Fannin Investment & Development Co. v. Neuhaus

427 S.W.2d 82, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2992
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 27, 1968
Docket70
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 427 S.W.2d 82 (Fannin Investment & Development Co. v. Neuhaus) 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
Fannin Investment & Development Co. v. Neuhaus, 427 S.W.2d 82, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2992 (Tex. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

SAM D. JOHNSON, Justice.

This is a summary judgment case wherein appellant, Fannin Investment and Development Company, brought suit against W. Oscar Neuhaus and Austin Rankin Investment Company in trespass to try title to recover title and possession of 12.52 acres of land situated in Harris County. Defendants pled not guilty and denied generally all allegations contained in appellant’s petition. Defendants filed motions for summary judgment, which were supported by two volumes of exhibits containing certified copies of recorded title instruments.

On the date of the hearing of the defendant’s summary judgment motions, the plaintiff also filed a motion for summary judg *84 ment. After hearing arguments on the motions of all parties, the court granted the motions of the defendants, Neuhaus and Austin Rankin, and denied the motion of the plaintiff, Fannin Investment. Judgment was entered that Fannin Investment take nothing in its suit against the appellees and appeal is perfected to this court.

When a motion for summary judgment is filed, the trial court must determine if there are any issues of fact to be tried, Smith v. Bolin (1954), 153 Tex. 486, 271 S.W.2d 93, this responsibility being the same whether or not cross-motions are filed. Levenson v. Alpert (Tex.Civ.App.1966), 399 S.W.2d 955, no writ hist. Each movant has the burden of establishing that insofar as his cause of action is concerned, there exists no genuine issue as to any material fact. Gulf C. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. McBride (1958), 159 Tex. 442, 322 S.W.2d 492. The only evidentiary matter presented to the trial court were two volumes of exhibits filed by the defendant, Neuhaus, which contained certified copies of the recorded title instruments. The plaintiff, Fannin Investment, introduced no evi-dentiary data in support of its motions for summary judgment or in opposition to the motions for summary judgment of Austin Rankin or Neuhaus. Nothing more than the pleadings of the plaintiff appear.

The trial court was undoubtedly guided by the quotation from McDonald, Texas Civil Practice, Vol. 4, Sec. 17, p. 1394, cited by the Supreme Court in Gulbenkian v. Penn, 151 Tex. 412, 252 S.W.2d 929, 931, “In determining a motion thus depending upon extrinsic evidence, the court’s task is analogous to that which he performs on a motion for directed verdict. He accepts as true all evidence of the party opposing the motion which tends to support such party’s contention, and gives him the benefit of every reasonable inference which properly can be drawn in favor of his position.” (Emphasis added.)

Here the plaintiff filed no counter affidavit to the defendants’ motions, made no showing other than the statement contained in his pleadings, made no showing that affidavits are unavailable, and introduced no extrinsic evidence of his own. If the defendants’ extrinsic evidence, therefore, was sufficient on its face to establish facts which, if proved at trial, would entitle the movants to an instructed verdict, the trial court appropriately granted the defendants’ motions for summary judgment. See: Lacy v. Carson Manor Hotel, Inc. (Tex.Civ.App.1956), 297 S.W.2d 367, writ ref., n. r. e.; Rolfe v. Swearingen (Tex.Civ.App.1951), 241 S.W.2d 236, writ ref., n. r. e.; Holland v. Lansdowne-Moody Co., Inc. (Tex.Civ.App.1954), 269 S.W.2d 478, no writ hist.; Palm v. LaMantia Bros. Arrigo Co. (Tex.Civ.App.1956), 287 S.W.2d 208, writ ref., n. r. e.

It is therefore necessary to> recite the material facts appearing in the extrinsic evidence presented by the defendants in support of their motions which appears in the certified copies of the recorded title instruments.

In January of 1962, Oliver A. Wright and J. Ross Wright, hereinafter referred to as the Wrights, jointly owned the fee to the surface and all minerals (subject to outstanding ⅛2 nonparticipating royalty) in a certain 118 acre tract in Houston, Harris County, Texas. The property on that date was free and clear of all liens.

By deed dated January 11, 1962, recorded January 12, 1962, the Wrights conveyed to Reinco, Inc., hereinafter referred to as Reinco, the surface and 1/2 of the minerals in the 118 acre tract. In this deed the Wrights reserved a vendor’s lien to secure them in the payment of two equal promissory notes, each in the principal sum of $173,937.50. On January 11, 1962, Glenn H. Engbrock, hereinafter referred to as Engbrock, as President of Reinco, executed and delivered to Charles H. Rawson, trustee for the Wrights, a deed of trust covering the entire 118 acre tract. This deed of trust was further security of the two vendor’s lien notes described above and was recorded on January 11, 1962.

*85 On January 12, 1962, Engbrock, as President of Reinco, granted, sold and conveyed to Engbrock, trustee, the entire 118 acre tract. This conveyance was expressly made subject to the liens securing the two $173,937.50 notes held by the Wrights. This conveyance was recorded on June 19, 1962.

On October 5, 1962, the State commenced condemnation proceedings against Eng-brock, individually and as trustee for Rein-co, Inc., et al, to condemn a 9.922 acre tract out of the 118 acre tract for road purposes. These proceedings were subsequently concluded and title to the 9.922 acre tract was vested in the State.

On December 8, 1962, Engbrock, trustee, granted, sold and conveyed to Ralph Abercia, trustee, all of the said 118 acre tract. This deed also expressly made subject to the liens securing the two $173,-937.50 notes held by the Wrights. This conveyance was recorded December 11, 1962.

On December 12, 1962, Abercia, trustee, granted, sold and conveyed to General Business Investment Company of Texas, hereinafter referred to as General Business, all the said 118 acre tract. This deed was also expressly made subject to the liens securing the two $173,937.50 notes held by the Wrights. This deed was recorded on January 28, 1963.

On July 5, 1963, Engbrock, as President of General Business, executed and delivered a deed of trust covering the entire 118 acre tract to Alvin S. Moody, trustee, to secure Freeport Land Company, hereinafter referred to as Freeport Land, in the payment of an $80,000.00 promissory note executed by General Business. This deed of trust expressly provided that as to the 118 acre tract, the lien held by Freeport Land was second and inferior to the liens securing payment of the two $173,937.50 notes held by the Wrights. This deed of trust was recorded July 8, 1963.

On March 2, 1964, Engbrock, as President of General Business, and his wife, Ruth Engbrock, by general warranty deed, granted, sold and conveyed the said 118 acre tract to A. G. Robinson, Jr., trustee.

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Bluebook (online)
427 S.W.2d 82, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 2992, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fannin-investment-development-co-v-neuhaus-texapp-1968.