Court Opinion

ID: 9774319
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 18:15:19.718281+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:05.968895
License: Public Domain

MURRAY, Chief Justice
(concurring).
I concur in the result arrived at by the ■majority upon appellant’s motion for a re-Tiearing. While I believe that it was the ■intention of the Legislature to render parol gifts of motor vehicles void, or at least voidable, Art. 1436-1, §§ 33, 44, 46, 51, 52 and 53, Vernon’s Ann.Penal Code, yet under certain conditions such a parol gift may in equity be declared valid, and the facts here show this parol gift to be an exception to the general rule. No one with a justiciable interest in this gift is endeavoring to set it aside. Furthermore, Rauel Roberto Diaz, deceased, was in open, exclusive, adverse possession of this automobile under a parol gift for more than two years before his death and thus established a title by limitation. Art. 5526, §§ 2 and 3, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.Stats.
The decisions dealing with parol gifts of land should be helpful here. Statutes requiring that the transfer of title to land must be in writing, acknowledged, etc., Art. 1288 and Art. 3995, § 4 Vernon’s Ann.Civ. Stats., do not use language nearly as strong as that used in the Certificate of Title Act relating to motor vehicles, yet the Courts hold that a parol gift of land is void with the exception that when a present gift is shown and possession taken and held under that gift by the donee, with the consent of the donor, and permanent and valuable improvements made upon the land by the donee in reliance on such gift, with the consent or knowledge of the donor, such parol gift is valid. Hooks v. Bridgewater, 111 Tex. 122, 229 S.W. 1114, 15 A.L.R. 216; Davis v. Douglas, Com.App., 15 S.W.2d 232; Harper v. Harper, Tex.Civ.App., 274 S.W.2d 930; Henderson v. Henderson, Tex.Civ.App., 236 S.W.2d 154. Of course, if the donee has been in possession of the land for a sufficient length of time and under such circumstances as to establish title by limitation, the donee would have title independent of the parol gift.
I believe the parol gift of the automobile herein was effective due to the circumstances above pointed out, but I believe the general rule to be that parol gifts of automobiles made in violation of the Certificate of Title Act, Art. 1436-1, supra, are at least voidable. The language of the Certificate of Title Act is too plain to permit any other construction.
In my opinion the Supreme Court has not yet said that the title to motor vehicles can be passed by parol gift, the same as any other chattel, and in total disregard of the Certificate of Title Act, Art. 1436-1, supra.