Hunter v. Camp

246 S.W.2d 903, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 1978
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 21, 1952
DocketNo. 3003
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 246 S.W.2d 903 (Hunter v. Camp) 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
Hunter v. Camp, 246 S.W.2d 903, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 1978 (Tex. Ct. App. 1952).

Opinion

HALE, Justice.

Appellant sued appellees to rescind a sales contract, to recover $950 he had paid under the same, and to recover damages, $125 actual and $250 exemplary. The contract related to a vacant lot and a house to be constructed upon the lot. The asserted cause of action was based in part upon allegations of fraud.

The case was tried before a jury. In answer to special issues the jury found, among other things, that appellees represented to appellant that “they were selling him a lot with a house to be built upon it, and not just a vacant lot”; that such representation so made was false; that appellees knowingly and wilfully made such false representation as a material inducement with the intent and design of inducing appellant to sign the contract; and that appellant relied upon such false representation and was thereby induced to sign the contract to his injury and damage. The jury further found that $125 was the sum of money which would reasonably compensate appellant for the actual money he had lost as a result of such false representation and that $100 was the amount to which he was entitled as exemplary damages.

Notwithstanding the foregoing findings of the jury, the trial court granted the motion of appellees for judgment in their favor on the ground that there was no evidence to raise or sustain the findings of the jury with respect to the issue of fraud, and rendered judgment that appellant take nothing. Appellant says the court erred in holding there was no evidence of action[904]*904able fraud in the case, in granting- the motion of appellees for judgment non obstante veredicto based upon such holding, and in rendering judgment denying him any relief.

The law is well settled that the misrepresentation of a material fact inducing the execution of a contract, whether innocently made, or with intent to deceive, constitutes a fraud which authorizes a cancellation of the contract, where it appears that the person to whom the statement was made had a right to rely upon the same and that he did so to his injury. See 7 Tex. Jur. p. 912, Sec. 20 and numerous authorities there cited. Consequently, if there was any competent evidence in this case which, when viewed in the light most favorable to the contentions of appellant, • showed or tended to show the existence of the controlling facts found by the jury on the issue of fraud, then the coitrt erred in granting the motion of appellees for judgment non obstante veredicto and in rendering judgment denying any relief to appellant.

The undisputed evidence in the case shows that the parties signed a written contract on June 4, 1950, reading in part as follows: “Blanche -Camp, joined by her husband E. C. Camp, hereinafter called Seller, acting through the undersigned and duly authorized Agent, hereby sells and 'agrees to convey unto James Donald Hunter and Lela Mae Blunter, hereafter called Purchaser, the following described property : Lying and situated in Lot 12 in Block D of the Blanche Camp Subdivision, Waco, Texas, the purchase price is $995, payable as follows: $995 cash (of which Purchaser has deposited with the undersigned agent as part payment, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged by said Agent) : A Brick veneer structure of approximately 1285 square feet overall, consisting of 6 rooms, with attached garage, is to be constructed at a cost' to purchaser of $8505. An FHA loan, to owner occupant is to be secured for $8400.00 for a period of 25 years, with interest rate of 4¼% plus ½% monthly FHA charge. The difference of $105.00 is to be paid in cash by purchaser or owner occupant. The said executed note to be secured by Vendor’s lien and Deed of Trust with power of sale and with the usual covenants as to taxes, insurance and default.”

The contract further provides that seller is to furnish good and merchantable title to the property, with detailed provisions relating to the furnishing of an abstract, the time within which written objections to the title may be made by the purchaser and the curing of such objections by the seller. The contract concludes as follows: “Purchaser agrees to pay, at time mortgage notes are ready for signature and structure is completed and approved, the approximate amount of $150.00 closing costs, which covers one years prepaid insurance, FHA insurance, attorney fees, etc.”

Appellant and his wife testified that they were driving through the Camp Subdivision looking at houses when Mr. Camp stopped them and engaged them in conversation. They each testified fully and in detail as to the various conversations they had with appellees prior to the time when the sales contract was signed on June 4, 1950. The testimony of each was substantially the same as that of the other. Appellant testified in effect that he told Mr. Camp in their first conversation that he and his wife were looking for a house to purchase, that they had about $1,000. which they could pay on the purchase price of a home and Mr. 'Camp told them he thought they could do 'business with him. Thereupon, Mr. Camp suggested that the Hunters look through a plan book which he exhibited to them, and select the plan they thought would suit them. On a subsequent trip1 to the subdivision the Hunters selected a plan from one of the books furnished by Mr. Camp and were told by him that he could get a loan of $8505 on the house they had selected. They later made another trip to the subdivision, selected Lot 12 in Block D, signed the sales contract, signed various papers which Mr. Camp prepared in connection with securing an FHA loan and a construction contract with Worth Brothers, contractors. Appellant further testified that he paid appellees $850 at the time he signed the contract and a few days later he paid them an additional sum of $100.

[905]*905In reply to specific questions propounded to him as a witness, appellant gave answers as follows:

“Q. Did he (meaning Mr. Camp) say anything to you about the fact that you were purchasing a house and lot, or just a lot? A. He told me that he would build this house, that he had his own contractor out there, these same Worth Brothers. He showed me some of their work out there, which was this lieutenant’s house I spoke of. He asked me how I liked the work and I told him it looked all right to me. He said he was their builder and that he would do the work.
“Q. After that, did you sign the contract? A. Yes, sir. * * *
“Q. Did you ever agree to buy just a lot from Mr. Camp? A. No, sir.
“Q. Would you have bought the lot without a house on it? A. That is the reason for this being in 'here, (referring to the provision in the sales contract with respect to the construction of a brick veneer house) to be sure a house would be built on the lot. I also told him I wanted this in here for that reason. I wanted to be sure I would get the house before I put out what little money I had. And he also told me ‘My boy, if something happens you don’t get this house built, I couldn’t keep your money at all, in the first place. In the second place, I couldn’t afford it in the business I’m in.’
“Q. You and Mrs. Hunter signed "the contract? A. Yes sir.
“Q. And I believe Mrs. Camp signed the contract? A. Yes sir.
“Q. And it is dated June 4, 1950, is that correct? A. That’s right.
“Q. After that, Mr. Hunter, what happened? After you signed the contract? Did you go home? A. I went home, yes.
“Q.

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Bluebook (online)
246 S.W.2d 903, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 1978, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hunter-v-camp-texapp-1952.