Court Opinion

ID: 9679948
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:13:45.917392+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:50.759394
License: Public Domain

MURPHY, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. Because the record shows that appellants intentionally failed to appear for trial, I would affirm the judgment, modifying it to dismiss the case without prejudice.
The standard of review of a dismissal for want of prosecution is whether the trial court committed a clear abuse of discretion. Ellmossallamy v. Huntsman, 830 S.W.2d 299, 300 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1992, no writ). An abuse of discretion only occurs if the trial court acts without reference to any guiding rules or principles. Id. The rule regarding dismissal for want of prosecution is Rule 165a. This rule provides for dismissed on the failure of any party seeking affirmative relief to appear for trial. Tex. R.Civ.P. 165a. In determining whether to reinstate a case dismissed for want of prosecution, Rule 165a requires the trial court to consider whether the failure to prosecute the suit was intentional or the result of conscious indifference, or whether it was due to an accident or mistake or was otherwise reasonably explained. Tex.R.Civ.P. 165a(3).
This case was initially called to trial in the 133rd District Court before Judge Casseb on August 11, 1993. Judge Casseb later continued the trial until October 4, 1993. Judge Casseb advised counsel for both parties that a motion for continuance was required if a problem arose.
Appellants contend that on October 4, 1993, their counsel was involved in a criminal trial in the 263rd District Court before Judge Guerrero. The criminal trial actually began on October 1,1993. The trial coordinator for for Judge Casseb, Ms. DeJean, called to remind appellants’ counsel of the trial setting on October 4, 1993 and counsel then advised her of his criminal trial conflict. Appellants’ counsel subsequently sent a letter to Judge Casseb regarding the “preferential” criminal trial setting. The court coordinator in Judge Guerrero’s court advised Ms. DeJean that the criminal case was on the trial docket, but was not preferentially set. When Ms. DeJe-an again called appellants’ counsel and told him that he was expected to appear for trial in the 133rd District Court, counsel’s alleged response was, “I’m going to that trial [the criminal trial] and that’s that.” Appellants’ counsel never filed a motion for continuance in the 133rd District Court.
Appellants cite Dancy v. Daggett, 809 S.W.2d 629 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1991) (orig. proceeding) as support for their argument that a scheduling conflict is a reasonable explanation for failure to appear for trial. In that case, however, the party with the scheduling conflict had filed a motion for continuance. Id. at 549.
A number of cases involve dismissals for failure to appear. The appellate courts reverse these cases where there is a reasonable explanation for the failure to appear or where the failure is the result of an accident or mistake. When compared to the facts of the instant ease, the case law finding reasonable explanations for the failure to appear is easily distinguishable. See Torres v. Rios, 869 S.W.2d 555 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1993, no writ) (reversed dismissal where attorney failed to appear because he received two pages in same envelope and mistakenly assumed both related to a different case when second page actually was a notice of dismissal in instant case); Clark v. Pruett, 820 S.W.2d 903 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1991, no writ) (reversed dismissal where notice of dismissal hearing apparently sent to former attorney); Quita, Inc. v. Haney, 810 S.W.2d 469 (Tex.App.—Eastland 1991, no writ) (reversed dismissal where appellant’s counsel failed to appear at trial and was in trial elsewhere because of confusion or mistake regarding date case would actually go to trial); Mandujano v. Oliva, 755 *205S.W.2d 512 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1988, writ denied) (reversed dismissal where attorney mistakenly showed up for hearing in wrong court).
Where the courts find no reasonable explanation for the failure to appear, the dismissal is upheld. See Armentrout v. Murdock, 779 S.W.2d 119 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1989, no writ) (affirmed dismissal for failure to appear because no reasonable explanation appeared in the record); Coleman v. Hughes Blanton, Inc., 599 S.W.2d 643 (Tex.Civ.App.—Texarkana 1980, no writ) (affirmed dismissal for failure to amend petition where attorney claimed he had other scheduling conflicts, including two trials and seven hearings, holding this was not a reasonable explanation because attorney was aware of order to amend and did not request extension of time).
The record shows that appellant’s counsel knew he had a scheduling conflict and did not notify the court until the court coordinator telephoned him. He did not file a motion for continuance, the available procedure to avoid a conflict. See Melton v. Ryander, 727 S.W.2d 299, 302 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1987, writ ref'd n.r.e.). Rather than filing a motion for continuance, appellants simply did nothing. When Judge Casseb’s coordinator contacted counsel, he advised her that appellants would attend the criminal trial and not the civil trial. Although a scheduling conflict would ordinarily suffice as an explanation for the failure to appear, counsel’s behavior in this case exemplifies conscious indifference. Given the facts of this case, I would hold that counsel’s explanation is unreasonable. Therefore, I would find no abuse of discretion by the trial court in dismissing this case for appellant’s failure to appear.
Appellants do not specifically challenge the trial court’s dismissal of the case with prejudice. Nevertheless, an adjudication of the merits of a case being dismissed for want of prosecution is fundamental error. Alvarado v. Magic Valley Elec. Co-op, 784 S.W.2d 729, 733 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1990, writ denied). Case law consistently holds that it is error to dismiss a case for want of prosecution “with prejudice” because such a dismissal is not an adjudication of the parties’ rights, but puts parties in the position they were in before the suit was filed. See Texas Society, D.A.R. v. Estate of Hubbard, 768 S.W.2d 858, 862-63 (Tex.App.—Texarkana 1989); Melton, 727 S.W.2d at 303; Maldonado v. Puente, 694 S.W.2d 86, 92 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1985, no writ). See also Crofts v. Court of Civil Appeals, 362 S.W.2d 101, 104 (Tex.1962). Therefore, I would hold that the trial court erred in dismissing this case with prejudice.
Given counsel’s conscious indifference regarding his trial setting in Judge Casseb’s court, I would find no abuse of discretion in the dismissal for failure to appear. Although I would affirm the dismissal, I would modify the judgment to order the cause of action dismissed without prejudice.