Court Opinion

ID: 9674384
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:28:01.454889+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:27.313811
License: Public Domain

STEPHEN F. PRESLAR, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The rules are being changed in the middle of the game. Defendant’s case arose and was pled under one set of laws, but it was determined by another set of laws later enacted and as to which there were no pleadings. More than procedure was involved, for the Defendant had substantial rights wiped out. He lost the valuable right to have the case in his home county because the Plaintiff was not *240required to comply with the then existing law. When Defendant filed his plea of privilege, he had an absolute right to have the case transferred unless Plaintiff filed a controverting plea and proved one of the exceptions of Article 1995 and that by a preponderance of the evidence as in a trial on the merits. Banks v. Collins, 152 Tex. 265, 257 S.W.2d 97 (1953); Compton v. Elliott, 126 Tex. 232, 88 S.W.2d 91 (1935); Article 1995 (Vernon 1974); 1 R. McDonald, Venue, section 4.03.1 “The Basic Venue Rule.” Plaintiff relies on exception 23 of Article 1995, and to overcome the basic venue rule and defeat the Defendant’s right, he is required to prove a cause of action or part thereof arose in the county of suit and he must also establish by a preponderance of the evidence all of the elements of the cause of action against the corporate defendant. Petromark Minerals, Inc. v. Buttes Resources Company, 633 S.W.2d 657 (Tex.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] 1982, writ ref d n.r.e.). The Defendant/Relator even had the right to have his case tried by a jury. He had at the time of his plea of privilege an absolute right of appeal. Southport Petroleum Company v. Carter, 139 Tex. 661, 165 S.W.2d 85 (1942).
It has been repeatedly held that venue of an action is controlled by the law in effect at the time of the institution of the suit. Big Rock Properties Texas, Inc. v. King, 613 S.W.2d 804 (Tex.Civ.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] 1981, no writ); Beef Processors, Inc. v. Manning, 601 S.W.2d 93 (Tex.Civ.App. — Corpus Christi 1980); Dairyland County Mutual Insurance Company v. Harrison, 578 S.W.2d 186 (Tex.Civ.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] 1979, no writ); Temple News Agency v. Want Ads of Waco, 573 S.W.2d 269 (Tex.Civ.App. —Waco 1978, no writ).
The amendment of Article 1995 was “effective September 1, 1983.” That effective date is not altered by the quoted provision as to cases on appeal. The appeal of venue cases was allowed by Article 2008 (Vernon 1964); to apply a law effective September 1 to a case instituted in June is to make the law retroactive, contrary to the express date. Defendant could only assert his valuable right to be sued in the county of his choice by complying with the laws then in existence. He exercised his rights in accord with the existing law and he was entitled to have those rights determined by that law.