Hickox v. Hickox

151 S.W.2d 913, 1941 Tex. App. LEXIS 509
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 1, 1941
DocketNo. 4074.
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 151 S.W.2d 913 (Hickox v. Hickox) 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
Hickox v. Hickox, 151 S.W.2d 913, 1941 Tex. App. LEXIS 509 (Tex. Ct. App. 1941).

Opinion

PRICE, Chief Justice.

This is an appeal from the judgment of the District Court of Presidio County, Texas. Charles N. Hickox, as plaintiff, sued J. M. Hickox and Mrs. Lela R. Hick-ox, his wife, as defendants. Plaintiff sought recovery on a promissory note in the sum of $3,691.78, dated July 1, 1939, payable twelve months after date to the order of Charles N. Hickox, bearing interest at the rate of 8 percent per annum, alleged to have been given for value received. It is further alleged that same was secured by a certain chattel mortgage dated July 10, 1939, on 750 head of goats.

In an alternative count plaintiff alleged that on or about the 20th day of July, 1940, plaintiff and defendants entered into an agreement whereby it was mutually agreed, in consideration of the settlement and adjustment of the differences and disputes between them with reference to the note in controversy, that said note should be credited with the sum of $332; defendants agreed that they were liable for and would pay $268.78 as interest, and that plaintiff would dismiss his suit, and that the balance on the principal of the note, to-wit, $3,-359.78, should be renewed and same should be in all respects a valid obligation of defendants, together with the chattel mortgage securing same; plaintiff, in consideration of the foregoing, to dismiss his suit and pay all costs and attorneys’ fees therein.

Defendants answered by way of general exception, special exception and general denial. Answering specially, averred in substance that the note sued on was without consideration and executed for the purpose of lending defendants’ credit to plaintiff; that at the time the note was executed and delivered it was agreed that same should be negotiated to some third party and the proceeds thereof used for the purpose of purchasing material and labor to fence certain property then used jointly by plaintiff and defendants. By way of cross-action it was alleged that plaintiff and defendant Jeff Hickox entered into a contract and agreement whereby it was mutually agreed that the parties would jointly purchase goats, and that plaintiff would furnish land in Presidio County belonging to him and said defendant would care for said goats, and plaintiff and defendant would go into the business of raising goats and mohair; that for the purpose of carrying out this agreement the parties jointly advanced in equal proportions approximately $11,000 cash, and deposited same in a bank; that out of said fund there *915 was purchased approximately 1,500 goats for the total sum of $4,800. It was further agreed that the profits and losses should be shared jointly in equal proportions; that the money remaining on hand after the purchase of said 1,500 goats would go for the purchase of other livestock, and the improvement of the premises on which to run them; that plaintiff spent all of the balance of said joint funds without consent of the defendant for purposes not connected with their business, except the sum of $1,000; that plaintiff likewise mortgaged the mohair to secure a personal loan of $300, and that of their joint funds of approximately $5,500, plaintiff appropriated and used same for his own private use; that plaintiff refused to account to defendant for said funds; that on or about the 1st day of July, 1939, at plaintiff's instance and request he executed the note aforesaid in order that plaintiff might negotiate same and obtain money for fencing the premises used by plaintiff and defendant in the transaction of their business; the execution and delivery of the note was wholly for the benefit of the plaintiff, and defendant never received a cent therefor; that defendant had from time to time demanded a return of his note, but never received same. Further, on the 18th day of December, 1939, all differences were settled and adjusted between plaintiff and defendant, and it was agreed that plaintiff should deliver the note in question to defendant. The note not being immediately available at the time of the settlement, that plaintiff wrote and delivered to defendant a receipt for the sum of $3,332, and another receipt for the sum of $332. It is alleged these receipts were intended and understood by the parties to constitute a full and complete settlement of any claims that might be made by plaintiff or could be made by him on said note. This answer was duly verified by defendant.

Plaintiff filed supplemental petition which contained a general demurrer, general denial, a special denial of any partnership relation, and denied the execution of any receipt but a receipt in the sum of $332.

■ The court sustained the demurrer urged by the defendants to the alternative plea of plaintiff;, and to the third paragraph of defendants' answer the exception of plaintiff.

The defendants had filed an admission of the plaintiff’s cause of action under Rule 31. '

The trial was before a court and jury, submission on special issues.

The following are the issues submitted with the findings of the jury thereon:

“Special Issue No. 1: Do. you find and believe from a preponderance of the evidence that the note sued on was executed for the purpose of enabling Chas. N. Hick-ox, the plaintiff, to secure credit ? Answer: Yes.
“Special Issue No. 2: Do you find and believe from a preponderance of the' evidence that the receipts in evidence were executed for the purpose of canceling the note sued on herein? Answer: Yes.”

On this verdict,the court entered judgment that the plaintiff take nothing on his cause of action against the defendants, and that defendants take nothing on their cross-action against plaintiff.

Plaintiff, at the close of all the evidence, moved the court .to instruct a verdict in his favor, which was overruled, and on the return of the verdict moved the court to enter judgment in his favor, which was overruled. .

Plaintiff has perfected this appeal from the judgment.

Error is assigned to the court’s sustaining an exception to plaintiff’s .alternative plea.

In our opinion the assignment presents no error. Plaintiff’s alternative plea failed to state a cause of action on the alleged compromise between plaintiff and defendant. It is lacking in an averment.that plaintiff ever complied with his part of the alleged compromise. Furthermore, if there was a compromise, it affirmatively shows that the note was not due at the time the trial pleading was filed.

The serious question presented by this appeal is the effect of the admission filed by defendants to obtain the right to open and'close.

It. is contended by the plaintiff, and the validity of the 'contention 'co'ncéded by defendants, that under the admission defendants could not urge as a defense want of consideration therefor. The admission certainly established that the note in question was a yalid, legal obligation'of the defendants at the titilé it was 'given.

In the case of Rector v. Evans, Tex.Com.App., 6 S.W.2d 105, it was held that.a defense that the note was delivered on 'a *916 condition precedent would not survive an admission under Rule 31.' The opinion of the Commission of Appeals in the case was expressly approved by the Supreme Court.

In the case of National Bank of Commerce v.

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Bluebook (online)
151 S.W.2d 913, 1941 Tex. App. LEXIS 509, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hickox-v-hickox-texapp-1941.