Blair v. Farmer

77 S.W.2d 703
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 8, 1934
DocketNo. 3086
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 77 S.W.2d 703 (Blair v. Farmer) 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
Blair v. Farmer, 77 S.W.2d 703 (Tex. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

WALTHALL, Justice.

This is a suit by the appellants, Blair and wife, residents of El Paso county, against ap-pellee, Farmer, to recover damages alleged to have been sustained arising out of a collision between an automobile driven by Mrs. Blair and one driven by Parmer. The case was tried at the January term, 1934, of the Sixty-Fifth district court, which term commenced on the first Monday in January and might, by law, continue until March 3, 1934; the same being the last Saturday before the next succeeding term of said court. Acts 41st Leg. c. 92, p. 211 (Vernon’s Ann. Civ. St. art. 199, ■subds. 34, 41, 65).

Upon special issue submission the jury found the defendant guilty of negligence in various particulars proximately causing the collision; that the plaintiff’s car was damaged $50 and $500 damages for Mrs. Blair’s injuries and medical expenses. It was also found that Mrs. Blair failed to keep a proper lookout', was negligent in so doing, and such negligence was a’proximate cause of the collision. Upon these findings the court, on February 15, 1934, rendered judgment that the plaintiffs take nothing and defendant take nothing by his cross-action.

The original motion for a new trial filed by the plaintiffs does not appear in the record, but their first amended motion was filed on March 3, 1934, and recites that it was filed in amendment of the original motion filed February 19, 1934.

In the first amended motion the plaintiffs alleged various errors including misconduct of the jury. The record contains an undated judgment in the cause, which reads as follows:

“Whereas, heretofore, to-wit, on the 15th day of February, A. D. 1934, the Court entered judgment in the above styled and numbered cause for the defendant, Percy Farmer; and

“Whereas, upon reconsideration of the matter and re-examination of the findings of the jury, in answer to special issues, the court is of the opinion that said judgment should be set aside, and it is hereby set aside, and judgment on said findings and verdict should be rendered for plaintiffs in the sum of $550.-00.

“It is, therefore, the order, judgment and decree of the Court that the plaintiffs, Ralph Blair and his wife, Erin A. Blair, do have and recover of the defendant, Percy Farmer, the sum of $550.00, with interest thereon from this date at the rate of 6% per annum, together with costs of suit, for which execution may issue. Execution may issue in favor of the officers of the court against each party for the costs by each party, respectively, incurred. To which judgment, the defendant does not except, and so stated in open court; but that the plaintiffs then and there in open court excepted to said judgment, and plaintiffs are given two days from and after this date, to file a new and amended motion for a new trial.”

While this judgment is undated, the recitals in the order next quoted and in the appeal bond show it must have been rendered on or before March 3d.

The plaintiffs’ first amended motion for new trial was overruled by order, which reads:

“On this 3rd day of March, 1934, at a regular term of this Court, came on to be heard in the above entitled and numbered cause, Plaintiffs’ First Amended Motion for New Trial, the same having been duly filed herein with leave of the court amending Plaintiffs’ Original Motion for New Trial, which was filed herein in due time and order within two days after the rendition and filing of the verdict and judgment herein, and after the jury demanded herein had been finally discharged ; and said motion for a new trial and to set aside the verdict of the jury and judgment of the court having been duly heard and considered thereafter by the court, together with the evidence in support of the same, and the court having thereafter set aside the verdict of the jury and the judgment of the court heretofore rendered and having rendered a new judgment herein for the plaintiffs, Ralph Blair and Erin A. Blair, that they do have and recover of and from the defendant, Percy Farmer, the sum of Five Hundred Fifty Dollar’s ($550.00), it is the opinion of the court that said motion should, therefore, be overruled:

“It is accordingly ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court that plaintiffs’ said motion for new trial herein be and the same is hereby overruled, to which said judgment and ruling of the court plaintiffs then and there in open court duly excepted and. in open court gave due notice of appeal to the Court of Civil Appeals of the 8th Supreme Judicial District of the State of Texas at El Paso.”

[705]*705The record contains this extension order: “Ralph Blair et ux. v. Percy Farmer. No.

40081.

“March 3rd, 1934.

“On this day, it is the order of the Court that because we are in .the midst of a trial of the aboye numbered and entitled cause, and it appearing to the court that the cause cannot be completed within the time otherwise fixed for adjournment, and the Court deeming it expedient to extend this term of Court, as hereafter set out, until the conclusion of said pending trial, it is therefore ordered that this the January Term, A. D. 1934, of said Court be, and is hereby extended until the conclusion of such pending trial, to-wit, until the 15th day of March, A. D. 1934, to permit this Court to ■ act upon the Plaintiff’s motion for new trial, or such amendment thereof as the said Plaintiff may file, and take such further action in the case as may be necessary.”

On March 10, 1934, the plaintiffs filed their second amended motion for a new trial. This latter motion was overruled on March 15, 1934, to which the plaintiffs excepted and gave notice of appeal.

Appeal bond was filed April 3, 1934, the bond reciting that the appeal was from the judgment in favor of the plaintiffs for $550, entered on March 3,1934.

From what has been stated it is apparent the term of the court at which the case was tried expired by operation of law on March 3, and the appeal bond was not filed within the time required by law unless there was a valid order extending such term to March 15, 1934. Wichita Falls Traction Co. v. Cook, 122 Tex. 447, 60 S.W.(2d) 764, 766, was a case tried at a term of court commencing on the first Monday in September, 1931, and which, by law, would terminate on December 5, 1931. In that case Mrs. Tedford had recovered a judgment against said company for $13,000 based on special issue findings. A motion for new trial was filed by the company, and on December 5 the court entered an order setting aside the former judgment in favor of Mrs. Tedford and entered a judgment that she take nothing. On the same date the court made and entered this order:

“This the 5th day of December A. D. 1931.

“It appearing to the Court that it is impracticable to conclude the trial of this cause at the present term, the present term is hereby extended for the purpose of concluding this case until and including the 1st day of February, A. D. 1932.”

No motion of any character was thereafter filed by Mrs. Tedford on December 5th, but on January 26, 1932, she filed a motion for judgment and new trial. Further extension orders were made by the court extending the term to June 1, 1932, when the term closed under such extension orders. In considering the validity of the original extension order of December 5, and referring to article 1923, R. S., which was quoted, the court said:

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Matlock v. Williams
281 S.W.2d 229 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1955)
Curl v. Jeppesen
253 S.W.2d 73 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1952)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
77 S.W.2d 703, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/blair-v-farmer-texapp-1934.