Anchor Mortgage Services, Inc. v. Poole

738 S.W.2d 68, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 8673
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 24, 1987
Docket2-86-096-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 738 S.W.2d 68 (Anchor Mortgage Services, Inc. v. Poole) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Anchor Mortgage Services, Inc. v. Poole, 738 S.W.2d 68, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 8673 (Tex. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinions

OPINION

HILL, Justice.

Anchor Mortgage Services, Inc., a mortgagee, appeals from a judgment awarding damages to Denise and Kenneth Poole, its mortgagors, following a trial by jury. The Pooles alleged that Anchor kept the fire insurance proceeds following a fire at their home, that Anchor converted the funds to its own use, and that it breached a fiduciary duty as between itself and the Pooles. Anchor presents eleven points of error.

We reverse and render judgment that the Pooles take nothing by their suit, because we find that there is no evidence of any conversion or actual damages.

[69]*69In point of error number one, Anchor urges that the trial court erred in rendering judgment for the Pooles because there was no evidence that Anchor wrongfully converted the check in question.

In determining a “no evidence” point, we are to consider only the evidence and inferences which tend to support the finding of the jury and disregard all evidence and inferences to the contrary. See Larson v. Cook Consultants, Inc., 690 S.W.2d 567, 568 (Tex.1985); International Armament Corp. v. King, 686 S.W.2d 595, 597 (Tex.1985); In re King’s Estate, 150 Tex. 662, 244 S.W.2d 660, 661-62 (1951). If there is any evidence of probative force to support the finding of the jury, the point must be overruled and the finding upheld. In re King’s Estate, 244 S.W.2d at 661-62.

A “no evidence” point of error must and may only be sustained when the record discloses one of the following: (1) a complete absence of evidence of a vital fact; (2) the court is barred by rules of law or evidence from giving weight to the only evidence offered to prove a vital fact; (3) the evidence offered to prove a vital fact is no more than a mere scintilla of evidence; or (4) the evidence establishes conclusively the opposite of a vital fact. Commonwealth Lloyd’s Ins. Co. v. Thomas, 678 S.W.2d 278, 288 (Tex.App. —Fort Worth 1984, writ ref'd n.r.e.); Calvert, “No Evidence” and “Insufficient Evidence” Points of Error, 38 TEXAS L.REV. 361 (1960).

Conversion is the unauthorized and wrongful exercise of dominion and control over another’s personal property, to the exclusion of or inconsistent with the rights of the owner. Waisath v. Lack’s Stores, Inc., 474 S.W.2d 444, 447 (Tex.1971). It is essential that the plaintiff establish some interest in the property as of the time of the alleged conversion such as title or otherwise some right to possession. Guinn v. Lokey, 151 Tex. 260, 249 S.W.2d 185, 186 (1952).

The facts are basically undisputed. In connection with the purchase of their residence, the Pooles executed a mortgage and deed of trust in August, 1981, in favor of Suburban Coastal Corporation, a corporation later merged into Anchor. The pertinent portion of the deed of trust is as follows:

6. That they will keep the improvements now existing or hereafter erected on the said premises, insured as may be required from time to time by the holder of the note against loss by fire and other hazards, casualties, and contingencies in such amounts and for such periods as may be required by the holder of the note and will pay promptly, when due, any premiums on such insurance provision for payment of which has not been made hereinbefore. All insurance shall be carried in companies approved by the holder of the note and the policies and renewals thereof shall be held by the holder of the note and have attached thereto loss payable clauses in favor of and in form acceptable to the holder of the note. In event of loss they will give immediate notice by mail to the holder of the note, who may make proof of loss if not made promptly by the party of the first part, and each insurance company concerned is hereby authorized and directed to make payment for such loss directly to the holder of the note instead of to the party of the first part and the holder of the note jointly, and the insurance proceeds, or any part thereof, may be applied by the holder of the note at its option either to the reduction of the indebtedness hereby secured or to the restoration or repair of the property damaged. In event of foreclosure of this Deed of Trust or other transfer of title to the said premises in extinguishment of the indebtedness secured hereby, all right, title, and interest of the party of the first part, in and to any insurance policies then in force shall pass to the purchaser or grantee. [Emphasis added.]

The Pooles suffered a significant fire loss to their residence on July 21, 1983. They received an insurance check in payment of the loss in the amount of $15,-476.27. The check was made payable to the Pooles and to Suburban Coastal. Ken[70]*70neth Poole testified that a mortgage company employee named Patty told him to endorse the check, to have his wife endorse the check, and send it to the company. He said that Patty told him that they would have a draft for approximately one-third of the proceeds within seven to ten days so that they could hire someone to take care of the repairing of the home. He testified that he and his wife followed Patty’s instructions but never received any money. He related that thereafter he would call back every four to six weeks to ask about his money. He asserted that each time he would call, the person he talked to would not know anything about it, that they would promise to check on it and contact him later, but would never do so. He said no one ever told him why he was not getting the money, that all he received were late notices and foreclosure notices.

Joseph Herzer, the office manager of Anchor’s real estate division, testified that the Pooles suffered a fire loss to the mortgaged property on July 21, 1983. He acknowledged receipt by Suburban Coastal of a check for the fire insurance proceeds in the amount of $15,476.27, payable jointly to the Pooles and Suburban Coastal. He said that the check had already been endorsed by the Pooles when received by Suburban Coastal. Herzer testified that the draft was placed into a loss draft account — a non-interest bearing account into which the company deposited insurance proceeds — by Anchor, which was still operating under the name of Suburban Coastal at the time of the deposit. Mr. Herzer explained that Anchor never forwarded any of the money to the Pooles because he never received any copy of a signed contract or other confirmation that repair work had begun. He said that Anchor had selected its option of using the check for the purpose of making the repairs.

Mr. loole testified that some repairs were made, but that he had to stop the work because he could not afford to pay for it without the insurance money. He did not dispute the fact that he did not ask for the money to be paid to any contractor or the fact that he did not furnish Anchor with a copy of any contract he made to have the house repaired. He said that he could not afford to make the payments to the house when he was not able to live there.

Mr. Herzer testified that after proper notice, Anchor foreclosed on the house.

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Anchor Mortgage Services, Inc. v. Poole
738 S.W.2d 68 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1987)

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738 S.W.2d 68, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 8673, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/anchor-mortgage-services-inc-v-poole-texapp-1987.