Airway Insurance Co. v. Hank's Flite Center, Inc.

534 S.W.2d 878, 19 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 217, 1976 Tex. LEXIS 204
CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 10, 1976
DocketB-5591
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 534 S.W.2d 878 (Airway Insurance Co. v. Hank's Flite Center, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Airway Insurance Co. v. Hank's Flite Center, Inc., 534 S.W.2d 878, 19 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 217, 1976 Tex. LEXIS 204 (Tex. 1976).

Opinions

DANIEL, Justice.

This appeal involves a procedural question as to whether “factual insufficiency” or “weight and preponderance” points of error should have been treated by the court of civil appeals as “no evidence” points under the record presented in this case.

Airway Insurance Company perfected an appeal from a judgment for $20,500 entered upon a jury verdict in favor of Hank’s Flite Center in a suit to recover on an insurance policy for damages to an insured airplane. Airway Insurance had filed a motion for judgment non obstante veredicto. It was overruled by the trial court, but Airway’s appeal did not clearly complain of this action. Instead, it stated and argued three factual “weight and preponderance” points and sought a remand rather than a rendition in its favor. The court of civil appeals held that it had no jurisdiction to consider what it termed. Airway’s “factual insufficiency” points because of its failure to file a motion for new trial. The court also concluded that Airway did not have a point of [879]*879error complaining of the trial court’s action in overruling the motion for judgment non obstante veredicto nor any argument in support of the validity of that motion. It affirmed the judgment of the trial court. 527 S.W.2d 488 (Tex.Civ.App.). We affirm.

First, as to terminology, the court of civil appeals has referred to the points of error as “factual insufficiency” points. They were stated as “weight and preponderance” points.1 Such points often have been generally classified as “insufficient evidence” points in distinguishing them from “no evidence” points. Garza v. Alviar, 395 S.W.2d 821 (Tex.1965); In re King’s Estate, 150 Tex. 662, 244 S.W.2d 660 (1951); Calvert, “No Evidence” and “Insufficient Evidence” Points of Error, 38 Texas L.Rev. 361, 366 (1960); Garwood, The Question of Insufficient Evidence on Appeal, 30 Texas L.Rev. 803, 804 (1952). There is a distinction, which is not material to this appeal, and we shall treat the court of civil appeals’ reference to “factual insufficiency” points as including “weight and preponderance” points.2

The court of civil appeals correctly held that it had no jurisdiction to consider factual insufficiency points of error in the absence of a motion for new trial. Rules 324, 374;3 Darryl v. Ford Motor Company, 440 S.W.2d 630 (Tex.1969); Wagner v. Foster, 161 Tex. 333, 341 S.W.2d 887 (1960). Its opinion, however, did not indicate consideration of the liberal briefing rules under which appellate courts allow substance to control over form in the wording of points of error if the brief otherwise directs the attention of the court to the error relied on. Rules 1, 418(b), 422. Under certain circumstances a point was treated as a “no evidence point” when expressed in terms of “not having sufficient support in the record.” Woodward v. Ortiz, 150 Tex. 75, 237 S.W.2d 286 (1951). In Gleason v. Davis, 155 Tex. 467, 289 S.W.2d 228 (1956) and Fambrough v. Wagley, 140 Tex. 577, 169 S.W.2d 478 (1943), we made it clear that it [880]*880is proper to look to the statement and argument under a point to determine whether it qualified as a “no evidence” point. The controlling consideration is not whether the point uses the proper or preferable terminology, but whether the point is based upon and related to a particular procedural step in the trial and appellate process and is properly argued as a predicate for the relief sought. Calvert, 38 Texas L.Rev. at 361-362.

We reaffirm the rules and tests announced in Fambrough, Woodward, and Gleason and shall apply them in considering this appeal. In fact, we granted this writ to consider the argument of petitioner, Airway Insurance Company, that its points in the court of civil appeals, although stated as factual insufficiency points, should have been considered as “no evidence” points directed at the alleged error of the trial court in overruling Airway’s motion for judgment non obstante veredicto.

The Commanche B airplane insured by Airway Insurance Company was owned by the Teri Gay Trust and leased to the insured, Hank’s Flite Center, Inc., of Odessa, Texas. The Flite Center was operated by Hank Henry, who- had set up the Teri Gay Trust for his daughter. Shortly before the plane crash, Henry had offered to sell it to Robert Charles Denton of Roswell, New Mexico. A tentative agreement was reached and Denton signed a conditional “Buyer’s Order” supplied by Henry on November 2, 1973, which consisted of “my offer to purchase the airplane and/or other items specified below subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this order.” The order and offer called for payment in cash or terms “accepted by Seller at the time of delivery.” It was signed only by Robert Charles Denton. The spaces for the name and written acceptance of the Seller were blank. On November 7, 1973, Henry flew the plane to Roswell to complete the proposed purchase arrangements. Upon finding that Denton had failed to secure the purchase price of $23,000, Henry sought to “morally obligate” Denton by getting him to execute a promissory note in that amount payable on November 15, 1973, to the Terri Gay Trust. Henry testified that the purchase agreement was to be completed and the plane delivered to Denton only after the purchase price was paid. However, he testified that he left the plane at the Roswell Airport so that Denton could experience the “pride of ownership.” Although the ignition keys were left in a side pocket of the plane, Henry testified that he gave Denton explicit instructions not to fly the plane. Denton nevertheless did so on November 9, when the plane crashed and he was killed. The plane was totally demolished.

Airway Insurance Company refused to pay Hank’s Flite Center’s claim under the policy. Its defense in the trial court was based upon exclusions of coverage in the policy if the airplane at the time of the crash was either (1) possessed under a bailment, conditional sale, or purchase agreement, (2) wrongfully converted while so possessed, or (3) piloted by an unlicensed pilot. On the controlling issues relating to these exclusions, the jury’s answers were against Airway Insurance and favorable to the insured.

In its motion for judgment non ob-stante, Airway Insurance did not use the words “no evidence” in complaining of the answers of the jury, but it did assert that certain recited evidence was “proof as a matter of law” that the pilot was unlicensed and that he was in possession of the aircraft under a conditional sale or purchase agreement. The motion can be construed as one based upon a contention that controlling facts excluding 'coverage had been conclusively established as a matter of law. If Airway Insurance had pursued the statements and arguments under this motion in a point complaining of the alleged error of the trial court in overruling the motion, the court of civil appeals would have had juris[881]

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Airway Insurance Co. v. Hank's Flite Center, Inc.
534 S.W.2d 878 (Texas Supreme Court, 1976)

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Bluebook (online)
534 S.W.2d 878, 19 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 217, 1976 Tex. LEXIS 204, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/airway-insurance-co-v-hanks-flite-center-inc-tex-1976.