Graves v. George Dullnig & Co.

548 S.W.2d 502, 1977 Tex. App. LEXIS 2647
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 17, 1977
Docket4973
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 548 S.W.2d 502 (Graves v. George Dullnig & Co.) 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
Graves v. George Dullnig & Co., 548 S.W.2d 502, 1977 Tex. App. LEXIS 2647 (Tex. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

ON MOTION FOR REHEARING

WALTER, Justice.

Our opinion and judgment rendered on February 3, 1977, are set aside.

In the appellees’ motion for rehearing, they assert the deposition of Randolph Coleman has never been signed, has never been filed, was not relied on in the court below, and is not part of the record in this case.

In George Dullnig & Company and Randolph Coleman’s motion for summary judgment, they assert:

“In support of this motion, defendants rely on the pleadings on file in the Court, depositions and affidavits which shall be timely filed prior to the hearing date of the motion.”

In Rauscher, Pierce Securities Corporation’s motion for summary judgment, it asserts:

“This Motion is based upon the pleadings herein, and the depositions of Defendant Randolph Coleman and Plaintiff Carroll F. Graves, Jr., taken and filed herein, all of which show as a matter of law there is no genuine issue as to any material fact herein and that the Defendant Rauscher, Pierce Securities Corporation is entitled to summary judgment against the Plaintiffs herein.”

The order granting summary judgment recites:

“. . . the Court having considered Defendants’ Motions together with the pleadings, depositions and Affidavits on file herein as well as the argument of counsel, is of the opinion and so finds that there is no genuine issue of any material facts, and that Defendants, and each of them are entitled to judgment as a matter of law.”

The order granting summary judgment was signed and entered on January 12, 1976. Prior to that time, the appellee, Rauscher, Pierce Securities Corporation, filed a memorandum brief in support of its motion for summary judgment which appears in the transcript and appears to have been filed as of December 17, 1975 by the clerk of the district court. In this appel-lee’s memorandum brief, it refers to the deposition of Carroll F. Graves, Jr. and the u deposition of Randolph Coleman.

*504 On March 2, 1976, the court entered the following order:

“The court being of the opinion that the following specified original exhibits admitted in evidence at the trial of the above entitled and numbered cause should be inspected by and sent to the Court of Civil Appeals for the Fourth Supreme Judicial District of Texas, at San Antonio, Texas, in lieu of copies thereof: Exhibit_Oral Deposition of Carroll F. Graves, Jr., and Exhibit _-Oral Deposition of Randolph Coleman.”

It would appear from these instruments the court considered the depositions.

The original unsigned deposition of Carroll F. Graves and a copy of the unsigned deposition of Randolph Coleman appear in this record. Neither of them bear the file mark of either the District Clerk or the Clerk of the Court of Civil Appeals. There appears a notation on each of them: “Received 1-10-77, Glenda Terrell, Deputy, 11th Dist., Court of Civil Appeals.”

The appellants in their brief refer to the deposition of Graves and Coleman. The appellees in their brief refer to the deposition of Mr. Graves.

Appellees, George Dullnig and Company and Randolph Coleman, in their brief assert:

“The only evidence offered to support the motion for summary judgment was the deposition of the plaintiff, Carroll F. Graves.”

Appellee, Rauscher, Pierce Securities Corporation, in its brief says:

“The facts relevant to this appeal are undisputed, and are established through the deposition testimony of the appellant Carroll F. Graves, Jr.”

Since the depositions were not signed and filed in the trial court, we have no summary judgment proof to support the judgment.

On the other hand, if we consider the depositions a part of the record, we find the appellees have failed to discharge their bur-1' den of showing they were entitled to a summary judgment.

Defendants’ motions for summary judgment assert they were given complete written discretion to handle the stock which was never revoked and that the Graves still own the stock and are unable to demonstrate any injury arising from defendants’ failure to sell the stock at any particular time. In support of their motions for summary judgment, defendants rely upon the record and the depositions of defendant, Randolph Coleman, and plaintiff, Carroll F. Graves, Jr.

The Graves executed the following instruments:

“U.S. Defense Liaison Group
APO San Francisco 96356
July 17, 1973
Dear Mr. Coleman,
This letter gives you the authority to fully handle our account. This is to include buying, selling, and trading of stocks.
Sincerely,
s/ Mrs. Carroll F. Graves, Jr. (Carol Graves) s/ Carroll F. Graves, Jr.”
FULL TRADING AUTHORIZATION WITH PRIVILEGE TO WITHDRAW MONEY AND/OR SECURITIES '
Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby authorizes RANDOLPH COLEMAN (whose signature appears below) as his agent and attorney in fact to buy, sell (including short sales) and trade in stocks, bonds and any other securities and/or commodoities and/or contracts relating to the same on margin or otherwise in accordance with your terms and conditions for the undersigned’s account and risk and in the undersigned’s name, or number on your books. The undersigned hereby agrees to indemnify and hold you harmless from and to pay you promptly on demand any and all losses arising therefrom or debit balance due thereon.
You are authorized to follow the instructions of RANDOLPH COLEMAN in *505 every respect concerning the undersigned’s account with you, and make deliveries of securities and payment of moneys to him or as he may order and direct. In all matters and things aforementioned, as well as in all other things necessary or incidental to the furtherance or conduct of the account of the undersigned, the aforesaid agent and attorney in fact is authorized to act for the undersigned and in the undersigned’s behalf in the same manner and with the same force and effect as the undersigned might or could do.
The undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms any and all transactions with you heretofore or hereafter made by the aforesaid agent or for the undersigned’s account.
This authorization and indemnity is in addition to (and in no way limits or restricts) any rights which you may have under any other agreement or agreements between the undersigned and your firm.
This authorization and indemnity is also a continuing one and shall remain in full force and effect until revoked by the undersigned by a written notice addressed to you and delivered to your office at San Antonio, Texas, but such revocation shall not affect any liability in any way resulting from transactions initiated prior to such revocation.

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548 S.W.2d 502, 1977 Tex. App. LEXIS 2647, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/graves-v-george-dullnig-co-texapp-1977.