E-Learning LLC v. AT & T Corp.

517 S.W.3d 849, 2017 WL 781032, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 1726
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 1, 2017
DocketNo. 04-16-00291-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 517 S.W.3d 849 (E-Learning LLC v. AT & T Corp.) 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
E-Learning LLC v. AT & T Corp., 517 S.W.3d 849, 2017 WL 781032, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 1726 (Tex. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

OPINION

Opinion by: Karen Angelini, Justice

E-Learning LLC, Grant Business Development Group Inc., and Roger Grant and Judith Grant d/b/a Business Development Group (collectively, “BDG”) appeal from a take-nothing judgment on their claims against AT & T Corporation and AT & T Services, Inc. (collectively “AT & T”) for breach of contract, quantum meru-it, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and fraud by nondisclosure. On appeal, BDG challenges the trial court’s evidentiary and summary judgment rulings. We affirm.

Factual and Procedural Background

BDG, a business principally owned and operated by Roger Grant and his wife, Judith Grant, is involved in software design, computer programming, data processing, and systems management. BDG contends it provided services to AT & T in 2013. BDG demanded payment for these services, but AT & T refused payment, claiming that it had never contracted with BDG for the services in question. In response, BDG filed the underlying suit for damages.

In its petition, BDG alleged that its business relationship with AT & T began in 2004. For the next five years, the parties’ business relationship was governed by a master agreement, which established a vendor relationship that required approved statements of work and invoicing. Beginning in 2010, the parties changed the way they transacted business and BDG developed a course of dealing with AT & T. From 2010 to 2012, BDG provided goods and services to AT & T on three projects. On these projects, which BDG refers to as the Bishop projects, BDG dealt exclusively with Analisa Bishop, an AT & T employee and project manager. Each time, Bishop contacted Grant to solicit proposals from BDG without a formal agreement or work order. Bishop informed BDG of any modifications required on these projects and made decisions on behalf of AT & T. Two of these projects required AT & T to work through a third-party vendor.

BDG’s petition further alleged that in April 2013 Bishop met with Grant to discuss a new project, the Interactive Applications Simulations (“IAS”) project. The project called for the creation of computer applications that AT & T co.uld use in training its employees. In May and early June of 2013, Grant, Bishop, and several other AT & T employees met to discuss the IAS project. Bishop asked Grant to [854]*854develop a proposal for the IAS project. On June 10, 2013, BDG submitted to Bishop a ■written proposal for the IAS project. After receiving additional feedback from Bishop, BDG amended its -written proposal and submitted the amended proposal to Bishop. BDG then began to work on the project. In July and August 2013, Bishop and Grant continued to exchange emails concerning the IAS proposal.

Finally, according to BDG’s petition, on September 17, 2013, Bishop sent Grant an email advising him that funding for the IAS project was not available from one of AT & T’s departments. On October 9, 2013, Grant presented an invoice to AT & T for one-half the amount shown on the proposal BDG had submitted to AT & T. On October 30, 2013, Bishop and another AT & T employee called Grant to inform him that AT & T had elected to do something else internally and that AT & T would not pay the invoice because AT & T had never signed a proposal. On November 13, 2013, Grant received an email from another AT & T employee advising him that AT & T did not agree to pay for BDG’s work and no contract existed. On January 29, 2014, BDG made a formal demand for payment. Again, AT & T refused payment. Based on these factual allegations, BDG asserted claims for breach of contract, quantum meruit, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and fraud by nondisclosure.

AT & T answered BDG’s suit. After conducting discovery, AT & T filed a motion for traditional and no-evidence summary judgment on all of BDG’s claims. AT & T attached evidence to its summary judgment motion. BDG responded to the summary judgment motion and submitted evidence in support of its response. AT & T objected to BDG’s summary judgment evidence. The trial court sustained some of AT & T’s objections and excluded some of BDG’s summary judgment evidence. The trial court granted AT & T’s summary judgment motion and rendered judgment that BDG take nothing on its claims. BDG filed two motions for new trial, which the trial court denied. BDG then filed this appeal.

Evidentiary Rulings

After sustaining AT & T’s objections, the trial court excluded (1) Grant’s affidavit; (2) a document entitled “Training Material and Service Agreement;” and (3) BDG’s answers to interrogatories. On appeal, BDG contends the trial court abused its discretion in sustaining AT & T’s objections to BDG’s summary judgment evidence.

We review a trial court’s ruling on objections to summary judgment evidence for an abuse of discretion. Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. v. Malone, 972 S.W.2d 35, 43 (Tex. 1998); Doncaster v. Hernaiz, 161 S.W.3d 594, 601 (Tex. App.San Antonio 2005, no pet.). A trial court abuses its discretion if its ruling is arbitrary or unreasonable or without reference to any guiding rules and principles. Cire v. Cummings, 134 S.W.3d 835, 838-39 (Tex. 2004).

Grant’s Affidavit

AT & T objected to Grant’s affidavit, claiming it was a sham affidavit made to avoid summary judgment. BDG first argues that AT & T’s objection to Grant’s affidavit was deficient because it neglected to point to any statement in the affidavit directly contradicting Grant’s deposition testimony. BDG fails to cite any authority to support this argument. In the absence of citations to legal authority, BDG’s argument is inadequately briefed and presents nothing for our review. See Tex. Rule App. P. 38.1(i) (providing that an appellant’s brief “must contain a clear and concise [855]*855argument for the contentions made, with appropriate citation to authorities and to the record.”); In re Estate of Valdez, 406 S.W.3d 228, 235 (Tex. App.-San Antonio 2013, pet. denied) (concluding issue was inadequately briefed under Rule 38.1(i) and therefore waived).

BDG next argues that Grant’s affidavit could not be categorized as a sham affidavit because it is consistent with his deposition testimony. BDG contends that Grant’s affidavit “does not contradict his deposition testimony or assert that AT & T provided formal approval of the IAS [proposal;” rather, Grant’s affidavit “explains that AT & T’s practice under the Bishop [projects did not require formal written approval of a BDG [proposal.” BDG further contends that “no substantive differences can be found and no direct contradictions or even significant variations of degree exist.”

When a summary judgment affidavit is executed after a witness’s deposition and there is a clear contradiction on a material point without an explanation for the change, the affidavit merely creates a sham fact issue. First State Bank of Mesquite v. Bellinger & Dewolf, LLP, 342 S.W.3d 142, 147-48 (Tex.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
517 S.W.3d 849, 2017 WL 781032, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 1726, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/e-learning-llc-v-at-t-corp-texapp-2017.