Court Opinion

ID: 9774321
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 18:15:24.417708+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:06.041217
License: Public Domain

STEAKLEY, Justice
(dissenting).
This is an adoption proceeding in which the parental rights in three children of a non-consenting, non-notified and non-participating natural father have been taken away. The question is whether, if he so elects, he may appeal by writ of error to set aside the order of the district court which was entered without notice to him. I would hold, contrary to the majority view, that he is entitled to appeal and is not limited to the remedy of a suit in the nature of a bill of review.
The majority seems overly concerned with protecting a parent from supposed consequences of the appeal remedy and by what the majority describes as “'unnecessary involvement in procedural quirks, complications and limitations.” The majority is complicating what is actually a simple situation. Under and as the result of the invocation of either remedy the adoption order is set aside and rendered for naught; and for the same reason, namely, the parent was not given notice to which he was entitled as a matter of constitutional due process. Armstrong v. Manzo, 380 U.S. 545, 85 S.Ct. 1187, 14 L.Ed.2d 62 (1965).
The interest of a father in a proceeding instituted by third parties to adopt his children and extinguish his parental rights cannot be gainsaid. This interest is apparent on the face of the record of an adoption proceeding from the instant it is filed. This Court long ago recognized that the remedy of appeal by writ of error is available to a party to the suit or to one whose privity of estate, title or interest appears from the record of the cause. Smith and Jones v. Gerlach, 2 Tex. 424 (1847). In the context of the problem before us, I would not restrict the concept of privity to matters of property rights and would recognize the controlling fact that the interest of the *728natural father appeared on the face of the record from the beginning. Heretofore this Court has been liberal in recognizing the right of appeal. Cf. Lawyers Lloyds of Texas v. Webb, 137 Tex. 107, 152 S.W.2d 1096 (1941), and Security Trust Company of Houston v. Roberts, 208 S.W. 892 (Tex.Com.App.1919). It is well settled that the averment and showing of an interest not apparent on the record will from that point entitle a party to invoke the appeal remedy. Cf. Thomas v. Jones, 10 Tex. 52 (1853); Cochrane v. Day, 27 Tex. 385 (1864); Ferris v. Streeper, 59 Tex. 312 (1883); State National Bank of Dallas v. City of Dallas, 28 Tex.Civ.App. 299, 68 S.W. 334 (1902, writ ref.); Waurika Oil Association v. Ellis, 254 S.W. 1032 (Tex.Civ.App.1923, no writ hist.). The apparency of the father’s interest distinguishes cases such as Southern Surety Co. v. Arter, 44 S.W.2d 913 (Tex.Com.App.1932); and Allied Drug Products Co. v. Seale, 49 S.W.2d 704 (Tex.Com.App.1932).
A recent persuasive precedent of this Court is found in the refusal of the application for writ of error in Specia v. Specia, 292 S.W.2d 818 (Tex.Civ.App.1956, writ ref. n. r. e.). David Specia was a major beneficiary of a will, the probate of which was denied in a contest proceeding in which David did not participate. David sought to appeal by writ of error. Charles Specia, the successful contestant, moved to dismiss the appeal because David was not a party to the proceeding. The Court of Civil Appeals sustained its jurisdiction to hear David’s writ of error on the proposition that “David, as one of the main beneficiaries in the will under contest, was a party within the contemplation of Rule 359 though not personally named as a party. * * * His substantial interests are involved in the appeal.”1 This Court refused Charles’ application for writ of error and by so doing necessarily expressed agreement with the jurisdictional holding of the Court of Civil Appeals that David could appeal by writ of error from the judgment of the district court.
In my view, the considerations upon which the majority rests its decision are not of sufficient moment to curtail the remedies available to a natural parent when his children have been awarded to third parties by an order admittedly not binding upon him because entered in a proceeding in which he was denied his constitutional right to notice.
I would reverse the judgment of the Court of Civil Appeals and remand the cause to that Court for consideration of Petitioner’s appeal.
SMITH and POPE, JJ., join in this opinion.

. Rule 359, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, reads as follows: “The party-desiring to sue out a writ of error shall file with the clerk of the court in which the judgment was rendered a written petition signed by him or by his attorney, and addressed to such clerk.”