Court Opinion

ID: 9760611
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 01:04:32.473288+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:14.810364
License: Public Domain

ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
The Appellant has filed his Motion for Rehearing, complaining of our holding that he had not shown diligence in obtaining a Statement of Facts and that the failure to obtain a Statement of Facts must be assigned as error and presented by a Bill of Exception. After careful consideration of Appellant’s Motion for Rehearing, we remain convinced of the correctness of our previous holding. As additional authority on the point that the failure to obtain a Statement of Facts must be presented by a Bill of Exception and assigned as error, we cite the case of Comer v. Farrell, (Tex.Civ. App.) 1931, 45 S.W.2d 432, no writ history, wherein the Court said:
“On October 3, 1931, we overruled appellants’ motion to reverse and remand, based upon the ground that, without their fault, they had been deprived of a full and complete statement of all the facts proven on the trial below. The question was presented by motion simply, supported alone by affidavits, as no bill of exception was reserved to the action of the court approving the incomplete statement, nor did they assign error thereon. In overruling the motion to reverse and remand on the ground presented, we followed the well-established rule that, to entitle a litigant to a reversal, under the circumstances, the action of the court complained of should have been made a part of the record by bill of exception, and assigned as error. The rule governing such a situation is announced in 3 Tex.Jur. p. 641, as follows: ‘To entitle a party to a reversal in any event the failure of the judge to approve the statement presented to him or to prepare one himself must be shown by the record, and must be assigned as error. The matter must be presented by a bill of exceptions, and will not be considered when presented only by a motion for reversal filed in the appellate court, accompanied by affidavits setting out the facts.’ This doctrine is fully sustained by the decisions, and we think the principle announced is applicable to and rules the question under consideration.”
See Ludtke v. Warren, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1926, 285 S.W. 339, no writ history; Rankin v. Nash-Texas Co., (Tex.Civ.App.) 58 S.W. 2d 902, no writ history.
In the case of Ennis Mercantile Co. v. Wathen, supra, the Supreme Court said:
“ * * * Authority to inquire into the existence of facts not contained in the record is conferred upon the courts of civil appeals by article 998 (now article 1822), which reads as follows: ‘The said courts shall have power, upon affidavit or otherwise as by the courts may be thought proper, to ascertain such matters of fact as may be necessary to the proper exercise of their jurisdiction.’ This article restricts the power of the courts of civil appeals to inquire into matters of fact not appear*316ing in the record to such as affect its jurisdiction. * * * ”
This case has been followed and quoted with approval in Applebaum v. Bass, (Tex. Civ.App.) 1908, 113 S.W. 173, no writ history; Rush v. J. E. Thompson & Company, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1908, 113 S.W. 546, no writ history.
There is another reason which was not discussed in the original opinion that we think supports the Court’s decision in affirming this case. This case was appealed from the 68th District Court of Dallas County. The Transcript was filed in the office of the Clerk of the Court of Civil Appeals, at Dallas on April 25, 1963, and thereafter the case was transferred to this Court. Submission of the case and oral argument was set for July 9, 1964, in this Court, and due notice given to each of the parties. The Appellant failed to file a Brief herein, or to appear on the date of submission. The Appellee’s attorney appeared in person on the date this case was set for submission, waived oral argument, and filed a Brief on behalf of Appellee. On February 18, 1964, Appellee filed its Motion to Affirm the Judgment of the Trial Court. Under this situation, pursuant to Rule 416 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, this Court is authorized to regard the Appellee’s Brief as a correct presentation of the case. As presented in the Appellee’s Brief, the Trial Court’s judgment should be affirmed. Temple Grain & Hay Company, Inc., v. Throckmorton Mill & Elevator Company, Inc., (Tex.Civ.App.) 1959, 320 S.W.2d 892, no writ history; Federal Underwriters Exchange v. Husted, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1936, 94 S.W.2d 540, writ dismissed; Longoria v. Liddell, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1937, 101 S.W.2d 845, no writ history; Guaranty Old Line Life Ins. Co. v. Leonard, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1937, 109 S.W.2d 1091, no writ history; Beckmann v. Beckmann, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1939, 122 S.W.2d 1117, writ dismissed; Bute v. Ruland, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1942, 158 S.W.2d 854, no writ history; Meacham v. Lyles, (Tex.Civ.App.) 1947, 206 S.W.2d 881, writ refused, n. r. e.
Remaining convinced under the record before us that this case was correctly disposed of in our original opinion, we respectfully overrule Appellant’s Motion for Rehearing.