Court Opinion

ID: 9554477
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-09 07:08:11.037542+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:34:28.385770
License: Public Domain

DISMISS and Opinion Filed August 1, 2023

                                      In The
                            Court of Appeals
                     Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                               No. 05-23-00416-CV

               TIM SCHOENBAUER, Appellant
                          V.
  DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS INDENTURE
 TRUSTEE FOR NEW CENTURY HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST 2004-1,
                        Appellee

               On Appeal from the 193rd Judicial District Court
                            Dallas County, Texas
                    Trial Court Cause No. DC-22-15993

                         MEMORANDUM OPINION
                 Before Justices Nowell, Goldstein, and Breedlove
                          Opinion by Justice Breedlove
      We questioned our jurisdiction over this appeal of the trial court’s order of

nonsuit dismissing appellee’s claims against appellant because it appeared to be

moot. We directed appellant to file a letter brief addressing our concern.

      A plaintiff may take a non-suit at any time before it has introduced all of its

evidence. See TEX. R. CIV. P. 162. When there are no pending counterclaims, the

effect of a nonsuit of all of a plaintiff’s claims is to render the case moot. See

Travelers Ins. Co. v. Joachim, 315 S.W.3d 860, 862 (Tex. 2010). Appellate courts
lack jurisdiction to decide moot controversies. See Nat’l Collegiate Athletic Ass’n

v. Jones, 1 S.W.3d 83, 86 (Tex. 1999).

      Although appellant’s arguments in his letter brief are difficult to discern, he

argues, in part, that the order of nonsuit was improper because he had counterclaims

pending. Counterclaims are subject to the payment of a mandatory filing fee. No

right to be heard on counterclaims exists until the fee is paid and the filing is

complete. See Jamar v. Patterson, 868 S.W.2d 318, 319 (Tex. 1993); In re C.A.S.,

128 S.W.3d 681, 686 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2003, no pet.). Because the record before

the Court reflects that appellant did not pay the required mandatory filing fee, the

order of nonsuit of all of appellee’s claims against appellant rendered the case moot.

      Because a controversy no longer exists between appellant and appellee, we

dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction. See Nat’l Collegiate Athletic Ass’n, 1

S.W.3d at 86; TEX. R. APP. P. 42.3(a).

                                           /Maricela Breedlove/
230416f.p05                                MARICELA BREEDLOVE
                                           JUSTICE

                                         –2–
                           Court of Appeals
                    Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                                 JUDGMENT

TIM SCHOENBAUER, Appellant                   On Appeal from the 193rd Judicial
                                             District Court, Dallas County, Texas
No. 05-23-00416-CV          V.               Trial Court Cause No. DC-22-15993.
                                             Opinion delivered by Justice
DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL                       Breedlove. Justices Nowell and
TRUST COMPANY, AS                            Goldstein participating.
INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR NEW
CENTURY HOME EQUITY LOAN
TRUST 2004-1, Appellee

    In accordance with this Court’s opinion of this date, the appeal is
DISMISSED.

    It is ORDERED that appellee DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST
COMPANY, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR NEW CENTURY HOME
EQUITY LOAN TRUST 2004-1 recover its costs of this appeal from appellant TIM
SCHOENBAUER.

Judgment entered this 1st day of August, 2023.

                                       –3–