Court Opinion

ID: 4058739
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-09-29 09:17:04.723274+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:03:41.883850
License: Public Domain

ACCEPTED
                                                                                         01-15-00301-CV
                                                                              FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
                                                                                      HOUSTON, TEXAS
                                                                                    6/30/2015 4:58:13 PM
                                                                                   CHRISTOPHER PRINE
                                                                                                  CLERK

                              No. 01-15-00301-CV
______________________________________________________________________________
                                                                   FILED IN
                                    IN THE                 1st COURT OF APPEALS
                             COURT OF APPEALS                  HOUSTON, TEXAS
                                   FOR THE                 6/30/2015 4:58:13 PM
                     FIRST SUPREME JUDICIAL DISTRICT CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
                                      OF                           Clerk
                                    TEXAS
                             AT HOUSTON, TEXAS
______________________________________________________________________________

                              DAVID M. DIGGS,
                                 Appellant,

                                     vs.

                           VSM FINANCIAL, L.L.C.,
                                   Appellee.
______________________________________________________________________________

                  Appeal from the County Civil Court At Law No. 1
                              of Harris County, Texas
______________________________________________________________________________

                            BRIEF OF APPELLANT
______________________________________________________________________________

                                                WILLIE & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

                                                Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.
                                                4151 Southwest Freeway, Suite 490
                                                Houston, Texas 77027
                                                (713) 659-7330
                                                (713) 599-1659 (FAX)
                                                SBOT# 21633500
                                                attyjrwii@wisamlawyers.com

                                                ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
                                                DAVID M. DIGGS

                       ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED
______________________________________________________________________________
                         IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

       The following is a complete list of all parties to the trial court’s final judgment, as well as

the names and addresses of all trial and appellate counsel.

PARTIES                                                COUNSEL

Appellant:
David M. Diggs                                         Willie & Associates, P.C.
                                                       Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.
                                                       4151 Southwest Freeway, Suite 490
                                                       Houston, Texas 77027
                                                       Trial and Appellate Counsel for Appellant

Appellee:
VSM Financial, L.L.C.                                  Jenkins, Wagnon & Young, P.C.
                                                       Dan G. Young, Esquire
                                                       P.O. Box 420
                                                       Lubbock, Texas 79408
                                                       Trial Counsel for Appellee

                                                  ii
                                                    TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                                                                                     Page

INDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                        ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                     iii

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                        iv

STATEMENT OF THE CASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                           v

ISSUE PRESENTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                 v

STATEMENT OF FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                      1

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                 2

ARGUMENT AND AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                2

I.         The trial court erred by not awarding the Defendant his costs of
           court as the prevailing party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            2

PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    3

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                      4

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                             4

APPENDIX

                                 Appendix 1 – Final Summary Judgment of the trial court signed on
                                              February 25, 2015.

                                                                       iii
                                                 INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

                                                                                                                                Page(s)

CASES:

Furr’s Supermarkets, Inc. v. Bethune,
       53 S.W.3d 375 (Tex. 2001) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                2, 3

Imperial Lofts, Ltd. v. Imperial Woodworks, Inc.,
       245 S.W.3d 1 (Tex. App.--Waco
       2007, pet. denied) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         3

Roberts v. Williamson,
       111 S.W.3d 113 (Tex. 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                 2, 3

RULES AND STATUTES:

TEX. R. APP. P. 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     4

TEX. R. CIV. P. 131 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     2, 3

TEX. R. CIV. P. 141 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     2, 3

                                                                      iv
                                STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Nature of the Case:                                         This is a breach of contract cause of
                                                            action brought by VSM Financial,
                                                            L.L.C.

Trial Court:                                                The Honorable Debra I. Mayfield,
                                                            County Civil Court At Law No. 1,
                                                            Harris County, Texas.

Parties in Trial Court:                                     VSM Financial, L.L.C. – Plaintiff;
                                                            David M. Diggs – Defendant.

Trial Court Disposition:                                    Final Summary Judgment rendered
                                                            in favor of the Defendant.

                                     ISSUE PRESENTED

       The trial court erred by not awarding the Defendant his costs of court as the prevailing
       party.

                                                v
                          STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

      On April 14, 2014, the Plaintiff filed its Original Petition alleging a breach

of contract by the Defendant. (C.R. 4-6.) On July 24, 2014, the Defendant filed his

Original Answer which alleged a general denial and the affirmative defenses of the

statute of limitations and laches. (C.R. 7-9.)

      On September 29, 2014, the Plaintiff filed its Motion for Summary

Judgment. (C.R. 9-71.) On October 2, 2014, the Defendant filed his Response and

Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. (C.R. 72-78.) On October 10, 2014,

Plaintiff filed its Response to Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment.

(C.R. 80-86.)

      On February 25, 2015, the trial court granted the Defendant’s Cross-Motion

for Summary Judgment and denied the Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment,

however, the trial court failed to award the Defendant his costs of court as the

prevailing party. (C.R. 88.)

