Court Opinion

ID: 9775713
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 19:08:01.123401+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:30.631931
License: Public Domain

ON APPELLANTS’ MOTION FOR REHEARING
Defendants, in their motion for rehearing, contend that they were denied due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. They rely upon Peralta v. Heights Medical Center, Inc., 485 U.S. 80, 108 S.Ct. 896, 99 L.Ed.2d 75 (1988) in support of their contention.
For the procedural facts of Peralta, see Peralta v. Heights Medical Center, Inc., 715 S.W.2d 721 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1986, writ ref’d n.r.e.); there, plaintiff filed suit in February, 1982. Citation was issued on the same date that suit was filed, but was not served on defendant until June 16, 1982, more than 90 days after issuance. Defendant did not answer. On July 20, 1982, the trial court rendered a default judgment against defendant. The judgment was affirmed by the court of appeals, but was reversed and presumably remanded by the United States Supreme Court.
The court of appeals, in its opinion (page 722) set out the three elements of a bill of review which the defendant, in order to be successful in his appeal, must plead and prove. The court, in affirming the trial court’s judgment, held that the trial court did not err in rendering judgment against defendant because he (defendant) “failed to plead and prove a meritorious defense” to the action brought by plaintiff. The United States Supreme Court disagreed, and, in effect, held that the Texas Court of Appeals’ ruling that a default judgment rendered against a party who has not been timely served by citation or notice of the action brought against him (absent an answer or appearance), and absent pleading and proof of a meritorious defense, violates constitutional due process.
Peralta does not require a reversal and remand in this case. It differs from the case at bar in several respects. First: In Peralta, the service of citation was untimely; in the instant case, it was timely. Second: in Peralta, defendant did not file an answer before the default judgment was rendered; here, defendants filed an answer before the default judgment was rendered. Third: in Peralta, the notice provisions of *473TEX.R.CIV.P. 21a were not involved; in the case before us in this appeal, the controlling issue is whether under the circumstances, notice of the trial-setting to defendants’ attorney of record prior to the time that he was relieved and released as attorney of record constituted notice to defendants that the case was set for trial on August 18, 1987. Fourth: in Peralta, the appeal was by way of bill of review; in the present case the appeal was by way of writ of error; the procedures, requirements and avenues in an appeal by bill of review and in an appeal by writ of error are different.
We have carefully considered defendants’ motion for rehearing. We adhere to our original decision, opinion and judgment in this case. The motion for rehearing is denied.
The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.