Applewhite v. Sessions

131 S.W.2d 301, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 750
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 29, 1939
DocketNo. 3856.
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 131 S.W.2d 301 (Applewhite v. Sessions) 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
Applewhite v. Sessions, 131 S.W.2d 301, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 750 (Tex. Ct. App. 1939).

Opinion

WALTHALL, Justice.

The facts in this case are somewhat complicated, two suits involving substantially the same subject matter having been consolidated and tried together, but as we understand them, they are substantially as follows:

On November 12, 1927, L. Sessions and wife conveyed to J. M. Sessions by war *302 ranty deed a tract of land in Cherokee County, Texas, containing 48 ½ acres. This tract of land was a part of 201 acres conveyed to L. Sessions by C. H. Coleman, in which conveyance Coleman reserved to himself the mineral rights under the 48½ acres. The record consideration paid by J. M. Sessions for the land was eight vendor’s lien notes each in the sum of $128, with interest from date at seven percent per annum, and ten percent for attorney’s fee. After paying the first three notes J. M. Sessions defaulted in the other payments, and L. Sessions filed suit against him in cause No. 13137. J. M. Sessions defended that suit on the ground of breach of warranty.

In open court the attorneys representing the parties agreed to settle that case, and on such announcement the trial judge entered on his docket: “8/24/35 — Settled,” J. M. Sessions agreeing to pay $200 to L. Sessions.

After that entry was made on the docket L. Sessions sold and endorsed, without recourse, the unpaid J. M. Sessions notes to appellant, J. 0. Applewhite.

•’ Applewhite instituted this suit on the J. M. Sessions notes in the District Court of Cherokee County praying for judgment on the notes and for foreclosure of the vendor’s lien on the 48½ acres of land.

J. M. Sessions answered by plea of settlement with L. Sessions for $200, as above; he pleaded tender, but made no tender; alternatively he pleaded breach of warranty as in Cause No. 13137.

The case was tried and judgment rendered in favor of Applewhite for $200, with- foreclosure of the lien. Applewhite appealed the case. The case was transferred to the Beaumont Court of Civil Appeals, and was reversed and remanded (see Applewhite v. Sessions, 114 S.W.2d 289.) The appellate court held' that under the evidence the “settlement” was never consummated — that the record shows only an agreement to settle, and that the details' of the settlement did not progress to the point where the minds of the parties met.

As said, on the "trial the court ordered consolidated' Cause NO'. 13361, J. O. Apple-white v. J. M. Sessions, and Cause No. 13137, J. 'M. Sessions v. L. Sessions, and required all parties to replead.'

The others pleaded substantially ás Oh the former trial, J. M. Sessioris pleading a breach ’Of warranty ’ as to the mineral interest in the land, and sought to recover damages for the breach which he alleged in his cross action to be $1500. L. Sessions sought to recover on the notes with foreclosure of the vendor’s lien.

The agreement for settlement of the controversy between J. M. Sessions and L. Sessions for $200 was not denied, which might be paid at that time or in the fall, with interest. J. M. Sessions tendered the-$200 and interest, and at all times demanded the return of his notes.

The trouble we see as to the consummation of the agreement was that no one-prepared the judgment to be entered in the former suit, No. 13137, and no judgment was entered.

On the trial the jury found:

1. The controversy between J. M. Sessions and L. Sessions was settled by the. agreement at the sum of $200 to be paid by J. M. Sessions in cash, or in the fall with interest.

2. The settlement as agreed was made.

3 and 4. Submitted conditionally and not answered.

5. The market value of the mineral-interest on the 48½ acres of land on November 1’2, 1927, was $25 per acre.

6 and 7. The jury made no answer to-the inquiry whether the mineral estate in* the land had any actual or intrinsic value on November 12, 1927.

8. The cash market value of the land on November 12, 1927, subject to mineral reservations of C. H. Coleman, was $20' per acre.

9. J. M. Sessions understood that one-half of the minerals had been reserved by C. H. Coleman and wife in conveying to-L. Sessions.

10. It was the intention of the parties-that in the deed from L. Sessions.and wife to J. M. Sessions the minerals should be, conveyed.

10-A. $500 was the portion.of the consideration of $1031.20 agreed to be paid by J. M. Sessions to L. Sessions, represented' the value of the minerals to be conveyed to J. M. Sessions by L. Sessions on November 12, 1927.

11. J. M. Sessions did hot have knowl-' edge of such facts which would cause ah. ordinarily prudent person to examine the-deed records to ascertain if the minerals-had been reserved on the land in controversy by C. H. Coleihan in his deed to> *303 L. Sessions at the time L. Sessions exe•cuted the deed to J. M. Sessions.

12. L. Sessions acted as agent of J. M. Sessions in the purchase of the 48½ acres •of land from C. H. Coleman.

On the verdict of the jury the court rendered judgment “that plaintiff, J. O. Ap-plewhite do have and recover of and from the defendant the sum of $243.00, which is •$200 with interest,” then and there in the registry of the court.

The court observed in the judgment that it was made to appear that J. M. Sessions, at all times since the filing of cause No. 13361, was willing and tried to pay the .$200 and the interest and the' costs in •cause No. 13137, and that plaintiff and his .assignor refused to accept same, and that there was no necessity or justification for filing cause No. 13361. The court taxed ■the cost in cause No. 13361 against plaintiff Applewhite, and in cause No. 13137 .against J. M. Sessions.

From the judgment rendered J. O. Ap-plewhite appealed.

Opinion.

Appellant filed fifty assignments of error in this case, and based thereon, and as .germane thereto, filed and presents in his brief nineteen propositions.

The contention is made in the propositions that the uncontradicted evidence shows that if any agreement to settle the •case was ever made between L. Sessions .and J. M. Sessions, it was never carried to a conclusion, and that either had the .right at any time before the money was .paid and accepted to withdraw the offer of .settlement, and that L. Sessions withdrew any offer to settle by selling the notes to •plaintiff Applewhite.

We think the evidence on this trial is sufficient to show that a full agreement .and settlement of the amount due on the notes was reached and made by the parties •and the jury so found. We are not prepared to concede, as contended by appellant, that, under the record before us, either party had the right at any time before •the $200 was paid and accepted “to withdraw the offer of settlement.” The record, in our opinion, does not show simply an offer of settlement but an agreed settle-.ment, and the trial court and jury so understood it. We have not the evidence on the former trial before us, but we have ■carefully reviewed the evidence on the ¡trial now under consideration.

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131 S.W.2d 301, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 750, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/applewhite-v-sessions-texapp-1939.