Conner v. Bean

630 S.W.2d 697, 1981 Tex. App. LEXIS 4626
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 31, 1981
Docket18052
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 630 S.W.2d 697 (Conner v. Bean) 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
Conner v. Bean, 630 S.W.2d 697, 1981 Tex. App. LEXIS 4626 (Tex. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinion

STILLEY, Justice.

This suit is for breach and anticipatory breach of a contractual alimony agreement incorporated into a final judgment of divorce between the parties. The case was submitted to the jury on special issues. The jury awarded damages for breach and anticipatory breach, and attorney’s fees.

Appellant, Jerry Conner, and appellee, Martha Bean, were married in 1964. Evidence adduced at the trial showed appellant to be an experienced attorney regarding family law matters, who drafted the property settlement agreement and judgment that became the subject matter of this suit. Appellant filed for divorce prior to February, 1975. On February 24, 1975, the parties announced that they had reached agreement on the contested issues, including appellant’s agreement to pay contractual alimony of $28,175 in fixed amounts for 121 months. Subsequently, on July 16, 1975, appellant executed a “contractual alimony agreement” incorporating the above terms. Thereafter, a “Final Judgment” granting the divorce, dividing the community estate, and incorporating the agreement, was signed by the court. Appellant commenced making the periodic payments stipulated in the judgment and continued to do so until August, 1976. Appellant ceased making payments for the reason that appel-lee had remarried.

By his first point, appellant alleges error by the trial court in refusing submission of an issue inquiring whether appellant breached the terms of the contractual alimony agreement.

Appellant’s special issue “D” inquires: “Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the refusal by Jerry David Conner to pay contractual alimony to Martha Lloyd Bean, after her marriage to Mr. Bean, was a breach of the document identified as plaintiffs exhibit No. 5 and exhibit No. 1. Answer ‘We do’ or ‘We do not.’ ”

Appellant argues that because his defensive theory of full performance was a controlling issue, raised by his pleadings and supported by the evidence, the issue of breach was an issue to be decided by the jury, pursuant to Rules 277 and 279 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.

Appellee replies that the “Contractual Alimony Agreement,” as incorporated in the “Final Judgment” of divorce, is unambiguous, as found by the trial court in the instant case. Appellee further argues that no conditions subsequent appear in the agreement effecting a termination on ap-pellee’s remarriage and that the agreement should be construed most strongly against appellant as drafter of the agreement. In addition, appellee argues that' appellant is precluded from raising contractual defenses to the agreement, such as full performance, as the agreement is incorporated into the final judgment of divorce, that to do so would constitute a collateral attack on a judgment, citing, Peddicord v. Peddicord, 522 S.W.2d 266 (Tex.Civ.App.—Beaumont 1975, writ ref’d n. r. e.).

Appellant affirmatively pled no consideration, no acceptance of his offer, and termination upon appellee’s remarriage. As to the first two defenses, they are barred as collateral attacks on the final judgment of divorce as they attack the validity of the agreement at its inception. The third defense of condition subsequent (appellee’s remarriage) is grounded on events subsequent to the execution and approval of the judgment of divorce and is *700 therefore a proper defense. Sorrels v. Sorrels, 592 S.W.2d 692 (Tex.Civ.App.—Amarillo 1979, writ ref’d n. r. e.).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no error was committed by the trial court in refusing to submit appellant’s special issue “D” because the issue as phrased required the jury to determine a question of law. The question of whether specific conduct constitutes a “breach of contract” requires a determination of the legal effect of appellant’s actions and is an issue of law for determination by the trial court. Knutson v. Ripson, 163 Tex. 312, 354 S.W.2d 575 (1962). Appellant’s first point is overruled.

In the second point of error, appellant complains of the refusal of the trial court to submit a special issue regarding the intention of appellant to terminate any alimony obligation upon the remarriage of appellee. Point three relates to the refusal to submit appellant’s definition of contractual alimony. Points four, five, and six complain of the trial court’s refusal to allow exhibits and testimony offered to illustrate appellant’s intention that the alimony agreement terminate on appellee’s remarriage.

Appellant argues that the term “alimony” has a conditional limitation inherent in it as it is used by the legal profession in Harris County, and as intended by appellant when he drafted the “Contractual Alimony Agreement” and the “Final Judgment” which incorporates the agreement. Further, appellant argues that where the language of a written contract becomes uncertain when an attempt is made to apply it to the subject matter of the contract, parol evidence is admissible in making the application, citing, Murphy v. Dilworth, 137 Tex. 32, 151 S.W.2d 1004 (1941). Also, appellant asserts that it is the duty of the court to ascertain the intention of the parties to the contract as disclosed by its provisions and surrounding circumstances.

Appellant’s requested definition of contractual alimony included an interpretation of the term to mean that payments would terminate upon remarriage to another person. Appellant cites no authority but argues that the statutes of sister states support such an interpretation, and offered testimony at trial concerning his definition.

We note that a number of states by case law have expressly taken the view that remarriage of the wife does not automatically or ipso facto terminate the former husband’s obligation to pay alimony. 48 A.L.R.2d 270, 279 (1956) Alimony-Effect of Remarriage. Further, where it may be shown that the settlement of a fixed sum is in lieu of property rights of the wife, her remarriage will not affect the wife’s rights under the settlement. Id. at 302.

In the case at bar the final judgment awards specified real and personal property to appellant, and approves the contractual alimony agreement awarding appellee, over a period of 121 months, payments totalling $28,175.00.

As in the case of Miller v. Miller, 463 S.W.2d 477 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1971, writ ref’d n. r. e.), the payments imposed in the instant case are not expressly referable to any property owned by the parties. Payments under a contractual alimony agreement approved by the court need not necessarily be referable to be a part of appellee’s settlement of property rights. The courts in Texas are vested with wide discretion in the division of property in suit for divorce and may divide the property in such a way as the court deems right, just and proper. Roye v. Roye, 404 S.W.2d 92, 96 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1966, no writ); Dobbs v. Dobbs,

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Bluebook (online)
630 S.W.2d 697, 1981 Tex. App. LEXIS 4626, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/conner-v-bean-texapp-1981.