Court Opinion

ID: 9762865
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:32:59.678699+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:38.154575
License: Public Domain

*694On Rehearing.
So far as the record shows no citation was served on appellant in connection with appellees’ cross-action. However the record shows that appellant knew of the cross-action, that he voluntarily participated in the trial in which issues raised by the cross-action were litigated, and that the court, though it did not expressly name the cross-action, obviously rendered a judgment for appellee on appellee’s cross-action as well as against appellant on the main suit instituted by appellant.
In his First Amended Petition filed July 21, 19SS, subsequent to the filing of appel-lees’ cross-action, appellant alleges: “ * * defendants A. Ross Frank and John R. Noble, dba Dallas Brick & Lumber Company, a co-partnership, have filed herein their first original amended answer and their original cross-action against the plaintiff(Emphasis ours.)
The trial court’s judgment recites: “and came the plaintiff and said defendant, A. Ross Frank, individually and as surviving partner of Dallas Brick & Lumber Company, by and through their attorneys of record and announced ready on such motion and the Court, after considering said motion, all pleadings of the parties, and affidavits of the parties on file herein, is of the opinion and finds that such motion is well taken and should be sustained.” (Emphasis ours.)
The court then proceeded to render judgment (1) for defendant A. Ross Frank individually and as surviving partner of Dallas Brick & Lumber Company for title and possession of the real property in litigation; and (2) against appellant Robert Joe Riggs, plaintiff, that he take nothing against A. Ross Frank individually or as surviving partner of Dallas Brick & Lumber Company. It must be held that under the circumstances appellant in effect waived the service of citation and is bound by the judgment. Smithers v. Smith, 35 Tex.Civ.App. 508, 80 S.W. 646; Davis v. Wichita State Bank & Trust Co., Tex.Civ.App., 286 S.W. 584 (syl. 21); Thompson v. Gaither, Tex.Civ.App., 45 S.W.2d 1106.
While the suit was pending, John R. Noble died. He was one of the partners, in Dallas Brick & Lumber Company. A suggestion of his death was made by appellant, but his executrix was not made a party to the suit. The judgment was in favor of A. Ross Frank individually and as surviving partner of the partnership firm. It was not error to so render judgment. Iowa Mfg. Co. v. Baldwin, Tex.Civ.App., 82 S.W.2d 994 (syl. 9); 32 Tex.Jur. 517-518.
The motion for rehearing is overruled.