Court Opinion

ID: 4053267
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-09-29 03:27:07.436215+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:30:44.080187
License: Public Domain

ACCEPTED
                                                                      01-14-00969-CV
                                                             FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
                                                                     HOUSTON, TEXAS
                                                                  3/19/2015 3:41:11 PM
                                                                  CHRISTOPHER PRINE
                                                                                CLERK

                     NO. 0l-14-00969-CV

                                                       FILED IN
                                                1st COURT OF APPEALS
            TN   THE FIRST COURT OF APPEALS         HOUSTON, TEXAS
                    AT HOUSTON, TEXAS           3/19/2015 3:41:11 PM
                                                CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
                                                        Clerk

                      BRYAN BLACK
                                     Appellant, Cross Appellee
                             v.

           SMITH PROTECTIVE SERVICES, INC.

                                     Appellee, Cross Appellant

                   ON APPEAL FROM THE
189TH JUTIICIAL DISTzuCT COURT OF HARzuS COLINTY, TEXAS

          BRIEF OF CROSS APPELLEEO BRYAN BLACK

             ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED
                                              MMi*)å\n
                                            LAW OFFICBS OF
                                            PATIìICK G. TIUBIIAIII), P.C.
                                            Patrick G. I-Iubbard
                                            Texas Bar No. 10139500
                                            1075 Kingwood Drive, Suite 203
                                            Houston, Texas 77339
                                            Telephone: (28 1) 358-7 035
                                            Facsimile: (281) 358-7008

                                            ATTOIìNEY FOII AI'I'ELLAI\1'
                                            Ilryan lìlack,

                  IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSBL

Appellant:        Bryan Black

Represented By:   Patrick G. Hubbard
                  Law Offices of Patrick G. Hubbard, P.C.
                  phubbard@patri ckhubbardl aw. com
                  Texas Bar No. 10139500
                  1075 Kingwood Drive, Suite 203
                  Houston, Texas 77339
                  Telephone: (281) 358-7035
                  Facsimile: (281) 358-7008

Appellee:         Smith Protective Services, Inc.

Represented by:   Todd H. Tinker
                  Law Office of Todd FL Tinker, P. C.
                  tinkerlaw@tinkerlaw. com
                  Texas Bar No. 20056150
                  P. O. Box 75380
                  Dallas, Texas 75380
                  Telephone: (214) 914-37 60
                  Facsimile: (214) 853-4328
                     TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDENTITYOFTHEPARTIESANDCOLINSEL....           .......ii

TABLE OF   CONTENTS                           .......iii

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES                       .........iv

STATEMENT OF THE CASE/STATEMENT OF FACTS   .........1

SLIN4MARY OF THE   ARGUMENT.                    ......2

ARGTTMENT AND     AUTHORITIES                  .,,....2-5

PRAYER                                         .......5

CERTIF'ICATE OF   SERVICE.                    ........6

                             111
                          TABI,E OF AUTHORITIES
                                     Statutes

   Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 167.5(c)                                    a
                                                                             J
   Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 33.2                                    4
   Texas Rule of Evidence 103                                                a
                                                                             J
   TEX. R. EVID. 103(aX2), (b)                                               4

                                        Cases

 Beckett v. state, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 2293,8-9 (Tex. App.-Dallas
                                                 publicarion)
 [Mar. 22,] 2012, no pet. hist.) (not designated for                             3
 Bobbora v. (Jnitrin Ins. servs.,255 s.w.3d 331,33s (Tex. App.-Dallas
 2008, no pet.)
 Cale's Clean Scene Carwash, Inc. v. Hubbard, T6 S.W. 3d784,787
 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 200| no pet)                                    4
Duke v. state,365 s.w. 3d722 (Tex. App.-Texarkana 20l2,pet. ref d)               J
  Fletcher v. Minn. Min. & Mfg. Co.,57 S.W.3d 602,606 (Tex.
App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 2001, pet. denied)1"                                4
 Guidry v. State, g S.V/.3d 133, t53 (Tex" Crim" App" lggg)                3,4
Lone starr Multi-Theatres, Ltd. v. Max Interests, Ltd.,365 s.w. 3d 6gg
(Tex. App.-Houston [l't Dist] 20IL no pet.)                                 4
Midland fitr. BHg. LLC v. First Serv. Air Conditioning Contractors, Inc.
300 S.W.3d 738 739  (Tex.2009).                                            4
,Sink v. ,\ink. 764 W W 3d ?4O    (Tev Ann ps,Lwe) 2v\2
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                                         -Tlolloc

                                       IV
           STATEMENT OF THE CASE/STATEMENT OF FACTS

      Bryan Black sued Smith Protective Seruices, Inc. and Zaffar based upon       a

wrongful arrest that Zaffar, an employee       of Smith Protective Services, Inc.
initiated falsely claiming that Black had assaulted him with a baseball bat. The

charges were       dropped. Smith Protective Services, Inc. was granted an
Interlocutory Summary Judgment against Black on August 20,2014 (Appendix A)

after having made an offer to settle the ease for $5,000.00 (Appenelix B), whieh

was not accepted by   Black. The remainder of the case proceeded to trial at which

Zaffar failed to appear and defend himself, and Smith failed to appear at trial and

offer any proof of attorneys' fees, and a final default judgment was taken against

Zaffar on September 23, 2014 (Appendix C, CR 647 -648).

      Smith filed a Motion for Attorney's Fees Award on September 25, 2014

(Appenciix   B).   tslack demanded an orai hearing. At the orai hearing Smith's

counsel only presented an oral review of their Motion for Attorneys' Fees Award

and failed to offer any testimony or evidence. Black's counsel reminded the Court

that a final trial had taken place and that Smith failed to appear. The Court denied

the Motion for Attorney's Fee Award on December 3, 2014.
                                  SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT

         The basis for Smith Protective Services, lnc.'s Motion for Attorney Fee

Award is that Smith made an offer to settle during trtal, the settlement offer was

not accepted, and Smith prevailed on dismissing the Plaintiffs claims in                                  a

summary judgment.

         The motion fails as a matter of law for several reasons:

    (a) The Motion for Attorneys' Fee Award was not filed timely before final

        judgment.

    (b)Smith failed to offer any evidence or proof of evidence at the time of the

         hearing on the Motion for Attorneys' Fee Award or make an offer of a bill                       of
         exceptions"

                                  ARGUMBNT AND AUTHORITIES

        Defendant, Smith's Motions                for   Summary Judgment were granted on
            ,)fl aA1 A     -lL^
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r-r.LróLrùL .Lw) .Lwt-Ì.          ^^^^ .,,^^
                            rrrf. u300 S.W. 3d735 739 (Tex.2009).

                                    PRAYER

       WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Cross Appellee, Black prays

that upon hearing hereof the Court deny appeal on the Motion for Attorney Fees

and that Cross Appellant take nothing, and that Cross Appellee have all relief to

which he is justly entitled.

                                                 ctfully Submitted,
                                                                                 I

                                      LAW OFFICES OF
                                      PATRICK G. HUBBARD, P.C.
                                      Patrick G. Hubbard
                                      phub   b   ard @p atricl