Court Opinion

ID: 9644881
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 21:07:23.28513+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:19.283130
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing

COUNTISS, Justice.
Key West, Eid and the Lees have filed motions for rehearing. Key West and Eid ask us to reconsider our conclusion that their challenge to Eid’s personal liability cannot be litigated here because it was not properly pled in the trial court. We have reviewed all of their arguments, but we remain convinced that our conclusion is correct. Eid tendered the pleading denying personal liability within seven days of trial. Rule 63 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure specifically permits the filing of a pleading within that time frame “only after leave of the judge is obtained_” Because leave was not obtained, the pleading is a nullity. As the court said in Forest Lane Porsche Audi v. G & K Services, 717 S.W.2d 470, 473 (Tex.App.—Fort Worth 1986, no writ), “Under rule 63, amended pleadings cannot be filed without leave of court within seven days of the trial setting.” The motion for rehearing by Key West and Eid is overruled.
The Lees ask us to reconsider our method of determining the balance due on the Lee note after foreclosure. Pointing to our footnote three, they change various facts in the example to illustrate the inequity that can result under some circumstances. Our resolution of the issue was not based on a balancing of the equities; it was based on our interpretation of the contract of the parties. We cannot change that contract. The Lees’ motion for rehearing is overruled.