Court Opinion

ID: 4066818
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-09-29 22:52:30.725915+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:32:33.918866
License: Public Domain

ACCEPTED
                                                                                            04-15-00623-CV
                                                                                FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS
                                   04-15-00623-CV                                    SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
                                                                                      10/2/2015 11:18:15 AM
                                                                                             KEITH HOTTLE
                                                                                                     CLERK

                                   CAUSE NO. 2014–PC–0056

IN THE ESTATE OF                              §          IN THE PROBATEFILED
                                                                         COURT
                                                                             IN
                                                                   4th COURT OF APPEALS
                                              §                     SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
MARJORIE A. CHILDS,                           §          NO. 2     10/2/2015 11:18:15 AM
                                              §                        KEITH E. HOTTLE
DECEASED.                                     §          BEXAR              Clerk
                                                                 COUNTY, TEXAS

         PETITION TO PERMIT AGREED INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL

  STRASBURGER & PRICE, L.L.P.                       BEN A. WALLIS LAW PC
  Judith R. Blakeway                                Ben A. Wallis, III
  State Bar No. 02434400                            State Bar No. 24060793
  Judith.Blakeway@strasburger.com                   8200 IH 10 West #101
  James Maverick McNeel                             San Antonio, Texas 78230
  State Bar No. 24035491                            Telephone: (210) 525–1500
  James.McNeel@strasburger.com                      Facsimile: (210) 525–9323
  David P. Stanush                                  baw3@wallislawsa.com
  State Bar No.19056300
  David.Stanush@strasburger.com                     ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
  Andrew L. Kerr                                    SUSAN C. ADDISON
  State Bar No. 11339500
  Andy.Kerr@strasburger.com
  Zachary C. Zurek
  State Bar No. 24079668
  Zach.Zurek@strasburger.com
  2301 Broadway
  San Antonio, Texas 78215
  Telephone: (210) 250-6000
  Facsimile: (210) 250-6100

  ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
  PAMELA ANN CHILDS
  MCCASKILL

1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
                                                  Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...................................................................................................... ii

Table of Authorities ................................................................................................. iii

Parties ......................................................................................................................... 2
Statement of Facts ...................................................................................................... 3

Statement of Issues..................................................................................................... 5
Certificate of Service ................................................................................................. 8

                                                                ii
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
                                            Table of Authorities
                                                                                                             Page(s)
STATUTES
TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 51.014(d) ............................................................... 5
TEX. CIV. PRAC & REM. CODE § 51.014(d)(2) ........................................................... 5

TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 51.014(e) ............................................................... 1

RULES
TEX. R. APP. P. 25.1(d)(6) .......................................................................................... 1

TEX. R. APP. P. 28.2(c)(7) .......................................................................................... 5

TEX. R. APP. P. 28.2(c)(2) .......................................................................................... 1
TEX. R. APP. P. 28.2(c)(3) .......................................................................................... 1

TEX. R. APP. P. 28.2(e)(2) .......................................................................................... 1
TEX. R. APP. P. 28.2(f)................................................................................................ 1

TEX. R. APP. P. 28.3(c) ............................................................................................... 1

                                                           iii
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
         PETITION TO PERMIT AGREED INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL

TO THE HONORABLE COURT:

          1.         Defendants Pamela Ann Childs McCaskill and Susan Childs Addison

desire to appeal from the interlocutory order signed by the Court on September 18,

2015.

          2.          The Court signed a written order granting permission to file this

agreed interlocutory appeal on September 18, 2015.

          3.         The parties have agreed to the Court’s entering an agreed order

granting permission for an interlocutory appeal.

          4.         Defendants appeal to the Fourth Court of Appeals.

          5.         The appeal of this case is an accelerated appeal. TEX. R. APP. P.

25.1(d)(6).

          6.         This petition to permit agreed interlocutory appeal is filed within

15 days of the date the trial court signed the order granting permission to file this

appeal. TEX. R. APP. P. 28.3(c).

          7.         A copy of this petition to permit agreed interlocutory appeal has been

served on all parties to the trial court proceeding, and a docketing statement will be

filed in the court of appeals.

