Court Opinion

ID: 9777995
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 20:29:41.654302+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:02.939429
License: Public Domain

DORSEY, Justice,
concurring.
While I concur in the result reached by the majority, I feel in view of the Joint Motion to Reverse and Render Judgment that the opinion addressing the merits of the appeal is advisory.
Appellants filed this appeal from a summary judgment rendered September 3, 1985. Although the appellants filed a very learned brief, appellees filed no brief in response. On the day prior to the submission of the case, the parties filed a joint motion to reverse and render judgment in which the appellees agreed that the appellants’ motion for summary judgment should have been granted by the trial court. The relief requested by both parties was that this Court reverse and render judgment or, in the alternative, reverse and remand to the trial court with instructions for that court to render judgment for the appellants. Accompanying the joint motion and filed the day before submission was a letter from counsel for the appellee requesting our clerk to advise the Court that the case need not be submitted in light of the parties’ joint motion. Although counsel for the appellants appeared at submission and argued, counsel for the appellee did not.
As this Court stated in a per curiam opinion in Scholl v. Firemen’s and Policemen’s Civil Service Commission, 520 S.W.2d 470 (Tex.Civ.App.-Corpus Christi 1975, no writ), an actual controversy is necessary for the existence of appellate jurisdiction; where no controversy exists this Court is without the power to render an opinion as such an opinion would be nothing more than advisory. The Texas Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the Texas Constitution does not grant the judiciary the power to render advisory opinions. Fireman’s Insurance Co. of Newark, New Jersey v. Burch, 442 S.W.2d 331 (Tex.1968); United Services Life Insurance Co. v. Delaney, 396 S.W.2d 855 (Tex.1965); Morrow v. Corbin, 122 Tex. 553, 62 S.W.2d 641 (1933).
In view of the agreement of the parties as manifested in their joint motion, I would either reverse and render without opinion or remand. There is no necessity to reach the merits, which involve the constitutionality of the grievance procedure of a public entity, in the absence of an issue demanding decision. Further, as the learned trial judge below, in holding the ordinance to be invalid as contrary to constitution and statute, had the benefit of legal authorities *709from both parties and we do not, I am reluctant to hold that he erred in the absence of briefing and argument in support of his judgment. I, therefore, respectfully concur in the judgment of the Court.