s again s t a su bco nt r ac t or , w e n ee d not f urt heraddr ess any D TP A
- r el at ed ar gum ent s. 11 t er m s oft he st at ut e in q u est i on”) . G l enn i s t her ef or e notent i t l ed t o r ecover at t or ney’ s f ees f r om A ppel l ees. A ccor di ngl y, w e hol d t hat t he t r i al courtdi d not er rby gr ant i ng A ppel l ees’
sum m ar y j udg m ent m ot i on on G l enn’ s cl ai m s f or br each of i m pl i ed w ar r ant i es. 7 S ee Pugh v. G en. Terrazzo S upp lies, I nc. , 243 S . W . 3d 84, 89–9 0 ( Tex. A p p .— H o u s to n [1 s t D i s t.] 2 0 0 7 , p e t. fi l e d ) (h o l d i n g th a t tri a l c o u rt d i d n o t e rr by gr ant i ng subco nt r act or ’ s sum m ary j udg m entm o tio n on t he hom eow ner s’ cl a i m s f orbr ea ch ofi m pl i ed w ar r ant i esofgood an d w or km anl i kes ervi cean d habi t abi l i t y) . W e t her ef or e over r ul e G l enn’ s f i r sti ssue. I n partofhersecond i ssue, i ssue 2- C , G l enn m akes a s eem i ngl y ci r cul ar ar gum ent t hat t he ar bi t r at i on aw ar d and hernegl i gence cl ai m do not pr ovi de her
w i th an ad e q u a te rem e d yan d tha t, th u s, w e m u st i m p o se an i m p l i e d w a rr a n ty i n o rde r f o r he r to b e fu l l y c o m p e n sa ted . B e c a u se w e h a v e alr e a d yd e c l i n e d to
c r e a t e s u c h a n im p lie d w a r r a n t ya p p lic a b le t o A p p e lle e sh e r e , w e o v e r r u le Gl e n n ’ s i s s u e 2

- C.12

B. Pr of essi onalN egl i gence C l ai m and M ent alA ngu i sh D am ages I n he rt hi r d i ss ue, G l enn cl ai m s th a t s he pr es ent ed su m m ary j udgm ent evi den cecr ea t i ng a ge nui ne i s su e o fm at er i alf ac tco nce r ni ng he ren t i t l em ent t o m ent al angui sh d a m a g e s; she cl ai m s t hatshe suf f er ed an i nj ur y t o her per sonal bei ng and physi cal bodyas a r esul toft he dam age t o herhom e. Becau se G l enn’ s pl eaded negl i gence cause of act i on w as f oronl y pr of essi onal engi neer i ng neg l i gence t hatpur port edl y caused pr opert y dam age t o herhom e, s h e is , a sa m a t t e ro fla w , n o te n t it le d t o m e n t a l a n g u is h d a m a g e s — t h e o n ly d a m a g e s th a t s h e s e e k s i n c o n n e c ti o n w i th th i s c a u s e o f a c ti o n . S e e, e .g ., City of Tyler v. Li kes , 9 6 2 S .W .2 d 4 89 , 49 5, 49 7– 99 ( Tex . 19 97 ) ( hol di ng t hat
m ent al an gui sh ba se d s ol el y on ne gl i gen ceca us i ng pr ope rt y da m agei s not
c o m p e n s a b l e a s a m a tte r o f l a w , c i ti n g n u m e ro u s i n te rm e d i a te a p p e l l a te c o u rt
c a s e s s o h o ld in g a n d e x p la in in g t h a t “ [m ]e n t a l a n g u is h d a m a g e sa r e re c o v e r a b le f ors o m e c o m m o n l aw t ort s t hatge ner al l y i nvol ve i nt ent i ona l orm al i ci ous c o n d u c t” i n s te a d o f n e g l i g e n c e ); Pa rkwa y Co . v. Wo o druff, 901 S. W . 2d 434, 44 2 ( Tex . 19 95 ) ( af f i r m i ng app el l at e court ’ s r ever sal ofm e nt al angui sh dam age s aw ar ded ag ai ns tde vel ope rf or n e g l i g enc e c aus i ng f l oodi ng of p l a i n ti ff’s h o m e ). C o n s e q u e n tl y , th e tri a l c o u rt d i d n o t e rr b yg ra n ti n g s u m m a ry8 ... A l t hough bot h Gl enn an d Appel l ee s i n t hei r app el l at e br i ef s add r es s t he

col l at er al est opp el ef f ectoft he ar bi t r at or ’ s deci si on t hatG l enn w as not ent i t l ed t o m e n t a l a n g u is h d a m a g e s , w e m u s ta f f ir m a t r i a l c o u rt ’s o r d e rg e n e r a lly g ran ti n g su m m a ry j u d g m e n t on an yp rop e r th e o ry p res e n ted to th e tr i a l co u rt . S e e Provi

den t L ife & A c ci

den t I n s. Co . v. K

n o tt, 128 S . W . 3d 211, 216 ( Tex. 2 0 0 3 ); Star- Telegr

am, I nc. v. D oe , 915 S. W . 2d 471, 473 ( Te x. 1 9 95) (bo th st at i ng t hatw hen a t r i alco urt ’ s or dergr ant i ng su m m ary j udgm entdoe s not sp ec i f y t he gr ound orgr oundsr el i ed on f or i t s r ul i ng, su m m ary j udgm entw i l l be af f i r m ed on a ppe ali fan y oft he th e o ri e s pr es ent ed t o t he t r i alco urtan d p re s e rv e d fo r a p p e l l a t e r e v i e w a re m e ri to ri o u s ). H a v i n g d i s p o s e d o f G l e n n ’s cl ai m ed ent i t l em entt o m ent alan gui sh da m age s on a not hert heo ry r ai se d by A p p e l l e e s i n th e i r m o ti o n fo r s u m m a ryj u d g m e n t a n d i n th e i r a p p e l l a te b ri e f, w e n e e d n o t a d d re s sG l e n n ’si s s u e s2 , 2 -A , o r 2 -B . S eeT EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 1. 13 j udg m e n t f orA ppel l ees on G l enn’ s pr of essi onal negl i gence/ m ent al angui sh cl ai m . W e t her ef or e over r ul e G l enn’ s t hi r d i ssue. 8 C . O t herD am ages To t he ext entt hatG l enn’ s br i efcoul d be l i ber al l y const r ued t o seek
rec o v e ry o f oth e r da m a g e s from A p p e l l e e s, w e h o l d tha t an ysu c h arg u m e n ts
a re i n a d e q u a te l yb ri e fe d . S eeT EX . R. A PP . P. 38. 1( h) , 38. 9. V. C ON C L U S I ON H avi ng ov er r ul ed al l t he part s of G l enn ’ s i ss uesne ce ss ary f ordi sp os i t i on oft hi s app ea l , w e a f f i r m t he t r i al cou rt ’ s gr ant of su m m ary j udgm enti n f avo r ofA ppel l ees. SU E W A LKER J U S T I C E PA N EL F: D A U PH I N O T, H O LM A N , an d W A LKER, JJ. DEL I VERE D: M a y 15, 2008