Court Opinion

ID: 9778150
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 20:34:03.626718+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:04.109514
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
On motion for rehearing, defendant contends that we erred in finding that only *631the trial court’s finding of fact No. 4 is challenged on appeal. He says that he specifically excepted to findings No. 3 through No. 9 as shown by the transcript. Defendant did except to all of those findings in the trial court. Unless the trial court’s findings of fact are challenged by point of error on appeal, however, they are binding on the appellate court. Bilek v. Tupa, 549 S.W.2d 217 (Tex.Civ.App.—Corpus Christi 1977 writ ref’d n. r. e.); McKenzie v. Carte, 385 S.W.2d 520 (Tex.Civ.App.—Corpus Christi 1964, writ ref’d n. r. e.). Therefore, defendant’s assignment of error relating to findings of fact challenged on appeal is overruled.
Again, in his motion for rehearing, defendant urges that the trial court’s judgment in favor of the plaintiffs should be reversed because the plaintiffs failed to trace their title to the sovereign or to a common source. Other than the reasons we set forth in our original opinion there is another reason why the plaintiffs have superior title. That reason is prior possession. Katz v. Maddox, 256 S.W.2d 249 (Tex.Civ.App.—San Antonio 1953, writ ref d n. r. e.).
In Katz, the plaintiff there had actual possession for no longer than two years, but the plaintiff’s possession was prior to that of the defendants even though not long enough for a limitation title. The plaintiff there paid the taxes, but there is no indication whether the taxes were paid before they became delinquent. One of the defendants obtained a deed from a third party. The appellate court there held that plaintiff was entitled to have title quieted in him by virtue of prior possession despite the plaintiff’s failure to prove title from the sovereign or common source.
In the instant case the plaintiffs proved possession for several years by farming and living on the property. The type and manner of possession, however, was not sufficient to establish title by limitation. The plaintiffs paid the taxes, even though not before the taxes became delinquent. The defendant obtained a deed from a third party, but the trial court made a finding, unchallenged on this appeal, that defendant had possession at no time. So the plaintiffs established that their possession was the only possession, as between the parties to this suit. Consequently the plaintiffs here like the plaintiff in Katz, are entitled to recover based on prior possession even though they failed to prove title from the sovereign or common source.
We have carefully considered all of defendant’s assignments of error contained in his motion for rehearing and find that they are without merit. Defendant’s motion for rehearing is overruled.