Court Opinion

ID: 9827469
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 17:34:58.4042+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:42:31.802229
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
Appellant, in his motion for rehearing, contends that the court erred in not reversing and remanding this cause, instead of reversing and rendering, for the reason that the trial court erred in refusing to permit him to file an amendment setting forth his grounds for actual damages, thereby showing that the court had jurisdiction of the amount in controversy. We think it was properly held that the petition failed to state a cause of action, except for nominal damages. This being true, the court below should have sustained the demurrer, instead of overruling it, as there was nothing involved other than the claim for nominal damages; hence the court was without jurisdiction. See Connor v. Sewell, 90 Tex. 275, 38 S. W. 35. Having failed to do this, then it was error (after proceeding with the trial upon sustaining an objection to the evidence offered to show actual damages) not to have permitted plaintiff to amend his petition in this respect.
It is held, in T. & P. Ry. Co. v. Hughes, 94 S. W. 130, that, where it appears from facts imperfectly pleaded that plaintiff by amendment might plead a good cause of action, on the reversal of a judgment in his favor, the case will be remanded in order that he may amend. See, also, Miller v. Drought, 102 S. W. 145; Mullaly v. Ivory, 30 S. W. 259. Notwithstanding the fact that article 1824, R. S. 1911, provides that pleadings shall not be amended after announcement of ready, still our courts have held that this limitation is directory, and that it is within the sound discretion of the trial court to grant such amendment, even after announcement, and that this discretion should be liberally exercised with the view of attaining justice. See Parker v. Spencer, 61 Tex. 155; Obert v. Landa, 59 Tex. 475; Whitehead v. Foley, 28 Tex. 10; Railway v. Goldberg, 68 Tex. 685, 5 S. W. 824; Colorado Canal Co. v. McFarland & Southwell, 94 S. W. 400; Boren v. Billington, 82 Tex. 137, 18 S. W. 101; Telegraph Co. v. Bowen, 84 Tex. 477, 19 S. W. 554; First Nat. Bank v. Sharpe, 12 Tex. Civ. App. 223, 33 S. W. 676; Cotton v. Thompson, 159 S. W. 455.
In the present case the court had overruled the demurrer, thus indicating to the plaintiff that his petition was good. The latter proceeded with the trial* under the mistaken belief, no doubt, that his evidence would be admitted when offered. He was met, however, with objection, which was sustained by the court, on the ground that the allegations of his petition would not justify evidence going to show that the cotton purchased had advanced in price. When this objection, which was well taken, was sustained, plaintiff offered to amend his petition so as to make the evidence admissible thereunder. This was refused by the court, and judgment went against him. It is evident from the allegations of the petition that he had imperfectly pleaded his case. This being true, we think that the court ought to have permitted this amendment, with the view of affording him an opportunity to introduce evidence in support thereof. In Allen v. Clopton, 135 S. W. 242, where plaintiff’s case was imperfectly pleaded, it was held that: “If defendants’ demurrer had been sustained, as it should have been, plaintiffs could, and doubtless would, have supplied such defect in their petition by an amendment, and then proved such reasonable compensation as they were entitled to recover. In view of this, we will not reverse and render judgment, but simply reverse the judgment ⅜ ⅞ * for another trial.” See, also, Telegraph Co. v. Farrington, 131 S. W. 609; Carter v. Olive, 128 S. W. 478.
We think, in the present state of the record, that we are justified in holding that the court abused its discretion in failing to permit the amendment, for which reason the motion for rehearing is granted, and the judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded for another trial.
Motion granted. Reversed and remanded.