          8.         A copy of the order signed on September 18, 2015 from which appeal

is taken, granting permission to appeal and staying the trial court proceedings

1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
pending resolution of this agreed interlocutory appeal, is attached as Exhibit A.

TEX. R. APP. P. 28.2(c)(2), (c)(3), (e)(2), (f); TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE

§51.014(e).

                                              Parties

          9.         The parties to the trial-court proceeding and their trial and appellate

attorneys are the following:

 Attorneys for Plaintiff Mollie Allen Attorneys for Defendant
 Childs:                              Susan Kaye Childs Addison:

 Rudy A. Garza                                          Ben A. Wallis, III
 rugar@hfgtx.com                                        State Bar No. 24060793
 Charles M. Hornberger                                  BEN A. WALLIS LAW PC
 boxy@hfgtx.com                                         8200 IH 10 West #101
 David Jed Williams                                     San Antonio, Texas 78230
 jwilliams@hfgtx.com                                    Telephone: (210) 525–1500
 Stephanie L. Curette                                   Facsimile: (210) 525–9323
 scurette@hfgtx.com                                     baw3@wallislawsa.com
 HORNBERGER SHEEHAN
 FULLER & GARZA, INC.
 The Quarry Heights Building
 7373 Broadway, Suite 300
 San Antonio, Texas 78209
 Telephone: (210) 271–1700
 Facsimile: (210) 271–1730

                                                 2
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
 Attorneys for Defendant
 Pamela Ann Childs McCaskill:
 James Maverick McNeel
 State Bar No. 24035491
 James.McNeel@strasburger.com
 Judith R. Blakeway
 State Bar No. 02434400
 Judith.Blakeway@strasburger.com
 David P. Stanush
 State Bar No.19056300
 David.Stanush@strasburger.com
 Andrew L. Kerr
 State Bar No. 11339500
 Andy.Kerr@strasburger.com
 Zachary C. Zurek
 State Bar No. 24079668
 Zach.Zurek@strasburger.com
 STRASBURGER & PRICE, LLP
 2301 Broadway
 San Antonio, Texas 78215
 Telephone: (210) 250-6000
 Facsimile: (210) 250-6100

          10.        The parties have agreed that the appeal involves controlling questions

of law on which there is substantial ground for difference of opinion and that an

immediate appeal may materially advance the ultimate termination of this

litigation.

                                       Statement of Facts

          11.        Specifically, this case involves the enforcement of a contract between

the parties, entered into by them as heirs of the estate of their mother (Marjorie

Childs), in an effort to equalize assets they expected to receive as beneficiaries of

                                                 3
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
her estate. The case also involves claims against Mollie Childs in her various

fiduciary roles as power of attorney, trustee and executrix.

          12.        The parties (three sisters) are the only beneficiaries of their mother’s

estate. Prior to their mother’s death, they entered into a contract dividing up

accounts created as a result of the sale of stock inherited by their mother from their

grandmother. At the time the accounts were set up, they were titled as life estate

accounts in hopes that the funds would be treated as part of a valid life estate, so

they would not be taxable as part of Marjorie’s estate. There was considerable

doubt as to the validity of the life estate, but there was an attempt to treat the funds

that way, based on the intent in their grandmother’s Will and because of the tax

benefits that would inure to the parties. However, the contract is not contingent on

any finding that a life estate exists or not, as argued by Mollie. Rather, the material

terms are a division of two accounts in a way that is different than an equal split as

they might expect as heirs of the estate.

          13.        Mollie claims that there is insufficient consideration for the

agreement—which she, as an attorney, helped draft. As shown by the evidence,

Appellants disagree because the consideration is (1) forbearance from suit against

Mollie; and (2) giving up certain expectancy rights as heirs of their mother’s estate

in the two accounts.

                                                 4
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
          14.        Secondly, Mollie claims that the contract should be rescinded because

the parties were all under a mutual mistake of fact as to the existence of a life

estate. Appellants disagree because there is considerable evidence to reflect that

(1) if any mistake occurred, it was not mutual; (2) if there was a mistake, it was not

material—not even a term of the agreement; and (3) the mistake—if there was

one—is a mistake of law (the interpretation of language in a Will), not a mistake of

fact.