      On March 27, 2015, the Defendant filed his Notice of Limitation of Appeal

to perfect his appeal to the Court of Appeals for the First Supreme Judicial District

of Texas. (C.R. 91-92.)
                       SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT

      A successful party to a lawsuit shall recover its costs of court. Additionally,

in order for a trial court to adjudge costs differently, there must be good cause and

the good cause must be stated on the record. The trial court’s actions in not

awarding the Defendant his costs of court run counter to the applicable case law

and rules of procedure. See Furr’s Supremarkets, Inc. v. Bethune, 53 S.W.3d 375

(Tex. 2001); Roberts v. Williamson, 111 S.W.3d 113 (Tex. 2003); TEX. R. CIV. P.

131; TEX. R. CIV. P. 141.

                       ARGUMENT AND AUTHORITIES

I.    The trial court erred by not awarding the Defendant his costs of court
      as the prevailing party.

      The Plaintiff clearly pled that he be awarded his costs of court if it was

adjudged that he was the prevailing party in the action below. (C.R. 8.) On

February 25, 2015, trial court entered its Final Summary Judgment which granted

Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and denied Plaintiff’s Motion

for Summary Judgment. However, the trial court failed to award the Defendant his

costs of court as the prevailing party. (C.R. 88.)
                                           2
      It is well-settled law that a prevailing party is entitled to recover his costs of

court. See Furr’s Supremarkets, Inc. v. Bethune, 53 S.W.3d 375, 376 (Tex. 2001);

Imperial Lofts, Ltd. v. Imperial Woodworks, Inc., 245 S.W.3d 1, 8 (Tex. App.--

Waco 2007, pet. denied); TEX. R. CIV. P. 131. It is very plain from this appellate

record that the Defendant was not awarded his costs of court.

      A trial court may either not award and/or otherwise adjudge costs, however,

there must be good cause and the good cause must be stated in the record. See

Roberts v. Williamson, 111 S.W.3d 113, 124 (Tex. 2003); Furr’s at 53 S.W.3d at

376-377; TEX. R. CIV. P. 141. The trial court did not state any good cause for not

awarding the Defendant his costs of court in its Final Summary Judgment. The trial

court’s Final Summary Judgment should be modified to award the Defendant his

costs of court and the remainder of the trial court’s Final Summary Judgment

should be affirmed.

                                      PRAYER

      For the foregoing reasons, Appellant, David M. Diggs, requests that the trial

court’s Final Summary Judgment be modified to award the Appellant his costs of

court and that the remainder of the trial court’s Final Summary Judgment be

affirmed.

                                           3
                                       Respectfully submitted,

                                       WILLIE & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

                                   By:/s/ Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.
                                      Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.
                                      4151 Southwest Freeway, Suite 490
                                      Houston, Texas 77027
                                      (713) 659-7330
                                      (713) 599-1659 (FAX)
                                      SBOT# 21633500
                                      attyjrwii@wisamlawyers.com

                                       ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
                                       DAVID M. DIGGS

                         CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

       I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing document was
served via e-service to Dan G. Young, P.O. Box 420, Lubbock, Texas 79408, on
the 30th day of June, 2015.

                                             /s/ Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.
                                             Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

                      CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

       I certify that the Brief of Appellant submitted complies with TEX. R. APP. P.
9 and the word count of this document is 560. The word processing software used
to prepare the document and to calculate the word count is Windows 7.

                                             /s/ Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.
                                             Joseph R. Willie, II, D.D.S., J.D.

                                         4
APPENDIX
Appendix 1
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                 /;j         VSM FINANCIAL, L.L.C.                                         §
                                                                                           §
                                                                                                  IN THE COUNTY CIVIL

:3                           VS.                                                           §      COURT AT LAW NO. I
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6                            DAVID M. DIGGS                                                §       HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS
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>,                                                             FINAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

                                         Came on to be heard Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. The

                             Court, after being fully informed and after hearing the argument of counsel, is of the

                             opinion that the cross~motion is, in all things:

                             1('5 ~ ~ED~~
                                         IT ISs THFJUivQR.S; QIU)~R£D that the Plaintiffs cause of action is hereby~

                             d:l:sed because It Is
                             t     t
                                                           b::'::l>:::::tute
                                        e Defendant reeov . ... ~,,~~ ..   'f..!.'_Dllrt
                                                                                           oflimitations. IT   I~
                                                                                           and 'hat tRI J!lalRuffis
                                                                                                                    FURTHER ORDERED
                                                                                                                         tueu With ail costs             -,
                                                                                                                                                              ®
                             ofeoutt It)] wlticlt let     axeCIJtjOD   issue. All other relief not hereby granted is DfNlg9.

                                         S:~NED on thas day of~ ,20 ~
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      L' ,'\.. '       l:                                                                  PRESIDING JUDGE

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                                                                                                            RECORDER'S MEMORANDUM:
                   ~                                                                                 At the time of recordation, thIs In,trument wei
                                                                                                     bind to be Ine:de'luate for tM D6st photographic
                                                                                                      reproduction beceuBo of lIIeg1bJUty, carbon or
                                                                                                      photo copy, dlscolorod P'!Pf:r, etc, All bloc:koutl.
                                                                                                      addlUon, and cha n-j es WtltD present.t ttw tImI
                                                                                                      the In_truman! ""!lS i\1od 3nd f'OO/'df)d,

                                                                                                                                                              88