Hong Huang v. Don McGill Toyota, Inc.

209 S.W.3d 674, 2006 WL 2971219
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 21, 2006
Docket14-03-01287-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 209 S.W.3d 674 (Hong Huang v. Don McGill Toyota, Inc.) 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
Hong Huang v. Don McGill Toyota, Inc., 209 S.W.3d 674, 2006 WL 2971219 (Tex. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinions

MAJORITY OPINION ON REHEARING

CHARLES W. SEYMORE, Justice.

Appellants’ motion for rehearing is overruled. We withdraw the opinion of October 13, 2005 and issue this substitute majority opinion on rehearing.

Hong Huang, Latonia Calamease1, Is-aak Golbraykh, Zhi Yuan Liu, Juan Ramon Mejia, Lie Kai Pon, Yan Fen Xian, Guoyue Yu, Jing Yan Zhou, Chi-Chih Tsa, Jian-Feng Li, and Chiu K. Lee appeal a take nothing judgment in favor of Don McGill Toyota. In four issues, appellants contend (1) they presented sufficient evidence of fraud, deceptive trade practices, and damages, and (2) the evidence is legally and factually insufficient to show Golbraykh and Mejia’s claims are barred by accord and satisfaction. We affirm.

I. Factual and Procedural Background

Lured by an advertisement for zero percent interest, each of the appellants, ex[677]*677cept Latonia Calamease, went to Don McGill Toyota seeking to purchase a vehicle. Each appellant negotiated with a salesperson through a translator, if necessary, and signed lease documents for a Toyota vehicle. Appellants testified at trial that they intended to purchase a vehicle and were led to believe they were purchasing a vehicle. When appellants discovered the agreements they signed were lease agreements as opposed to purchase agreements, they went back to Don McGill Toyota and complained. Some appellants testified they were told they had purchased the vehicle, but the lease agreement was necessary to obtain zero percent interest. One appellant, Isaak Golbraykh, returned to Don McGill Toyota, rescinded his lease agreement, and entered into a purchase agreement. Another appellant, Juan Ramon Mejia, returned the used vehicle he originally leased and entered into another lease agreement for a new vehicle. All appellants testified that they were still in possession of the vehicles leased or purchased from Don McGill Toyota.

Appellants filed suit against Don McGill Toyota alleging, among other things, fraud in the inducement, and violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). See Tex. Bus. & Com.Code ANN. § 17.01 et. seq. Appellants sought damages for out-of-pocket expenses, including, but not limited to, cash payment, cost of insurance, attorney’s fees, and loss of benefit of the bargain. Trial was to the court. At the conclusion of appellants’ evidence, appellee moved for what was improperly denominated as an “instructed” verdict. The trial judge granted the motion and entered a take-nothing judgment.

II. Liability and Damages

In their first issue, appellants contend the trial court erred in entering judgment for appellee because there was sufficient evidence to support a finding of fraud and/or violations of the DTPA. In them second issue, appellants contend they presented sufficient evidence of damages.

A. Standard of Review

Ordinarily, in reviewing the grant of a motion for judgment, we must decide whether there is any evidence of probative value sufficient to raise an issue of fact on the material questions presented. In this case, however, by entering judgment at the close of appellants’ casein-chief, the trial court, acting as fact finder, is presumed to have ruled not only on the sufficiency but also on the weight of the evidence and credibility of the witnesses. Qantel Bus. Sys., Inc. v. Custom Controls Co., 761 S.W.2d 302, 303-05 (Tex.1988); Martin-Simon v. Womack, 68 S.W.3d 793, 796 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2001, pet. denied). Thus, after granting a motion for judgment, the trial judge may properly make findings of fact as well as conclusions of law. See Qantel, 761 S.W.2d at 304. Findings of fact in a bench trial have the same force and dignity as a jury verdict; we review them for legal and factual sufficiency under the same standards we apply in reviewing a jury’s findings. See Catalina v. Blasdel, 881 S.W.2d 295, 297 (Tex.1994). On appeal from the trial court’s judgment in a non-jury trial, the legal and factual sufficiency of the evidence to support the judgment may be challenged as in any other case. Roberts Express, Inc. v. Expert Transp., Inc., 842 S.W.2d 766, 769-70 (Tex.App.Dallas 1992, no writ).

When a party attacks the legal sufficiency of an adverse finding on which he had the burden of proof, he must demonstrate on appeal that the evidence establishes, as a matter of law, all vital facts in support of his proposed disposition. Dow Chem. Co. v. Francis, 46 S.W.3d 237, 241 (Tex.2001). We review the evidence in the light most [678]*678favorable to the challenged finding and indulge every reasonable inference that would support it. City of Keller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802, 822 (Tex.2005). When a party attacks the trial court’s adverse finding for factual insufficiency, he must demonstrate on appeal that the finding is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. Dow Chem. Co., 46 S.W.3d at 241. We must consider and weigh all of the evidence, and can set aside a verdict only if the evidence is so weak or if the finding is so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence that it is clearly wrong and unjust. Pool v. Ford Motor Co., 715 S.W.2d 629, 635 (Tex.1986), overruled on other grounds, Crown Life Ins. Co. v. Casteel, 22 S.W.3d 378, 388 (Tex.2000).

B.Findings of Fact

The trial court rendered 208 findings of fact. The following findings significantly impact our disposition of legal and factual sufficiency issues:

5. The lease agreements of the Plaintiffs fully detailed the payments, charges, costs and expenses for each of the respective vehicles acquired by the Plaintiffs.
6. The Plaintiffs have incurred no expenses or charges for claims asserted in this lawsuit besides those required in their respective leases.
7. Each of the Plaintiffs separately negotiated for their respective vehicles with the prices and payments that were embodied in Their respective lease agreements.
8. The Plaintiffs that did not speak or read English brought translators of their own choosing to McGill to negotiate on behalf of such Plaintiffs.
10. After Isaak Golbraykh complained of his lease agreement, this Plaintiff negotiated a purchase agreement with McGill for his vehicle.
12. Juan Ramon Mejia renegotiated a second lease transaction after his initial lease transaction with McGill.
21. The terms that the Plaintiffs or their respective translators negotiated were incorporated into their respective lease agreements.
108.

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Hong Huang v. Don McGill Toyota, Inc.
209 S.W.3d 674 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2006)

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