Court Opinion

ID: 9474402
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 04:56:20.799411+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:44:03.737929
License: Public Domain

THOMAS GIBBS GEE, Circuit Judge,
specially concurring:
I concur in Judge Williams’ careful opinion, writing separately only to confess an earlier error. Although, for the reasons given in my writing for the panel in this case at 739 F.2d 1034, I believe it was incorrectly reasoned, further reflection has convinced me that Lyons v. Texas A & M University, 545 S.W.2d 56 (Tex.Civ.App.— Houston [14th Dist.] 1977, writ ref’d, n.r.e.) is an authoritative interpretation of state law by a Texas court, one which we are duty bound to follow. Under Texas practice, the notation “writ ref’d n.r.e.” indicates that the Texas Supreme Court was not satisfied that the opinion of the intermediate appellate court correctly declared the law in all respects, but that no error was present that required reversal of its *1275judgment. The Lyons opinion is therefore of a species that represents the most doubtful of Texas appellate authority. Nevertheless, it is Texas authority, and the holding in question was crucial to the judgment — which cannot have been correct if it was wrong. I therefore agree that we are bound by it.