Opinion ID: 2467814
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Was Defendant Joe Dulak's Wife An Indispensable Party?

Text: Plaintiffs did not join Joe Dulak's wife, Helen, as a defendant, and Joe Dulak on appeal says that the judgment is void for absence of an indispensable party. Constance Dulak conveyed his farm to Joe and Helen on April 13, 1966. Joe and Helen at that time signed the purchase money note payable to Constance, as well as a deed of trust. The release which Constance later signed on February 25, 1971, recited that Joe has paid me all he and his wife and heirs owe's (sic) me .... These facts disclose Helen's joint community interest in the property and the debt secured by the property. The plaintiffs contend that Helen, though not named as party in the action against her husband, is still bound by the judgment under the doctrine of virtual representation of spouses. In Griffin Cooper v. Texas Gulf Industries, Inc., 513 S.W.2d 200 (Tex.1974), decided today, this court has ruled that the Family Code has abolished the doctrine of virtual representation whereby the husband could act for and represent the wife in an action concerning their joint community property. Section 5.22 of the Family Code terminated that practice, and in the case of joint management community property, the wife is now a joint manager. She is as individual as is her husband. Her rights, like his, may be affected only in an action which calls her to answer the same as any other joint owning individual. The Legislature expressed its intent concerning this question as clearly as possible by requiring a written authorization by one spouse of the other if they intend to alter the new rule. [1] In our present case, Helen Dulak did not authorize her husband by power of attorney or other agreement in writing to represent her in the management, control, and disposition of her joint community property. Only where such a written agreement exists would the spouses be deemed representatives of each other with respect to the community. In Cooper, supra, we made the further ruling that the omission of one of the spouses as a party in an action concerning their joint community property no longer renders a judgment void. Since jurisdiction with respect to the non-joinder of parties is now de-emphasized by force of amended Rule 39, we conclude that failure to join Helen Dulak in the suit below was not a jurisdictional defect and the judgment, unless otherwise erroneous, is binding upon those who were parties to the suit.