Court Opinion

ID: 9775765
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 19:08:34.089867+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:30.897512
License: Public Domain

On Motion For Rehearing

In its motion for rehearing, the committee asserts in a point of error that we erred in taxing costs against it because it is exempt from payment of costs. Although the committee cites no authority and makes no argument under this point, we assume the committee claims exemption as an instrumentality of the State.
TEX.R.CIY.P. 448 before and after amendment effective April 1, 1984, provides that “in any cause reversed by the Court of [Civil] Appeals, the appellant shall be entitled to an execution ... against the appellee for costs occasioned by such ap-peal_” TEX.R.CIV.P. 131 provides that “the successful party to a suit shall recover of his adversary all costs incurred therein, except where otherwise provided.” The Cortezes prevailed. Therefore, costs were assessed against the committee based on the well established rule that where the State enters the courts as a litigant, it places itself on the same basis as any other litigant. State of Texas by Reyna v. Goldberg, 604 S.W.2d 549, 553 (Tex.Civ.App.—Waco 1980, no writ); Glass v. Great Southern Life Insurance Co., 170 S.W.2d 247, 249 (Tex.Civ.App.—Galveston 1943, writ ref’d w.o.m.). Ordinarily, in the absence of a statute exempting a governmental unit from the payment of court costs, it is liable just as any other litigant. Childs v. Reunion Bank, 587 S.W.2d 466, 471 (Tex.Civ. App.—Dallas 1979, writ ref’d n.r.e.); see, Smith v. State, 500 S.W.2d 682 (Tex.Civ.App.—Corpus Christi 1973, no writ)—(court’s judgment operated to adjudge costs against State in a disbarment action, even though it was silent on the matter; and on rehearing, State waived right to complain as its motion to retax was untimely). We find no statute exempting the committee from payment of court costs. Cf. County of Dallas v. Yellow Cab of Dallas, Inc., 573 S.W.2d 44 (Tex.Civ.App.—Eastland 1978, writ ref’d n.r.e.), in which statute prohibited taxing of costs.
For cases assessing costs against the State or its governmental entities, see Kierstead v. City of San Antonio, 643 S.W.2d 118, 122 (Tex.1982); Parker County v. Spindletop Oil & Gas Co., 612 S.W.2d 944, 949 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth 1981), aff'd in part and rev’d in part, 628 S.W.2d 765 (Tex.1982); Reyna, 604 S.W.2d at 553; Combined American Insurance Co. v. City of Hillsboro, 421 S.W.2d 488, 491 (Tex.Civ.App.—Waco 1967, writ ref’d n.r.e.); Pierce v. City of Stephenville, 206 S.W.2d 848, 852 (Tex.Civ.App.—Eastland 1947, no writ); Glass, 170 S.W.2d at 249; Ibanez v. State, 123 S.W.2d 704 (Tex.Civ.App.—El Paso 1938, no writ); Norwood v. Taylor County, 93 S.W.2d 573, 575 (Tex.Civ.App.—Eastland 1936, writ dism’d). Accordingly, we hold that the committee is liable for the court costs in the present case. All costs in the trial court and in this court are taxed against the committee. The committee’s motion for rehearing is overruled.