Echols v. Echols

168 S.W.2d 282
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 7, 1943
DocketNo. 11468
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 168 S.W.2d 282 (Echols v. Echols) 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
Echols v. Echols, 168 S.W.2d 282 (Tex. Ct. App. 1943).

Opinion

MONTEITH, Chief Justice.

This action was brought by appellee, Juanita Echols, as guardian of the person and estate of Marjorie Patricia Echols, a minor, to recover from appellant, George H. Echols, the father of Marjorie Patricia Echols, sums of money alleged to be due the minor under the terms of a judgment in cause No. 258,694, in the district court of Harris County, Texas.

Appellant answered by pleas to the jurisdiction of the court, exceptions, general and special denials, a plea of limited liability, a plea of non est factum, and a plea of no consideration.

At the conclusion of the evidence by all parties, the court withdrew the case from the jury and rendered judgment in favor of appellee and against appellant in the sum of $3,708.

Louise Echols, the first wife of George H. • Echols and the mother of Marjorie Patricia Echols, died in 1931, leaving three children by this marriage, including Mar[283]*283jorie Patricia Echols. Appellant was married to Jaunita Echols in 1932 and lived with her as his wife until June, 1939, when she filed suit against him for divorce, for the custody of their two children, and an order compelling appellant to contribute to the support of the children. This suit, No. 258,694, was filed in the 113th District Court of Harris County and was styled Juanita Echols v. George H. Echols.

George H. Echols and his first wife, Louise Echols, accumulated a considerable community estate and upon the death of Louise Echols, Marjorie Patricia Echols and her brother and a sister each inherited a Ye undivided interest therein. No partition or other division had been made of said community estate at the time Juanita Echols sued appellant for divorce.

After the institution of said divorce action by Juanita Echols, Marjorie Patricia Echols, acting through next friend, filed a petition in intervention therein, wherein she sought the recovery of her ⅛ interest in the community estate of George H. Echols and Louise Echols and the recovery from appellant of the sum of $150 per month for her separate support and maintenance upon an alleged oral contract with her father to pay her the sum of $150 per month until she became 21 years of age or was married. By amended pleading she sought judgment for the sum of $4,450, the amount alleged to be due her under said contract, and for the further sum of $4,000, alleged to be the amount to become due in future under the provisions of said parol contract. Judgment was entered in said divorce suit on November 10, 1939, awarding Juanita Echols a divorce, a partition of community property, and the custody of their two minor children with provision for their support and maintenance. Judgment was rendered therein against appellant and in favor of Marjorie Patricia Echols for the sum of $25,000 in full settlement of her inherited interest from her deceased mother. The judgment also contained the following provision: “It further appearing to the court that the minor intervenor, Marjorie Patricia Echols, is not now residing with the defendant, and that provision may properly be made herein for her support and maintenance, it is further ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court that the defendant do deposit to the credit of said intervenor, Marjorie Patricia Echols, in the First National Bank of Houston, the sum of $150.00 per month, such sum to be deposited on or before the 20th day of each calendar month until she becomes twenty-one years of age or marries ; subj ect, however, to revision as to amount on or about September 1, 1940.”

This judgment was signed by the trial judge and by the attorneys representing all parties to the suit.

Appellant paid to Marjorie Patricia Echols the sum of $150 per month for a period of six months commencing on November 20, 1939, and ending with a payment made on May 20, 1940. He made no payments after that date. He contends that in no event can he be held liable for payments alleged to be due under the provisions of said judgment beyond September 1, 1940, since the judgment expressly 'provides that the amount of said payment was subject to “revision as to amount on or about September 1, 1940”, and that the amount due on that date, according to appellant’s contentions, $450, was below the jurisdiction of the district Court.

Upon appellant’s failure to make additional monthly payments for the benefit of Marjorie Patricia Echols, Juanita Echols, who had been appointed guardian of the person and estate of said minor, filed this suit as such guardian, for the recovery of sums alleged to be due and to become due under the provisions of said judgment.

Appellant answered appellee’s amended petition herein by pleas both to the jurisdiction of the district court of Harris County in said divorce suit No. 258,694, and in this suit. He alleged that in neither of said suits was the issue of the custody of Marjorie Patricia Echols involved, and that therefore the above-quoted paragraph and provision of the judgment in said cause No. 258,694 was utterly void, and that any judgment that might be rendered in this cause predicated upon said judgment would likewise be void.

By his plea of no consideration, appellant set up the fact that any promise he may have made to Marjorie Patricia Echols to contribute $150 per month to her support until she became 21 years of age or married was gratuitously made, that no consideration therefor was paid, and no promise was given to him for such alleged agreement, and that in any event his obligation to make such payments terminated on September 1, 1940, under the express terms of said judgment.

[284]*284Appellant contends that the trial court herein did not have jurisdiction of ap-pellee’s cause, since her pleadings show that her action was grounded upon part of a judgment in another case, which he contends was absolutely void for lack of power on the part of the court to render that portion of said judgment and that the trial court’s jurisdiction in this case was never perfected by reason of the fact that ap-pellee did not allege sufficient facts, if proved, to constitute an enforceable agreement for judgment.

In her plea in intervention in said cause No. 258,694 appellee Marjorie Patricia Echols alleged that she was seventeen years of age; that she had an interest in the matter in controversy in said cause as herein above set forth, setting up the approximate value of the community estate of her father and mother. She then set up a separate claim against her father for maintenance and support, alleging that it was necessary for him to pay the sum of $150 per month for her maintenance and education until she attained her majority. She alleged that she had been forced to employ an attorney, and sought a reasonable attorney’s fee for his services in that suit. She alleged that appellant had ratified and confirmed the agreement contained in said judgment by approval of the judgment by and through a duly authorized agent and attorney, and by the payment of the sum of $150 per month, commencing November 20, 1939, and ending with the payment made on May 20, 1940.

A transcript of the evidence taken in said cause No. 258,694 was introduced in evidence on the trial of this cause. It was shown by such transcript that appellant gave the following testimony in response to questions propounded to him by counsel:

“Q. In addition to the matters which we have discussed here, you did know, did you not, that you were binding and obligating yourself to pay an allowance of $150.00 per month toward Miss Patricia’s support and maintenance ? A.

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168 S.W.2d 282, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/echols-v-echols-texapp-1943.