Campbell v. Booth

526 S.W.2d 167, 1975 Tex. App. LEXIS 3410
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 27, 1975
Docket18592
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 526 S.W.2d 167 (Campbell v. Booth) 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
Campbell v. Booth, 526 S.W.2d 167, 1975 Tex. App. LEXIS 3410 (Tex. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinions

CLAUDE WILLIAMS, Chief Justice.

Waylon E. Campbell and Margaret J. Campbell brought this action against Don L. Booth and Janet B. Booth for damages, both actual and exemplary, alleged to have resulted from affirmative fraudulent concealment in the sale of real estate. The Booths were the owners of a house located in Dallas, Texas, and entered into a contract with the Campbells during the month of August 1973, whereby the Campbells agreed to purchase the house for a stated consideration. In their petition the Camp-bells alleged that prior to the sale, the Booths had failed to disclose to them that the carpet throughout the house had been permeated with canine urine and that the Booths had actively concealed from the Campbells the extensive deleterious effects of said urine; that said facts were material to the transaction; that the Campbells had relied and acted on the presumption that no such fact existed and that they did not become aware of the malodorous nature and condition of the carpet throughout the house until after they obtained possession. They alleged damages caused by replacement of the carpet throughout the house which caused a depreciation of the value of the premises. Trial was to a jury, and at the close of plaintiff’s evidence, defendants moved for and were granted an instructed verdict. Judgment was rendered that plaintiffs take nothing. This appeal involves the sole question of the propriéty of the action on the part of the trial court in granting the motion for directed verdict.

Our appellate review of a judgment based upon a directed verdict is governed by well-established rules of law. A directed verdict presents a “no evidence” point. Shubert v. Fidelity & Casualty Co., 467 S.W.2d 662, 663 (Tex.Civ.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1971, writ ref’d n. r. e.). We are required to accept as true the evidence in the record supporting appellants’ allegations, both of fraud and damages disregarding all evidence to the contrary. All conflicts and inconsistencies must be resolved in favor of appellants, and we must draw all inferences therefrom most favorable to appellants’ alleged cause of action. Constant v. Howe, 436 S.W.2d 115 (Tex.1968); Hart v. Van Zandt, 399 S.W.2d 791, 793 (Tex.1965); Adams v. Slattery, 156 Tex. 433, 295 S.W.2d 859, 865 (1956); Triangle Motors v. Richmond, 152 Tex. 354, 258 [169]*169S.W.2d 60 (1953); Anderson v. Moore, 448 S.W.2d 105 (Tex.1969). If the evidence presented is of such a conclusive character that reasonable minds could not differ as to its effect and only one conclusion may reasonably be drawn from it, only then does the question become one of law, thereby justifying the granting of an instructed verdict. Clevenger v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., 396 S.W.2d 174, 177 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1965, writ ref’d n. r. e.). The appellate court does not pass upon the credibility of witnesses but is obligated to accept as true all evidence which, when liberally construed in favor of the adverse party, tends to support such adverse party’s contention and disregards all contradictory evidence favorable to the movant. When so viewed, if the evidence amounts to more than a mere suspicion or speculation that the fact propositions asserted by the opponent to the motion might be true or false, an issue of fact is raised and should be submitted to the jury. Humphreys v. Haragan, 476 S.W.2d 880, 882 (Tex.Civ.App.—Amarillo 1972, no writ); 3 McDonald, Texas Civil Practice § 11.28.2, at 235-36 (1970).

In determining issues of fraud courts allow a wide latitude, and the evidence thereon may embrace all the facts and circumstances which go to make up the transaction, disclose its true character, explain the acts of the parties, or throw light on their objects and intentions. The presence or absence of a certain state of mind may be proved by circumstances. Fraud is deducible from artifice and concealment as well as from affirmative conduct of a character to deceive. Blanton v. Sherman Compress Co., 256 S.W.2d 884 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1953, no writ); Ten-Cate v. First National Bank, 52 S.W.2d 323, 326 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth 1932, no writ).

We have examined the record in the light of these rules. Mr. and Mrs. Booth, the owners of the property in question, placed the property in the hands of a real estate broker to negotiate a sale. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, on one or more occasions, inspected the house. During these inspection tours, made in company with the real estate agent, the Campbells did not observe anything out of the ordinary nor did they smell any offensive odors. The Campbells made an offer to purchase the house, and a contract for such sale was signed on August 31, 1973. A few days after the signing of the contract, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell and Mr. Campbell’s mother again toured the house and did not detect any offensive odors. The sale was consummated about September 25, 1973, and the Booths vacated the premises about October 1, 1973. At the time the Booths left the house, it was locked, and there is no evidence that anyone entered the premises until about one week later on October 7, 1973, when the Camp-bells returned to take possession. On that date, when the Campbells opened the house, they immediately detected the offensive odor for the first time. This odor was determined to have been caused by canine urine which permeated most of the carpets in the house. During the next two or three weeks, the Campbells employed a rug cleaning company, using the system known as “steamatic,” to attempt to clean and treat the carpets. During that same time they also had an experienced employee of the American Rug and Carpet Company and a Mr. Carr, the owner of a carpet supply and cleaning company, to inspect the premises generally. Thereafter, the carpets were taken up and removed. Samples of the damaged carpet were made and introduced into evidence. After replacing the damaged carpet with new carpet, the Campbells moved into the house. Mr. Campbell testified that he would not have entered into the contract for the purchase of the house had he been aware of the condition of the rugs which was discovered following the sale.

Mr. Campbell said that neither he nor his wife had any reason to suspect that there was anything wrong with the carpet prior to the closing of the contract of sale. When he and his wife entered the house, about two weeks later, they were confronted with [170]*170the smell which they described as “horrible.” He said: “It just smelled horrible. It wasn’t just a little smell like the house had been closed up a week and without substantial ventilation, it just smelled horrible.” At the time the Campbells inspected the house, prior to the purchase of same, they knew that the Booths had several dogs, two Dobermans, and a smaller dog as well as several cats. At that time they did not know that the dogs were allowed in the house but did see the cats in a closet. Mr.

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Campbell v. Booth
526 S.W.2d 167 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1975)

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Bluebook (online)
526 S.W.2d 167, 1975 Tex. App. LEXIS 3410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/campbell-v-booth-texapp-1975.