Burdette v. Culp

410 S.W.2d 843, 1967 Tex. App. LEXIS 2704
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 4, 1967
DocketNo. 5846
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 410 S.W.2d 843 (Burdette v. Culp) 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
Burdette v. Culp, 410 S.W.2d 843, 1967 Tex. App. LEXIS 2704 (Tex. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

OPINION

CLAYTON, Justice.

Appellant, plaintiff in the trial court, purchased a mobile home from C. Sam Ray Trailer Sales, Inc., in Houston, Texas, on April 13, 1962. The appellee, Allen-Parker Company, also in Houston, financed the purchase. The mobile home was insured against fire by the Standard Casualty Company of Houston and any loss under the policy was payable to Burdette as insured, and Mossier Acceptahce Company and/or assigns, as interest might appear. On or about October 12, 1964 the mobile home was damaged by fire in El Paso, Texas, and proof of loss was in the amount of $2,190.00. At the same time Burdette executed a “Release and Request for Payment of Proceeds” in the amount of $2,190.00 authorizing the insurance company to pay, at its option, said amount to Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales, operated by Cecil Hampsten and Merle Beaty, of El Paso, Texas, who had been authorized to repair the mobile home. The repairs were not satisfactory to Burdette, who, on April 16, 1965, filed suit in the 34th District Court of El Paso County, Texas, being Cause No. 114,152, against the same parties named as appellees in this suit. Citation was served in Cause No. 114,152 on Cecil Hampsten and Merle Beaty, individually and d/b/a Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales, but the named defendants failed to appear and made default. Appellant here, plaintiff in said suit, moved for a non-suit without prejudice as to all other defendants, which was granted on May 11, 1965, and judgment was entered for plaintiff, the court finding that Burdette was in nowise indebted to the defendants Hampsten and Beaty, d/b/a Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales, under the terms of the payment order signed by Burdette, and further found that the named defendants had failed to perform any repairs or other services under the “repair order” as would entitle them to any payments therefor. The court granted Burdette title and possession of the mobile [845]*845home and ordered issuance of a special writ of execution for recovery of such property by plaintiff, which property was recovered and delivered to Burdette.

On May 12, 1965, Standard Casualty Company issued its check in the amount of $690.00 payable to Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales and Allen-Parker Co. and this check was endorsed and stamped paid on May 17, 1965. On March 4, 1965 Standard had issued another check in the amount of $1,500.00 payable to Sun Dial, which check was endorsed and stamped paid on March 10, 1965. Both checks appear to have been signed by one O. S. Parker for Standard, the man who dealt with appellant regarding his claim for loss.

Appellant then, on June 28, 1965, filed suit in the 120th District Court against the same defendants named in Cause No. 114,152, having added Hampsten and Beaty, d/b/a Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales by amendment, and asking for damages under the insurance contract. After trial before the court without a jury, judgment was entered on March 28, 1966 against plaintiff (appellant) for all defendants. This appeal is taken from that part of the judgment favoring Standard Casualty Company and Cecil Hampsten and Merle Beaty, individually and d/b/a Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales, appellees, against appellant.

Appellant presents fifteen points of error directed at seven of the trial court’s fourteen Findings of Fact, at three of its four Conclusions of Law, and at the court’s refusal to grant any of the five requested additional findings. Points of Error Nos. I, II, VIII, and IX are grouped together in briefing and argument, these points being directed at the ruling in favor of Standard Casualty Company. Appellant’s position is that he was dissatisfied with the repair work done on the trailer and so notified Standard, but it made the payments nevertheless, on the basis of the appellant’s “Release and Request for Payment of Proceeds”, even though appellant had, in effect, revoked such release and request. The testimony of Parker on this point, referring to visits with, or telephone calls from appellant, is as follows:

“Q All right, sir. Now did Mr. Bur-dette tell you when he was in Houston that he was dissatisfied with the trailer?
A He said there were several things that he was displeased with, yes.
Q But he called you long distance prior to that. Didn’t he ask you to see what you could do about stopping work on the trailer?
A He went out, as I understand it, and stopped the work himself.
Q Did he say anything to you about stopping the work?
A He said that he wasn’t satisfied with the work, and I told him that I would — even though I had already agreed to pay for the thing, and it was his and Mr. Hampsten’s work, I would go ahead and see what I could do, I would call Mr. Hamp-sten and see what it was that he was dissatisfied with, I would do everything I could to try to help him out.
Q Now, that was on the first telephone call?
A Well, each telephone call, I told him I would help him at any time, I would try to do everything I could, I would call right over to El Paso and get in touch with Mr. Hamp-sten.”
* * * * * *
“A He called me one time from Houston, called in from another — from the Houston area.
Q Do you recall when that was ?
A Might have been in February, January or February, perhaps.”
⅜ ⅜ ⅝ ⅝ ⅝ ⅜
[846]*846“Q Now, at any time, have you received a letter or telephone call from Mr. Burdette,- telling you not to pay Cecil Hampsten the $2190.00?
A Never, no sir.”

In our opinion, appellant’s position as to revocation of the release and request is not borne out in the testimony, and we- would have no justification in overruling the trial court’s assessment of this testimony and the weight to be given it, since the trial court was the judge of these matters and his judgment is supported by probative evidence. These points of error are overruled.

Points of Error III, IV, VI, VII and X are grouped in appellant’s brief as pertaining to the court’s ruling of res judicata as a bar to appellant’s cause of action against appellees Hampsten and Beaty, individually and d/b/a Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales.

Keeping in mind that Burdette, appellant here, asked and was granted, as plaintiff in cause No. 114,152 in the 34th District Court, a non-suit without prejudice against all defendants named therein except for Cecil Hampsten and Merle Beaty, individually and d/b/a Sun Dial Mobile Home Sales, the default judgment in said suit must be based solely upon the pleadings and evidence pertaining to said latter-named defendants and the relief prayed for as to such defendants. Examining the former pleadings, we find that essentially the pleadings and prayer therein as to these defendants is expressed in the prayer thus: “that Plaintiff have judgment against CECIL HAMPSTEN and MERLE BEATY, Individually and dba SUN DIAL MOBILE HOME SALES, for possession of said mobile home * * *" This prayer was granted and it was ordered that “a special writ of execution * * *” issue to seize and deliver to said plaintiff such property, which was done.

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Related

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767 S.W.2d 820 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1989)

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Bluebook (online)
410 S.W.2d 843, 1967 Tex. App. LEXIS 2704, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burdette-v-culp-texapp-1967.