Court Opinion

ID: 9768058
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:40:47.708674+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:36.244211
License: Public Domain

SHARPE, Justice
(concurring).
I concur in the judgment of this Court reversing the judgment of the lower court and remanding the case for new trial for the reasons stated in this separate opinion.
Appellants’ points of error read as follows :
“Point 1. The trial court reversibly erred in entering the appealed-from judgment, because the evidence wholly failed to prove that the well in question was drilled on a competitive contract basis. Point 2. The trial court reversibly erred in entering the appealed-from judgment, because the evidence wholly failed to prove that the well in question was drilled at the usual rates prevailing in the area where it was drilled.
Point 3. The trial court reversibly erred in entering the appealed-from judgment, because the evidence wholly failed to prove that the well in question was drilled on a footage basis.
A. The evidence wholly failed to prove that the well in question was drilled on a competitive contract basis.
B. The evidence wholly failed to prove that the well in question was drilled at the usual rates prevailing in the area where it was drilled.
C. The evidence wholly failed to prove that the well in question was drilled on a footage basis.
Point 4. The trial court reversibly erred in entering the appealed-from judgment if by that judgment that court sustained any quantum meruit ground of recovery, because the evidence wholly failed to prove the reasonable value of the services rendered and material furnished in drilling the well in question.” .,
In my view all of appellants’ points of error are “no evidence” points, which raise only questions of legal insufficiency of the evidence, and should be passed upon under the rules applicable to that type of contention. See: Garza v. Alviar, 395 S.W.2d 821 (Tex.Sup.1965); Chemical Cleaning, *135Inc. v. Chemical Cleaning and Equipment Service Inc., 462 S.W.2d 276 (Tex.Sup.1970), per curiam opinion refusing n. r. e. 456 S.W.2d 724 (Tex.Civ.App., Beaumont, 1970).
I cannot find a basis for considering appellants’ points as raising questions of factual insufficiency of the evidence considering the points themselves and the statements and arguments thereunder. In my view the assertion in each of appellants’ points of error that the evidence “wholly failed to prove” the various matters included in such points raises only question of legal insufficiency of the evidence, i. e. “no evidence” points.
It is well settled that when a Court of Civil Appeals sustains a contention of factual insufficiency which constitutes reversible error, remand, not rendition, follows. In that situation a consideration of remand in the interest of justice is not necessary or proper. However, when the Court of Civil Appeals sustains contentions of legal insufficiency of the evidence (no evidence points), rendition of judgment usually follows unless the court concludes that the case should be remanded in the interest of justice. In my view the situation just mentioned is what we are dealing with here.
I would sustain appellants’ points one and two on the basis that they raise “no evidence” points and reverse the judgment of the trial court. However, I would not render judgment in favor of appellants but, instead, in the interest of justice would remand the case for a new trial. Rule 434, T.R.C.P.; Praetorian Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Sherman, 455 S.W.2d 201 (Tex.Sup.1970); Texas Sling Company v. Emanuel, 431 S.W.2d 538 (Tex.Sup.1968); Aetna Insurance Co. v. Klein, 160 Tex. 61, 325 S.W.2d 376 (1959); Hicks v. Matthews, 153 Tex. 177, 266 S.W.2d 846 (1954).
For the reasons stated I concur in the judgment of this Court which reverses that of the trial court and remands the case for trial.