Garza v. Maddux

988 S.W.2d 280, 1999 WL 52593
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 8, 1999
Docket13-97-109-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 988 S.W.2d 280 (Garza v. Maddux) 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
Garza v. Maddux, 988 S.W.2d 280, 1999 WL 52593 (Tex. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

OPINION ON MOTION FOR REHEARING

HINOJOSA, Justice.

We issued our original opinion in this ease on August 13, 1998. Appellants, Juan Lino Garza, et al., (collectively the “Garzas”) 1 subsequently filed a motion for rehearing. We deny the Garzas’ motion for rehearing, withdraw our opinion of August 13, 1998, and substitute the following as the opinion of the Court.

This is an appeal from a summary judgment regarding mineral interests. The Garzas sued Elizabeth H. Coates Maddux, et al. (collectively “appellees”), 2 alleging multi- *282 pie tort claims, breaches of certain covenants, and drainage. The Garzas also sought reformation of a 1920 deed and declaratory judgment that they own the mineral rights in approximately 108 acres of land in Hidalgo County, Texas. Appellees filed at least eight motions for summary judgment covering all of the Garzas’ allegations. The trial court granted summary judgment as to the title claims 3 and severed the remainder of the claims into a new cause number, thus making the summary judgment final as to all parties. The new cause was then abated pending the finality of the title questions. The Garzas challenge the summary judgment by seventeen points of error. 4 We affirm.

1. Factual BaoKGRound

Before 1920, Porciones 73, 74, and 75, 5 Reynosa Jurisdiction, in Hidalgo County were undivided among various landowners including the Garzas’ predecessors-in-interest, the Salinas family. In 1920, all owners conveyed their land to George Schunior. No documentation explains why this conveyance occurred or describes the acreage conveyed by each owner. Schunior had the property surveyed by E.M. Card and as a result, a survey plat map of the Schunior Subdivision was prepared and recorded in July 1920. In August 1920, a corrected map was filed in place of the original map. This map delineates the individual shares of ownership in the three Porciones. Schunior is the common source of all deeds at issue in this case.

This case concerns a dispute over a portion of the boundary between Shares 13 and 15. The plat map reflects an uneven boundary line separating the shares with Share 15 north of the boundary line and Share 13 south of the line. The Garzas contend a fence accurately divides the two shares, and appellees argue the eastern portion of the fence is actually north of the correct boundary line. The area between the fence and the boundary line is approximately 190 acres. The Garzas claim approximately 108 of those acres through their predecessors-in-interest.

a. The Coates’ Chain of Title

In 1920, Schunior conveyed Share 15 by recorded deed to Alex Champion, appellees’ *283 predecessor-in-interest. The deed describes the property as

One Thousand Eight Hundred Forty and %o (1840.6) acres of land, more or less, more particularly described as Share numbered Fifteen (15) of a subdivision of lands in Porciones Seventy-Three, Seventy-Four and Seventy-Five known as the “Schunior Subdivision” according to map or plat of said subdivision of record in the office of the County Clerk of Hidalgo County, Texas, here referred to for a more particular description and location of said land, together with all and singular, the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining.

Schunior signed the deed on July 28, 1920, and it was recorded on September 10, 1920. The corrected plat map of August 1920 made no changes to this tract of land.

In April 1932, Alex Champion conveyed by warranty deed to his wife, T.M. Champion, “[a]ll of Share No. 15, containing approximately 1840.6 acres ... in that certain subdivision in Hidalgo County, Texas ... being the Schunior Subdivision ... said map of said subdivision being recorded in Vol. 2, page 23 of the Map Records of said County.” On October 5,1932, Alex Champion and T.M. Champion then conveyed their interests in Share 15 to A.H. Fernandez, Trustee. That same day, Fernandez quitclaimed the property to Juan Jose Champion. Property descriptions within these deeds conform with descriptions in previous deeds.

On November 13,1937, Juan Jose Champion and Amelia L. de Champion conveyed by quitclaim deed to Tom Vessels, Jr. “[a]ll that certain piece, tract or parcel of land known as Share 15 of the Schunior Subdivision of Porciones Nos. 73, 74, 75, Ancient Jurisdiction of Reynosa, Hidalgo County, Texas, containing 1840 acres more or less.” The same day, Vessels executed a royalty contract conveying to Juan Jose Champion a % royalty interest in

all of the oil, gas and other minerals in and under the following described tract of land, situated in Hidalgo county, Texas, to-wit: All that certain tract, piece or parcel of land known as Share No. 15 of the Schun-ior Subdivision of Porciones Nos. 73, 74, and 75, Ancient Jurisdiction of Reynosa, Hidalgo County, Texas, containing 1840 acres more or less[.]

Two days later, Vessels entered into an oil, gas, and mineral lease with Sun Oil Co. for Share 15. With the exception of stating the acreage is “1840.6 acres more or less,” the description in the lease of Share 15 is as set forth in the two previous deeds. In connection with this lease, Vessels executed a document stating that Share 15 consisted of 1840.6 acres, more or less, and that all state, county, and special taxes had been paid to date.

On January 20, 1938, Vessels conveyed by warranty deed to George H. Coates an undivided % of all of Share 15, as described above. This conveyance was subject to: (1) the ]éi royalty interest previously conveyed to Juan Jose Champion and (2) the Sun Oil Co. lease. Vessels retained the remaining interest in Share 15. In April 1939, Eleuterio and Miguel Salinas, the Garzas’ predecessors-in-interest, quitclaimed to Vessels:

All that certain tract, piece or parcel of land known as Share No. 15 of the Schun-ior Subdivision of Porciones Nos. 73, 74, and 75, Ancient Jurisdiction of Reynosa, Hidalgo County, Texas, containing 1840 acres, more or less, including all rights heretofore claimed or owned by us in any fences on or around the premises.
The above described Share or Tract No. 15, being more fully described and delineated on a certain map and plat of agreed partition made on or about August 20th, 1920, by E.M. Card, Civil Engineer, and shown thereon that the acreage of said Share No. 15 being 1840.6 acres. Reference to said map and plat now being made for all purpose of aider of description.

The deed further stated that “neither [Eleu-terio or Miguel Salinas], nor any person or persons claiming under [them], shall at any time hereafter have or claim any right, title or interest in or to said property, or any part thereof.”

In April 1946, Coates and Vessels executed a warranty deed conveying the surface estate of Share 15, as previously described, to M.D. *284

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988 S.W.2d 280, 1999 WL 52593, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garza-v-maddux-texapp-1999.