Case Name: Alexis ROMERO v. Lee H. HOGUE et al.
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1954-12-10
Citations: 77 So. 2d 74
Docket Number: No. 3924
Parties: Alexis ROMERO v. Lee H. HOGUE et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 77
Pages: 74–81

Head Matter:
Alexis ROMERO v. Lee H. HOGUE et al.
No. 3924.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana. First Circuit.
Dec. 10, 1954.
Landry, Watkins, Cousin & Landry, New Iberia, for appellant.
Provost & Ernest and Eugene D. Brous-sard, New Iberia, for appellee.

Opinion:
ELLIS, Judge.
This is a suit seeking damages for injuries suffered by the plaintiff as a result of an automobile accident involving his own car and another owned and operated by one of the defendants, Lee Hogue. The petition alleges the accident and resulting injuries were occasioned solely by the negligence of Hogue. Further, that Hogue at the time of the accident was acting within the course and scope of his employment by Hassie Hunt Trust, a Trust organized under the laws of the State of Texas, but doing business in the State of Louisiana. The public liability insurer of Hassie Hunt Trust was joined as a party defendant. The amount of damages sought was $30,217.99. Separate answers were filed upon behalf of Hogue and upon behalf of his employer and its insurer, denying any negligence whatsoever on the part of Hogue, and pleading alternatively, contributory negligence of the plaintiff. Also, the answer of Hassie Hunt Trust and its insurer denied any liability on the ground that Hogue was not, at the time of the accident, acting within the course and scope of his employment.
The Lower Court awarded judgment in solido, against all of the defendants, in favor of plaintiff, in the amount of $14,-717, plus legal interest from judicial demand until paid, together with all costs. This judgment was rendered on March 9, 1954 but was not signed until May 26, 1954. An extract from the minutes of Court, March 9, 1954, shows the decree of the trial Court to contain a reservation to file written reasons for judgment. On March 22, 1954, motion was filed upon behalf of plaintiff requesting the District Judge to give in writing a finding of facts and reasons for judgment as provided by Article 7, Section 43 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, 1921. This motion provided that the trial Court take judicial cognizance of the law and agree to furnish in writing the finding of facts and reasons for judgment before a formal judgment be read and signed. The District Court signed this order but, notwithstanding, a formal judgment was read and signed May 26, 1954.
This recites:
"Further, the Court reserves the right to file and shall file written reasons for the judgment herein."
From this judgment Hassie Hunt Trust and its insurer have appealed.
The appellee has filed a motion to dismiss the appeal on the grounds that the transcript is incomplete in that it fails to contain the written reasons for judgment and further, that Lee Hogue, one of the defendants against whom judgment was rendered in solido, has not appealed and has not been made a party to the appeal although being a necessary one. In the alternative a remand is sought to permit appellants to secure written reasons for judgment and the joinder of Hogue as a necessary party.
With full reservation of the motion to dismiss, the appellee filed an answer to the appeal praying that the award in the judgment appealed from be amended by increasing the amount awarded to the amount prayed for, and as amended, be affirmed.
On Motion to Dismiss.
(1)
Article 7, Section 43 of the Constitution of Louisiana, 1921, in the last paragraph thereof, provides:
"All district judges, in contested civil, other than jury cases, wherein there is a right of appeal, when requested by either party, shall give in writing a finding of facts and reasons for judgment."
The appellee contends that the trial Court's reasons for judgment are a necessary part of the record and he is entitled to have them included for consideration on appeal. In support of this argument there is cited the case of Brannon v. Zurich General Accident & Liability Ins. Co., La. App., 56 So.2d 287, 288, wherein it is stated, "The reasons for judgment are a necessary part of the record." Also, therein, is found:
"When written reasons are given for judgment, no matter whether pursuant to request or not, they come up with the judgment for review. Pitre v. Guidry, La.App., 147 So. 767. While the requirement seems to be that the reasons should be filed at the time of the rendition of the judgment, it matters not if they are subsequently given. Abood v. Louisiana Oil Refining Corp., La.App., 155 So. 484. Written reasons of the trial court can be of material assistance to the reviewing court, and it has been held that certiorari may even be granted ordering the reasons for judgment incorporated in the transcript, notwithstanding that they were handed down after the appeal was perfected. Bates v. Hayden, La.App., 188 So. 170."
The Bates case, cited in the above quotation from the Brannon case, granted a writ of certiorari ordering the Clerk of the Lower Court to complete the transcript of appeal by filing a certified copy of written reasons for judgment. The written reasons for judgment were rendered after the appeal had been perfected. Thus, the Bates case differs from the present case in that written reasons for judgment have never been rendered. In the Bates case the Appeal Court stated that it had no doubt that the written reasons of the trial Court would be of material assistance in considering the facts involved on the merits, and further, that no useful purpose would be served to refuse to order the written reasons placed in the transcript since
"We would in all probability remand the matter to the end that it might be reopened below and the trial court afforded an opportunity to render the written, reasons which are now available." '[188 So. 172.]
It would seem, that under the mandatory provisions of the Constitution, quoted above, the written reasons for judgment of the trial Court should have been prepared and included in the record. Our learned brother below evidenced, in the formal judgment, his reservation and determination to file these. He could still do so, and if they were filed, even now, we would order the Clerk of the District Court to include these in the record. However, the written reasons for judgment have never been filed, and from an examination of the record, we do not believe them necessary for a determination of this appeal. Also, the appellee could have availed himself of the legal remedies provided since the transcript of appeal has been lodged here. This is a question which could have been properly considered upon an application for writs of mandamus and, in this connection, the language used in Industrial Loan & Inv. Co. v. Price, La.App., 31 So. 2d 881, at page 883, is pertinent. It follows:
"Indirectly the question is presented as to whether or not the judge of the lower court was guilty of an abuse of discretion or of failure to perform a mandatory duty by not signing the order for a judgment pro confesso at the time the original motion praying for such judgment was presented. In our opinion this is a question that could have been properly resolved only upon consideration of an application for writs of mandamus, under the provisions of Article 838 of the Code of Practice. On appeal we must concern ourselves in so far as orders and decrees of the lower court are concerned, only with what has been done, and not what could or perhaps should have been done, by a judge of a lower court with regard to performing or refusing to perform certain functions of his office."
The absence of the written reasons is due to no fault of the appellants, and the ground urged is not cause to dismiss the appeal.
(2)
The second reason upon which the motion to dismiss is founded is the failure to make Hogue, one of the defendants, a party to the appeal. However, Hogue has filed an appearance in this Court whereby he takes cognizance of this appeal, accepts service of a copy of the petition and order of appeal, and further, waives expressly, citation and all legal rights, submitting to the jurisdiction of this Court, and agreeing to accept whatever judgment is finally rendered herein.
For the reasons assigned, the motion to dismiss is overruled.