Browder v. Eicher

841 S.W.2d 500, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 2842, 1992 WL 322670
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 5, 1992
DocketC14-91-00522-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 841 S.W.2d 500 (Browder v. Eicher) 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
Browder v. Eicher, 841 S.W.2d 500, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 2842, 1992 WL 322670 (Tex. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

JUNELL, Justice.

Charles D. Browder, Jr. appeals from an adverse judgment in his suit against appel-lees for breach of contract, fraud, and unjust enrichment. Appellant brings 40 points of error challenging the trial court’s implied findings that there was no breach of contract and no fraud, and the trial court’s express findings of no intent to commit fraud and that appellees explained certain unsubstantiated charges. We reverse.

Appellant and several other individuals, not parties to this appeal, were the non-operating working interest owners, pursuant to a Joint Operating Agreement, in an oil and gas lease, called the E.C. Hankamer lease. Appellee, Universal Petroleum Corporation, was the operator of this lease. Appellee, H.V. Eicher, owns Universal and is its President and sole employee. The Hankamer lease had two wells on it. One well was a producing well and the other was a saltwater injection well.

In February 1987, Eicher wrote the non-operating working interest owners, including appellant, a letter regarding the Han-kamer lease. In this letter, Eicher stated that oil production had declined from 23 to 16 barrels per day. To produce more fluid, Eicher suggested converting from the rod pump to a gas lift system. Eicher stated that he had reached a tentative agreement with Sue-Ann Oil Company, which had a nearby lease, to obtain gas for the Han-kamer gas lift system in exchange for the disposal of approximately 700 barrels of water a day from the Sue-Ann lease. Eicher estimated the cost of conversion to be approximately $18,000.00, but that increased production should pay for the conversion in approximately 90 days.

At the time of this letter, Eicher had an agreement with one, but not all, of the owners of Sue-Ann Oil Company to purchase its lease. Eicher later obtained full approval and paid Sue-Ann $9,000.00 for their lease and equipment. Sue-Ann reserved a 10% overriding interest. Thus, Universal now owned this lease, subject to Sue-Ann’s interest. Eicher admitted that he never told the working interest owners of this purchase. The Sue-Ann/Universal well began pumping 500-600 barrels of salt water per day into the Hankamer salt water disposal well. The working interest owners were paid for the gas used to dispose of this water and for the gas used to run the compressor, but they were not paid for the disposal of this water.

Appellee, Browder, and three other parties to the Operating Agreement filed suit against Eicher and Universal alleging breach of contract, fraud and deceit, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, breach of fiduciary duty, quantum meruit and unjust enrichment, and violations of the DTP A. Appellant also sought a permanent injunction to stop Universal from acting as the operator of the Hankamer lease and to order Universal to turn over all records to the newly designated operator. Following a bench trial, the court entered judgment in favor of Eicher and Universal. In its Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, the trial court made the following findings: (1) that Eicher and Universal were not in a fiduciary relationship with appellant, (2) that Eicher and Universal did *502 not intend to deceive appellant in sending the February 17, 1987 letter, (3) that appellant was not a consumer under the DTP A; (4) that appellant was not entitled to injunc-tive relief; (5) that the conversion to a gas lift system increased production in the Hankamer well; (6) that plaintiffs were entitled to certain credits in accordance with audit findings; (7) that Eicher and Universal sufficiently explained expenditures of $31,543.26 identified in the April 9, 1989 audit; and (8) that plaintiffs failed to carry their burden of proving damages resulting from the conduct of Eicher and Universal.

In points of error one through eighteen, appellant challenges the legal sufficiency of the trial court’s finding that appellant did not prove damages and challenges the legal and factual sufficiency of the trial court’s implied finding that Eicher and Universal did not commit fraud. In points of error 19 through 21, appellant challenges the trial court’s finding that appellees did not intend to deceive appellant.

Before analyzing these points, we note that two of these points inappropriately seek a review of the factual sufficiency of conclusions of law. In point of error eleven, appellant claims that the trial court’s implied finding of no intent is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. In point of error twenty, appellant contends that the trial court’s express finding of no intent is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. While one may attack the legal sufficiency of a conclusion of law, one may not challenge the factual sufficiency of the conclusion because conclusions of law must be attacked as erroneous as a matter of law. See Mercer v. Bludworth, 715 S.W.2d 693, 697 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1986, writ ref’d n.r.e.). Although the finding of no intent to deceive appellant is not designated as either a finding of fact or a conclusion of law, it is a conclusion of law. Cf. Houston v. Harris County Outdoor Advertising Ass’n, 732 S.W.2d 42, 47 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1987, no writ). Because we may not review the factual sufficiency of a conclusion of law, we overrule points eleven and twenty, and we turn to appellant’s other points.

Where a party attacks the legal sufficiency of an adverse finding on an issue on which he had the burden of proof, “he must demonstrate on appeal that the evidence conclusively established all vital facts in support of the issue.” Sterner v. Marathon Oil Co., 767 S.W.2d 686; 690 (Tex.1989). We must first examine the record for evidence supporting the finding while ignoring all evidence to the contrary. Id. at 690. If no evidence supports the finding, we must then examine the entire record to determine if the contrary proposition is established as a matter of law. Id.

Appellant also attacks the factual sufficiency of the evidence. Where a party challenges an issue upon which he had the burden of proof, he must demonstrate on appeal that the adverse finding is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. Raw Hide Oil & Gas, Inc. v. Maxus Exploration Co., 766 S.W.2d 264, 275-76 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1988, writ denied). In reviewing such a challenge, the appellate court must examine the record to determine if there is some evidence to support the finding, that the finding is so contrary to the overwhelming weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be clearly wrong and manifestly unjust, or that the great preponderance of the evidence supports its nonexistence. Cain v. Bain, 709 S.W.2d 175, 176 (Tex.1986). Whether this challenge is to a finding or a non-finding, an appellate court may reverse and remand a case for a new trial when it concludes the finding or non-finding is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. See Cropper v. Caterpillar Tractor Co.,

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Bluebook (online)
841 S.W.2d 500, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 2842, 1992 WL 322670, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/browder-v-eicher-texapp-1992.