          15.        Initially, the trial court denied Mollie’s motion for summary

judgment. Mollie then filed a motion for reconsideration. Upon rehearing, the trial

court granted Mollie Childs’ motion for summary judgment and denied Pamela

Ann McCaskill Childs’ motion for summary judgment.

                                       Statement of Issues

          16.        The controlling questions of law presented in this appeal are

(1) whether a mistake that a will created a life estate is a mistake of law or a

mistake of fact, and if there is a mistake of fact, whether a contract between the

parties can be rescinded by summary judgment, (2) whether there was sufficient

consideration to support the validity of a contract where there was a threat of

litigation and the parties negotiated away their expectancy interest as heirs of an

estate, or (3) whether a fact issue exists that precludes summary judgment.

                                                5
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
          17.        An immediate appeal may materially advance the ultimate termination

of this litigation because the contract is the primary issue determining the parties'

inheritance rights as beneficiaries of the estate. In addition, determination of

(1) the validity of the contract and (2) whether a contract between the parties can

be rescinded by summary judgment, will likely result in limiting or eliminating

litigation on the remaining issues between the parties, as the funds subject to the

contract are the only remaining “estate” funds in dispute. So, resolution of the

contract validity could very well resolve the other pending issues in the case. TEX.

R. APP. P. 28.2(c)(7); see TEX. CIV. PRAC & REM. CODE §51.014(d)(2).

          WHEREFORE, Defendants pray that the Court pursuant to the Civil Practice

& Remedies Code §51.014(d) enter an order permitting appeal from the court’s

order on the cross-motions for summary judgment.

                                               6
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
  RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

  STRASBURGER & PRICE, L.L.P.             BEN A. WALLIS LAW PC

  By: /s/ Judith R. Blakeway              By: Ben A. Wallis, III
    Judith R. Blakeway                       Ben A. Wallis, III
    State Bar No. 02434400                   State Bar No. 24060793
    Judith.Blakeway@strasburger.com          8200 IH 10 West #101
    James Maverick McNeel                    San Antonio, Texas 78230
    State Bar No. 24035491                   Telephone: (210) 525–1500
    James.McNeel@strasburger.com             Facsimile: (210) 525–9323
    David P. Stanush                         baw3@wallislawsa.com
    State Bar No.19056300
    David.Stanush@strasburger.com          ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
    Andrew L. Kerr                         SUSAN C. ADDISON
    State Bar No. 11339500
    Andy.Kerr@strasburger.com
    Zachary C. Zurek
    State Bar No. 24079668
    Zach.Zurek@strasburger.com
    2301 Broadway
    San Antonio, Texas 78215
    Telephone: (210) 250-6000
    Facsimile: (210) 250-6100

  ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
  PAMELA ANN CHILDS
  MCCASKILL

                                      7
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215
                                   CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

      I hereby certify that on the 2d day of October, 2015, a true and correct copy
of the above and foregoing Petition to Permit Agreed Interlocutory Appeal has
been transmitted in accordance with the requirement of the Texas Rules of Civil
Procedure, addressed as follows:

     Rudy A. Garza                                Ben A. Wallis, III
     rugar@hfgtx.com                              BEN A. WALLIS LAW PC
     Charles M. Hornberger                        8200 IH 10 West #101
     boxy@hfgtx.com                               San Antonio, Texas 78230
     David Jed Williams                           baw3@wallislawsa.com
     jwilliams@hfgtx.com
     Stephanie L. Curette                         Attorneys for Defendant
     scurette@hfgtx.com                           Susan Kaye Childs Addison
     HORNBERGER SHEEHAN
     FULLER & GARZA, INC.
     The Quarry Heights Building
     7373 Broadway, Suite 300
     San Antonio, Texas 78209
     Telephone: (210) 271–1700
     Facsimile: (210) 271–1730

     Attorneys for Plaintiff
     Mollie Allen Childs

                                               /s/ Judith R. Blakeway
                                              JUDITH R. BLAKEWAY

                                             8
1963695.3/SPSA/34092/0101/100215