Court Opinion

ID: 9828286
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 18:16:08.256822+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:42:46.950261
License: Public Domain

On Appellees’ Motion for Rehearing.
The motion assigns error in reversing the judgment on account of improper argument of counsel urging that “there was sufficient evidence to justify it, or at least to render it harmless.” Humphreys v. Roberson (Tex. Civ. App.) 52 S.W.(2d) 932, is cited and quoted from at length in support of the assignment. The general principles announced in that case are of unquestioned soundness; but they are clearly not applicable here.
 The further point is made that admissions of appellants rendered them “guilty of duress as a matter of law,” and therefore a directed verdict would have been proper. It may be that the evidence as a matter of law establishes the threats; in any event, the evidence upon this point was very strong. But threats alone do not constitute duress. To do so they must overcome the free will of the party threatened. Upon this fact issue there was a sharp conflict in the evidence ; and without invading the province of the jury, we could not reach a reasonable conclusion as to where the preponderance of evidence lay.
It is true, as pointed out in the motion, that the writ of error was not granted in Lane v. Cunningham upon the argument of counsel. That point was not urged in the application. We do not question the correctness of the conclusion in that case that the argument probably had no deleterious effect, under all the circumstances there presented. As pointed out in our original opinion, we have an entirely different situation here, as to which the holding there is not in point.
We did, however, disagree with -the holding in that ease to the effect that the bill of exceptions must disclose “either that there was no evidence to justify the argument, or that there was no argument on the part of the opposing counsel to provoke it.” In this we are supported by the opinion (published after our decision was announced) in West Texas Utilities Co. v. Renner, 53 S.W. (2d) 451, 455, in which Judge Ryan, writing for Section B of the Commission of Appeals, says: “In Texas Indemnity [Ins.] Co. v. McCurry (Tex. Com. App.) 41 S.W.(2d) 215, *117217, 78 A. L. R. 760, it was lield tliat a bill of exceptions to improper argument is not required to negative any possible fact or state of attending circumstances that would render the objectionable matter without prejudicial effect. It was there stated: ‘The rule ⅛ now settled in this state that, where improper argument has been indulged in, the adverse complaining party is entitled to reversal of the judgment, as a matter of law, if under all the circumstances there is any reasonable doubt of its harmful effect, or unless it affirmatively appears no prejudice! resulted. [Citing numerous authorities.]”
The motion is overruled.
Overruled.