Opinion ID: 495492
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: millgard's tort claims against dallas county

Text: 15 Millgard also asserts that summary judgment on its tort claims against Dallas County was improper because the discovery rule and/or fraudulent concealment tolled the statute of limitations. Specifically, Millgard asserts that it had no indication of Dallas County's malfeasance until 1985, when discovery proceedings unearthed incriminating documentary evidence. The district court therefore erred in holding that Millgard's tort causes of action against Dallas County accrued in 1979, when Millgard encountered the unexpected conditions, and became barred two years later under then-applicable state law. We agree with Millgard that a touch-stone of the limitations inquiry in actions for fraud or misrepresentation is when Millgard discovered that Dallas County was withholding information on the unstable soil conditions. 5 Mooney v. Harlin, 622 S.W.2d 83, 85 (Tex.1981). Millgard introduced unrebutted summary judgment evidence supporting its date of discovery contention, so we cannot affirm the trial court's judgment on this basis. We therefore reverse the dismissal of these claims against the County. 6 16 Dallas County urges us to rule on issues of res judicata and agency pertinent to its defense of a third-party action by McKee/Mays. As the district court did not pass on these issues, we decline to do so. 17 The judgment of the district court is REVERSED and the case REMANDED.