Fisher v. Roper

727 S.W.2d 78, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 7103
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 27, 1987
Docket04-85-00388-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 727 S.W.2d 78 (Fisher v. Roper) 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
Fisher v. Roper, 727 S.W.2d 78, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 7103 (Tex. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinions

CHAPA, Justice.

This is an appeal from a jury trial as a result of a contract entered into by plaintiff Billy Fisher (Fisher) and defendant Brady July Jubilee, Inc. (Brady July Jubilee). Ap-pellees Les Roper, R.S. Mosely, Dayton Boren, and David Neal are alleged agents of Brady July Jubilee. Hereinafter, Brady July Jubilee, Inc., Roper, Mosely, Boren and Neal will be referred to individually or collectively as “appellees” where appropriate. Although various causes of action are alleged in the pleadings the basic cause is a breach of contract. The jury returned a verdict in favor of Fisher; however, the trial court granted a Motion for Judgment Non Obstante Veredicto in favor of appel-lees. The principal issue before us is whether the trial court erred in granting the Motion for Judgment Non Obstante Veredicto and rendering judgment against the verdict.

The contract involves the entering of Fisher’s two-year-old quarter horse mare known as “Straw Cause” in a horse racing futurity under the auspices of the American Quarter Horse Association. Trials were conducted on or about July 1, 1979, and finals and consolations conducted on or about July 8, 1979. Under the contract, Fisher paid Brady July Jubilee the amount [79]*79of $415.00 to enter the futurity and it was agreed by all that the races would be conducted under all rules and regulations of the G. Rollie White Downs and the American Quarter Horse Association.

The American Quarter Horse Association rules as developed at trial and which are pertinent to this particular appeal are as follows:

Rule 28:

If the Stewards find that any medication or a drug has been administered or attempted to be administered to a horse before a race which is of such character as could effect the racing conditions of the horse, the Stewards shall declare the horse from the race.

Rule 29:

No participant shall have in his or her possession within the grounds of a graded meet, any drug which might effect the speed or action of the horse or hypodermic needle or syringe or similar instruments which may be used for injections. Possession of an item prohibited by this rule shall, in addition to being grounds for suspension and or a fine of the individual by the track Stewards may constitute grounds for removal of the horse from the scheduled race or race meet.

Rule 113:

The Stewards shall have the power to have tested or caused to be examined by a qualified person any horse entered in a race or which has run in a race.

Rule 114:

Upon reasonable belief, the Stewards shall request permission for the search of a person or equipment of an owner, trainer, jockey or groom suspected of possession of an illegal instrument or drug, which search shall be conducted by such officials or other persons as they designate. Refusal to comply with such request shall constitute cause for disqualification of the horse in such person’s care or ownership or suspension or fine as provided by Rule 106 above, or both.'

On July 1, 1979, Fisher produced his quarter horse at the G. Rollie White Downs for the initial race. The horse was entered in the 11th race on the racing card for that day. Evidence was presented that Brady July Jubilee and the G. Rollie White Downs were one and the same and that Brady July Jubilee was in complete control of the G. Rollie White Downs and its personnel. When Straw Cause reached the saddling paddock, a few minutes before the beginning of the race, the Race Stewards, Mosely, Boren and Neal, caused Straw Cause to be “scratched” from the race thereby denying participation of the filly.

The Race Stewards allege that the reason they “scratched” Straw Cause was because of what they were told by one Aaron Lee Newsom, and Roper. Newsom told the Race Stewards that he had become suspicious of the handlers of the filly in question and had later noticed what he termed to be a part of a syringe inside the shirt of one of the handlers. Roper informed the Race Stewards that he had seen a syringe being removed from the neck of the filly by one of the grooms. These contentions were challenged by Fisher through cross-examination and introduction of paraphernalia normally associated with the grooming of horses which could have been mistaken for a syringe.

According to Mosely, Boren and Neal, in scratching the said filly, they relied upon Rule 28 and 29 of the American Quarter Horse Association regulations which were effective on January 1, 1979.

No Steward or anyone else in authority or under their direction requested permission to search or made a search for an illegal instrument or drugs. No syringe, illegal instrument, or drug was ever found. Evidence of a small wet spot discovered on the neck of the filly was presented.

Although Fisher specifically requested prior to the race and after the alleged injection, that Straw Cause be allowed to race and then be tested for any illegal drugs, the said request was denied.

At the end of the trial, Fisher requested several special issues including additional damages, exemplary damages, and attorney’s fees which the trial court refused with the exception of one for specific dam[80]*80ages, submitting its own special issues. The court’s special issues other than specific damages submitted and answered by the jury as follows:

SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 1

Under all the facts and circumstances in this case, do you find that the defendant, Brady July Jubilee, Inc., wrongfully scratched the horse “Straw Cause” from the race in question?
Answer “yes” or “no.” A “yes” answer must be based on a preponderance of the evidence. If you do not find that a preponderance of the evidence supports a “yes” answer, then answer “no.”
We, the Jury, answer yes.
You are instructed in answering Special Issue 1, that the said defendant, Brady July Jubilee, Inc., in the operation of the race meet in question occupied a fiduciary relationship to the public, including the Plaintiff herein. One occupying a fiduciary relationship to another must measure his conduct by high equitable standards, and not by the standards required in dealings between ordinary parties.

SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 2

Under all the facts and circumstances in this case, do you find that the Defendants, R.S. Mosely, Dayton Boren and David Neal wrongfully scratched the horse “Straw Cause” from the race in question?
Answer “yes” or “no.” A “yes” answer must be based on a preponderance of the evidence. If you do not find that a preponderance of the evidence supports a “yes” answer, then answer “no.”
We, the Jury, answer yes.

After the verdict, the trial court granted a judgment non obstante veredicto for the appellees and ordered that Fisher take nothing from any of the appellees.

Fisher has perfected this appeal and complains about the trial court’s refusal to submit some of his special issues and the granting of the Judgment Non Obstante Veredicto.

In his first two points of error appellant complains of the trial court’s granting judgment non obstante veredicto contrary to the verdict.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Queen v. RBG USA Inc.
495 S.W.3d 316 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2016)
Byrd v. Woodruff
891 S.W.2d 689 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1994)
American Medical International, Inc. v. Giurintano
821 S.W.2d 331 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1991)
Gillum v. Republic Health Corp.
778 S.W.2d 558 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1989)
Fisher v. Roper
727 S.W.2d 78 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
727 S.W.2d 78, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 7103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fisher-v-roper-texapp-1987.