Bankler v. Vale

75 S.W.3d 29, 2001 WL 1474213
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 27, 2002
Docket04-01-00248-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 75 S.W.3d 29 (Bankler v. Vale) 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
Bankler v. Vale, 75 S.W.3d 29, 2001 WL 1474213 (Tex. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

KAREN ANGELINI, Justice.

Scott Bankler, Phil Ewert, Ruth Lerner, Kay Hayes, Rose Glennon, and Gehard J. Rockicki, the Board of Directors for the Chateau Dijon Townhomes (“the Board”), appeal the trial court’s order enjoining them from imposing special assessments to fund improvements to the Townhomes. In five issues, the Board asserts the trial court abused its discretion in granting the order. We affirm.

Factual & Procedural History

Albert and Kathleen Weir Vale own a condominium unit in the Chateau Dijon Townhomes. After the Board passed a special assessment to build a reserve account and to fund “emergency” improvements to the Townhomes, the Yales brought suit against the Board, seeking a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief. In their petition, the Vales alleged the Board “breached the provisions of the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and restrictions” of the Association. Specifically, the Vales claimed the Board acted ultra vires of its duties by imposing the special assessment, harming the property’s value and their ability to sell the property in the future. Two Declarations were introduced at the hearing on the motion, the original Declaration and an amended Declaration. The trial court found that neither Declaration had been complied with and issued a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction, suspending the special assessments pending trial on the merits. The Board appeals to this court.

*32 STANDARD OF REVIEW

The trial court enjoys broad discretion in granting or denying temporary injunctions. Davis v. Huey, 571 S.W.2d 859, 861-62 (Tex.1978) In exercising its discretion, the only issue before the trial court is whether the status quo should be preserved pending trial on the merits. Camp v. Shannon, 162 Tex. 515, 348 S.W.2d 517, 519 (1961); Ramsey v. Lewis, 874 S.W.2d 320, 322 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1994, no writ). On appeal, this court may only review whether the trial court clearly abused its discretion in resolving that issue by granting or denying the temporary injunction. City of San Antonio v. Rankin, 905 S.W.2d 427, 430 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1995, no writ); Ramsey, 874 S.W.2d at 323. The trial court abuses its discretion when it misapplies the law to the “established facts or when the evidence does not reasonably support the conclusion that the applicant has a probable right of recovery.” State v. Southwestern Bell Tel. Co., 526 S.W.2d 526, 528 (Tex.1975); Rankin, 905 S.W.2d at 430. All legitimate inferences from the evidence are drawn in favor of the trial court’s judgment, and the trial court does not abuse its discretion where the evidence “tends to sustain the cause of action as alleged.” Munson v. Milton, 948 S.W.2d 813, 815 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1997, writ denied).

Discussion

The Board appeals the issuance of the temporary injunction in five issues. It alleges: 1) the order is void ab initio because the Vales failed to request a bond in their pleadings and have failed to post a bond; 2) the temporary injunction does not meet the requirements of Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 683; 3) the trial court abused its discretion in granting the injunction because the Board reasonably acted within its authority; 4) the trial court abused its discretion in granting the injunction because the Vales had an adequate remedy at law and proved no irreparable injury; and 5) the order is void and against public policy.

Is the Order Void Ab Initio?

In its first issue, the Board alleges the order granting the injunction is void because the Vales did not request a bond in their pleadings and because they failed to post a bond at the time of this appeal. A temporary injunction order that fails to require an applicant to post a bond is void. Qwest Communications Corp. v. AT & T Corp., 24 S.W.3d 334, 337 (Tex.2000); Lancaster v. Lancaster, 155 Tex. 528, 291 S.W.2d 303, 308 (1956); see Tex.R. Civ. P. 684. Further, the applicant must execute the bond to the adverse party and file it with thé clerk before the trial court issues the temporary injunction. Lancaster, 291 S.W.2d at 308; Chambers v. Rosenberg, 916 S.W.2d 633, 634 (Tex.App.—Austin 1996, writ denied).

Although the Board argues the order is void because the Vales failed to plead a bond requirement, courts have held that to be entitled to injunctive relief, an applicant bears the burden of pleading and proving only three elements: 1) a wrongful act; 2) probable right of relief; and 3) probable injury. See Swate v. Medina Cmty. Hosp., 966 S.W.2d 693, 700 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1998, pet. denied). No court has extended the applicant's burden to include pleading a bond. Such a holding runs afoul of the purpose behind a bond in the injunction context — to protect the defendant — and would be, simply, illogical. 1

*33 Further, the Board’s reliance on Boren v. Bank of the West, 535 S.W.2d 776, 778 (Tex.Civ.App.—Amarillo 1976, no writ) is misplaced. In Boren, the court of appeals held the trial court exceeded its authority by, sua sponte, ordering the defendant to post a bond as an alternative to satisfying the temporary injunction requested by the plaintiffs. Id. at 777. Boren, involving a bond posted to benefit the plaintiff, is inap-posite to the Vales’ case, which involves a bond posted to benefit the defendant.

Although the Board also argues the injunction is void because the Vales failed to pay the bond as required in the order, the record reflects the Vales posted their bond before the issuance of the writ. Lancaster, 291 S.W.2d at 308 (holding plaintiff must execute bond and file it with the clerk before the writ of injunction issues); Chambers, 916 S.W.2d at 634. The Vales executed a bond in favor of the defendants on March 22, 2001, and the clerk’s record does not contain a writ of injunction. The Board’s first issue is overruled.

Does the Order Meet Rule 683’s Requirements?

In its second issue, the Board argues the injunction order is void for failure to satisfy Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 683.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
75 S.W.3d 29, 2001 WL 1474213, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bankler-v-vale-texapp-2002.