Barbara Greco v. Louis F. Greco, Jr.

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided August 29, 2008·No. 04-07-00748-CV·Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

No. 04-07-00748-CV

Barbara GRECO,

Appellant

v.

Louis F. GRECO, Jr.,

Appellee

From the 73rd Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas Trial Court No. 2006-CI-12832 Honorable Gloria Saldana, Judge Presiding

Opinion by: Rebecca Simmons, Justice

Sitting: Alma L. López, Chief Justice Phylis J. Speedlin, Justice Rebecca Simmons, Justice

Delivered and Filed: August 29, 2008 AFFIRMED This appeal stems from a divorce proceeding between Appellant Barbara Greco (“Barbara”) and Appellee Louis Greco, Jr. (“Louis”). Appellant Barbara Greco raises issues on appeal concerning the wrongful exclusion of evidence, the jury’s findings being against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence and jury misconduct. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The parties were married in July of 1985. Three children were born of the marriage before the parties separated in 2006. Barbara filed her petition for divorce on August 21, 2006. After entering into an agreement regarding conservatorship, possession and child support, the parties proceeded to trial before a jury regarding the issues of fault in the dissolution of the marriage, fraud on the community, and the value of personal property. The parties proceeded before the trial court on Barbara’s request for spousal maintenance.

On June 14, 2007, the jury returned its verdict finding in favor of Louis on the issues before it. The trial court denied Barbara’s subsequent request for maintenance and filed findings of fact and conclusions of law in support of its ruling.

PARTIAL RECORD

Our review of this case is affected, in part, by the lack of a complete record. An appellant must make a written request that the official reporter prepare the reporter’s record, designating the exhibits and portions of the proceedings to be included in the record. TEX. R. APP. P. 34.6(b)(1). A copy of this request must be filed with the trial court clerk. TEX. R. APP. P. 34.6(b)(2). A partial reporter’s record is available in order to minimize the expense and delay associated with the appellate process. TEX. R. APP. P. 34.6(c)(1); see Christiansen v. Prezelski, 782 S.W.2d 842, 843 (Tex. 1990). An appellant who requests a partial record must also include a statement of appellate issues to be presented and will be limited on appeal to those points or issues. See TEX. R. APP. P. 34.6(c)(1).

Rule 34.6(c)(4) affirmatively states that the partial record is presumed to be complete.

TEX. R. APP. P. 34.6(c)(4). Yet, when an appellant entirely fails to present the statement of points or issues, then the presumption that the record is complete for appellate purposes does not

apply, and the appellate court applies the presumption that the material missing from the reporter’s record is relevant and supports the trial court’s judgment. Richards v. Schion, 969 S.W.2d 131, 133 (Tex. App.―Houston [1st Dist.] 1998, no pet.) (“When an appellant appeals with a partial reporter’s record but does not provide the list of points as required by Rule 34.6(c)(1), it creates the presumption that the omitted portions support the trial court’s findings.”)

Barbara did not file a statement of appellate issues, timely or otherwise. We, therefore, presume that the testimony presented before the jury, and not included in the reporter’s record, supports the jury’s verdict and the trial court’s judgment.

EXCLUSION OF EVIDENCE

In her first two issues on appeal, Barbara argues the trial court wrongfully excluded testimony regarding pornographic material found on the home computer and the testimony of their minor child L.G. A. Standard of Review The admission or exclusion of evidence is a matter within the trial court’s discretion.

City of Brownsville v. Alvarado, 897 S.W.2d 750, 753 (Tex. 1995). The standard of review in determining whether a trial court erred in an evidentiary ruling is abuse of discretion. Horizon/CMS Healthcare Corp. v. Auld, 34 S.W.3d 887, 906 (Tex. 2000). In determining whether an abuse of discretion has occurred, we ask whether the trial court acted without reference to any guiding rules or principles, that being whether the court’s action was arbitrary or unreasonable. Downer v. Aqua Marine Operators, Inc., 701 S.W.2d 238, 241-42 (Tex. 1985). In making this determination, we conduct a review of the entire record. McCraw v. Maris, 828 S.W.2d 756, 758 (Tex. 1992).

B. Exclusion of Pornographic Material Barbara contests the trial court’s exclusion of Exhibit #2, consisting of alleged pornography obtained from the home computer. Louis’ counsel objected to the exhibit based on Barbara’s lack of personal knowledge regarding its origin. Louis’ counsel specifically argued that not only was there no evidence linking the exhibit to his client, but that Barbara had previously testified that their sons also had access to the computer. The trial court sustained the objection and excluded the evidence. Because multiple individuals had access to the computer, the court’s determination was neither arbitrary nor unreasonable, and we cannot conclude that the trial court abused its discretion in excluding Exhibit #2.

Barbara also contends that Exhibit #2 was improperly excluded because part of it had been previously admitted, without objection, as Exhibit #1 to establish Louis’s attempt to purchase “male enhancement pills.” Barbara also contends Exhibit #2 was vital to her proof of cruelty and was impeachment evidence of Louis’ “soft spoken” act during his testimony. Yet, none of these objections were presented to the trial court. A timely and specific trial objection that provides the trial court with an opportunity to cure the error is generally a prerequisite to presenting a complaint on appeal. TEX. R. APP. P. 33.1(a). Because these objections were never presented to the trial court, they are not preserved for appellate review. Id. C. Exclusion of L.G.’s Testimony Barbara contends the trial court erred in excluding the testimony of her seventeen-year-

old son, L.G., regarding evidence that would impeach Louis on several different issues. Specifically, Barbara contends, L.G.’s testimony would have impeached Louis with regard to her affair with the high school coach, Louis’ acts of cruelty on Barbara, the source of the

pornographic material and the value of the items taken from the garage. Outside the presence of the jury, the trial court stated to Barbara’s trial counsel:

Court: I think that [L.G.] is going to take my suggestion and just not be a witness, okay?

Counsel: Okay.

Court: Well, mostly because I said he couldn’t be, okay?

Counsel: Okay.

There were no objections by either party. Over four months later, Barbara’s counsel submitted a Bill of Exception consistent with her arguments on appeal.

1. Exclusion of Testimony It is well settled that a trial court has broad discretion in considering testimony and evidence, with regard to what conditions are detrimental or advantageous to the children for the purpose of deciding issues of custody in a divorce proceeding. Niskar v. Niskar, 136 S.W.3d 749, 753 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2004, no pet.); Brown v. Brown, 500 S.W.2d 210, 213-14 (Tex. Civ. App.—Texarkana 1973, no writ). Moreover, an abuse of discretion must appear from the record as a whole before the judgment will be disturbed. Mumma v. Aguirre, 364 S.W.2d 220, 223 (Tex. 1963). This discretion, however, does not apply to a determination by the trial court of whether it would be in the best interest of the child to testify in a custody suit.

“[T]he discretion of the trial court in custody cases applies to the determination of the court as to the best place to place the child for his or her future welfare, but does not apply to a determination by the court of whether it would be in the best interest of the child to testify. Where a child of competent qualifications under the rules of evidence is called to testify, the trial court does not have within his discretion the right to refuse to permit such child to testify.”

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