Gamble v. Norton

893 S.W.2d 129, 1995 Tex. App. LEXIS 61, 1995 WL 19351
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 19, 1995
DocketNo. 01-94-00460-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 893 S.W.2d 129 (Gamble v. Norton) 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
Gamble v. Norton, 893 S.W.2d 129, 1995 Tex. App. LEXIS 61, 1995 WL 19351 (Tex. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

OPINION

O’CONNOR, Justice.

This case involves the issue of whether a party can recover from the Real Estate Recovery Fund (the Fund)1 for acts committed by a real estate broker while the broker was acting as a manager and principal of an investment venture. We hold the Fund is not liable for damages in this case because the acts of the broker about which the plaintiff complains were committed by the broker in his role as investment manager and investor, not as a licensed real estate dealer. We affirm.

Overview of Facts

James Norton, a real estate broker, sold, managed, and invested in three joint ventures. Two of the investors, William Gamble and John Simmons, d/b/a Gamble, Simmons & Company (collectively, GSC), sued Norton for misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duty stemming from his actions on behalf of those ventures. After GSC was unable to collect on the $1.6 million judgment, it filed a post-judgment proceeding to recover under the Fund. After a hearing, the trial court held Noi’ton did not act in his capacity as a real estate broker and GSC could not recover from the Fund.

[131]*131GSC and Norton were partners in three joint ventures known as the Brazoria 328 Joint Venture, the Brazoria 17 Joint Venture, and the Spring Cypress Joint Venture.2 The Brazoria 328 Joint Venture, purchased on August 13,1975, owned 328 acres in Brazoria County. The Brazoria 17 Joint Venture, purchased on April 20, 1976, owned 17 acres in Brazoria County. The Spring Cypress Joint Venture, purchased on September 29, 1981, owned 42 acres of land in Hams County-

Norton testified that he acted as the managing partner for the joint ventures, marketing the properties for sale. The only joint venture agreement that stated Norton was the manager was the Spring Cypress Joint Venture. Norton, a licensed real estate broker, was to receive a commission not to exceed six percent in the event of a sale of either the Brazoria 17 or Brazoria 328 properties. The Spring Cypress Joint Venture stated that Norton, as manager, would receive 10 percent of the profits if the property sold.

Norton testified that his job included collecting money from the partners in the joint ventures and making payments on the debts owed. Norton testified that he was not paid for his work as a managing partner, but was to receive commissions upon the sale of the properties.

In the mid-1980s, when the real estate market crashed in Texas, the value of the properties in the joint ventures declined and more was owed on the properties than they were worth. The Spring Cypress Joint Venture was the only property that eventually sold. Norton testified that other partners began dropping out of the joint ventures when the market crashed. Norton, who had put title to the properties in his name, testified that he used the properties as collateral to obtain loans. Norton testified the loan money was used to make the payments on the debt on the properties.

GSC sued Norton for poorly managing the investments. After the court struck Norton’s pleadings as a sanction for discovery abuse, the court entered a default judgment for GSC in the amount of $1,624,041.97. After GSC was not able to collect, GSC filed a verified claim in the same court that had rendered judgment for it, seeking recovery from the Fund. As required by the Act, GSC notified Norton and the Texas Real Estate Commission (Commission) of the filing of the verified claim. After a hearing attended by all three parties, the trial court denied GSC’s application for payment from the Fund. GSC appeals. Three parties filed briefs — GSC, Norton, and the Commission.

Overview of the Fund

The Fund was established as part of the Real Estate License Act (the Act).3 The purpose of the Act is to eliminate or reduce fraud on the public caused by unlicensed, unscrupulous, on unqualified persons dealing in real estate. Henry S. Miller Co. v. Treo Enter., 585 S.W.2d 674, 675-76 (Tex.1979); Gill v. Smith, 233 S.W.2d 223, 227 (Tex.App.-Galveston 1950, writ ref'd n.r.e.) (originally called the “Real Estate Dealers Act”). Under the Act, a person who has an uncol-lectible judgment against a licensed real estate broker may file a verified claim in the court in which the judgment was rendered and, upon notice to the commission and the judgment debtor, apply for an order directing payment out of the Fund. Tex.Rev.Civ. Stat. art. 6573a, § 8(e); Texas Real Estate Comm’n v. Nagle, 767 S.W.2d 691, 693 (Tex.1989); Josey v. Texas Real Estate Comm’n, 801 S.W.2d 200, 201 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1990, no writ). The trial court conducts a hearing on the application for reimbursement from the Fund. At the hearing, the claimant must show, among other things, that the underlying judgment is against a licensed real estate broker who caused the claimant’s damages by an act that constituted a violation of Section 15(a)(3) or (6) of the Act. Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat. art. 6573a, § 8(a),(f); Josey, 801 S.W.2d at 201. The Commission is authorized to attend the hearing to protect the fund from spurious or unjust claims or to ensure compliance with the requirements for [132]*132recovery. Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat. art. 6573a, § 8(k); Nagle, 767 S.W.2d at 693; Josey, 801 S.W.2d at 201.

A.

Norton’s Standing

In point of error six, GSC contends the district court erred in allowing Norton to intervene in the case against the Fund.

GSC contends the real party in interest in connection with the application for recovery under the Fund is the Commission, not Norton. GSC also argues that, because Norton’s pleadings were struck in the underlying cause of action, Norton has no legal or equitable interest in this litigation and should not have been permitted to intervene. Norton contends he had a right to be in the suit because if the court ordered the Fund to pay the claim, his license could be revoked, and he could not regain it without reimbursing the Fund for the claim. Tex.RevCiv.Stat. art. 6573a, § 8(i) (Vernon Supp.1995). Norton also argues that the Act required that he be notified of an action for an award from the Fund. Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat. art. 6573a, § 8(e). The Commission agrees with Norton, that he is a necessary party because the Act requires that he have notice of the proceedings.

The suit to recover from the Fund is not a distinct lawsuit separate from the underlying action against the broker. It is, as the Supreme Court described, a “post-judgment hearing” at which the Commission may appear to defend the Fund against the claim. See Nagle, 767 S.W.2d at 695. The Act presumes that the licensee is part of the suit and will participate in the post-judgment hearing. See Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat. art. 6573a, § 8(e) (the licensee must be given notice of the hearing). If the court orders the Fund to reimburse the claimant, the licensee can challenge that decision on appeal. See, e.g., Haney v. Texas Real Estate Comm’n, 789 S.W.2d 304, 305 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 1990, writ denied) (real estate licensee appealed the order directing payment from the Fund).

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893 S.W.2d 129, 1995 Tex. App. LEXIS 61, 1995 WL 19351, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gamble-v-norton-texapp-1995.