Court Opinion

ID: 9646015
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 06:09:21.085314+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:25.600765
License: Public Domain

VACATE and DISMISS and Opinion Filed August 16, 2023

                                   S  In The
                            Court of Appeals
                     Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                               No. 05-22-00450-CV

                      WILLIAM RICHMOND, Appellant
                                  V.
                     FOREST GREEN MANOR, Appellee

                On Appeal from the County Court at Law No. 3
                            Dallas County, Texas
                    Trial Court Cause No. CC-22-01665-C

                       MEMORANDUM OPINION
                  Before Justices Goldstein, Garcia, and Miskel
                           Opinion by Justice Garcia
      This is an appeal from a judgment of possession in a forcible detainer suit.

The judgment was not superseded, and a writ of possession was served on appellant.

Appellee subsequently filed a motion to dismiss the appeal, supported by affidavit,

asserting that the appeal has become moot because appellant is no longer in

possession of the property. See Olley v. HVM, LLC, 449 S.W.3d 572, 575 (Tex.

App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014, pet. denied) (generally, appeal in forcible detainer

action becomes moot when appellant is no longer in possession of premises).
Williams v. Lara, 52 S.W.3d 171, 184 (Tex. 2001) (case becomes moot if, at any

stage of proceedings, a controversy ceases to exist between parties).

      The only issue in a forcible detainer case is the right to actual possession of

property. See Marshall v. Housing Auth’y of City of San Antonio, 198 S.W.3d 782,

787 (Tex. 2006). When a writ of possession has been executed following the filing

of an appeal and possession is no longer an issue, the appeal in a forcible detainer

case becomes moot and the appellate court lacks jurisdiction unless the appellant

holds and asserts a meritorious claim of right to current, actual possession of the

property or damages or attorney’s fees remain at issue. See Daftary v. Prestonwood

Mkt. Square, Ltd., 399 S.W.3d 708, 711 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2013, pet. denied).

      Although appellant has had more than ten days to respond to appellee’s

motion, he has not done so. See TEX. R. APP. P. 42.3(a), (c). Accordingly, it appears

on the record before us that appellant is no longer in possession of the premises and

nothing before us shows appellant has a potentially meritorious claim of right to

current, actual possession.

       When an appeal has become moot, an appellate court must vacate the trial

court’s judgment and dismiss the case. See Marshall, 198 S.W.3d at 785.

                                        –2–
      Accordingly, we vacate the trial court’s judgment of possession and dismiss

the case. See id.

                                         /Dennise Garcia/
                                         DENNISE GARCIA
                                         JUSTICE

220450F.P05

                                      –3–
                                    S
                            Court of Appeals
                     Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                                   JUDGMENT

WILLIAM RICHMOND, Appellant                    On Appeal from the County Court at
                                               Law No. 3, Dallas County, Texas
No. 05-22-00450-CV           V.                Trial Court Cause No. CC-22-01665-
                                               C.
FOREST GREEN MANOR,                            Opinion delivered by Justice Garcia.
Appellee                                       Justices Goldstein and Miskel
                                               participating.

       In accordance with this Court’s opinion of this date, the judgment of the trial
court is VACATED and the case is DISMISSED.

      It is ORDERED that each party bear its own costs of this appeal.

Judgment entered August 16, 2023

                                         –4–