in Re: Max B. Hanson

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided February 27, 2015·No. 12-14-00015-CV·Published

Opinion

NO. 12-14-00015-CV

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT

TYLER, TEXAS

IN RE: §

MAX B. HANSON, § ORIGINAL PROCEEDING

RELATOR §

MEMORANDUM OPINION Max B. Hanson, Relator, requests a writ of mandamus directing the trial court to reinstate the mediated settlement agreement signed by Relator and his wife, Marie-Claude L. Hanson, and render a judgment enforcing the settlement‟s terms. The respondent is the Honorable Robert K. Inselmann, Jr., former Judge of the County Court at Law Number 1, Angelina County, Texas. 1 Relator raises three issues asserting that the trial court abused its discretion by voiding the parties‟ mediated settlement agreement because it is irrevocable and not subject to a fraud defense, Marie‟s fraud defense is not supported by evidence, and Marie is estopped from challenging their agreement. We conditionally grant the petition.

BACKGROUND The Hansons are in the process of getting a divorce. On December 13, 2012, they signed a mediated settlement agreement (MSA) pursuant to Family Code Section 6.602. They agreed on the division of their marital property and debts. Marie agreed to provide certain documents to Relator and to prepare the couple‟s tax returns. Relator was to pay the first $5,000.00 in taxes, and the parties were jointly responsible for taxes above $5,000.00. Relator agreed to pay Marie $62,500.00 within the following six months. In the early months of 2013, the parties‟ attorneys exchanged letters regarding the property division and the 2010 through 2012 taxes. Each side 1 The respondent is now Judge of the 217th Judicial District Court, Angelina County. However, he has been assigned to the underlying trial court cause (No. DV-00731-12-01) by the Honorable Olen Underwood, Presiding Judge of the Second Administrative Judicial Region of Texas. requested documentation from the other side. In July, Marie filed a motion to set aside the MSA due to Relator‟s alleged “willful non-disclosure, misrepresentation and fraud.” By the fall of 2013, the 2011 and 2012 tax returns had still not been filed, and Relator moved for judgment enforcing the MSA and for a final decree of divorce. After an evidentiary hearing, Respondent rendered an order granting Marie‟s motion to set aside the MSA. Relator filed this original proceeding challenging the trial court‟s order.

JURISDICTION Marie contends that Relator‟s failure to timely file a request for findings of fact and conclusions of law and a notice of past due findings of fact and conclusions of law prevents consideration of his petition. Specifically, she asserts as follows:

This Court lacks jurisdiction because Petitioner [has] failed to observe Rule 296, 297, and 306(a) of the Rules of Civil Procedure and now petition this Court for Mandamus based in no small part on the absence of Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law which they caused. Relator‟s Petition for Mandamus should not be permitted when these prerequisites to appellate relief have been ignored.

Jurisdiction refers to the power of a court, under the constitution and laws, to determine the merits of an action between the parties and render judgment. Ysasaga v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 279 S.W.3d 858, 864 (Tex. App.–Dallas 2009, pet. denied). Findings of fact and conclusions of law are useful in determining the merits of the parties‟ claims, but their absence does not deprive this court of jurisdiction. They are not mandatory for a pretrial hearing, as no trial has occurred. See Surgitek, Inc. v. Adams, 955 S.W.2d 884, 889 (Tex. App.–Corpus Christi 1997, pet. dism‟d by agr.). Although Relator filed his request for findings and conclusions before the judgment was signed, it is deemed timely. TEX. R. CIV. P. 306c. The failure to file a notice of past due findings and conclusions, where applicable, results merely in the waiver of his complaint that the trial court did not file findings and conclusions. See Las Vegas Pecan & Cattle Co. v. Zavala Cnty., 682 S.W.2d 254, 255-56 (Tex. 1984). Marie‟s argument that this court lacks jurisdiction has no merit.

PREREQUISITES TO MANDAMUS Mandamus issues only to correct a clear abuse of discretion, or the violation of a duty imposed by law, where there is no adequate remedy by appeal. In re Daisy Mfg. Co., 17 S.W.3d

2 654, 658 (Tex. 2000) (orig. proceeding) (per curiam). The question of whether the trial court erroneously refused to render judgment on an MSA is a proper subject for mandamus. In re Lee, 411 S.W.3d 445, 450 n.7 (Tex. 2013) (orig. proceeding). A failure by the trial court to properly analyze or apply the law constitutes an abuse of discretion. Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833, 840 (Tex. 1992) (orig. proceeding). To demonstrate an abuse of discretion of a trial court‟s resolution of factual matters, the relator must establish that the trial court could reasonably have reached only one decision and that its finding to the contrary is arbitrary and unreasonable. Id. The reviewing court may not substitute its judgment for that of the trial court. Id. at 839. In other words, the appellate court defers to the trial court‟s factual determinations if they are supported by the evidence, but reviews the trial court‟s legal determinations de novo. In re Labatt Food Serv., L.P., 279 S.W.3d 640, 643 (Tex. 2009) (orig. proceeding). Thus, we review the trial court‟s determination that an MSA is or is not enforceable, which is a conclusion of law, de novo. Boyd v. Boyd, 67 S.W.3d 398, 404 (Tex. App.–Fort Worth 2002, no pet.).

THE MEDIATED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT In his first issue, Relator asserts that the parties signed an irrevocable MSA pursuant to Family Code Section 6.602 and therefore the trial court abused its discretion by granting Marie‟s motion to set it aside. In his second issue, he asserts that the MSA is not subject to a common law defense or exception for fraud or deceit, and the evidence does not establish such a defense or exception. Finally, in his third issue, he contends that Marie is estopped from challenging the MSA because she retained substantial settlement benefits. Section 6.602 Texas Family Code Section 6.602 governs mediated settlement agreements incident to divorce. (b) A mediated settlement agreement is binding on the parties if the agreement: (1) provides, in a prominently displayed statement that is in boldfaced type or capital letters or underlined, that the agreement is not subject to revocation; (2) is signed by each party to the agreement; and (3) is signed by the party‟s attorney, if any, who is present at the time the agreement is signed. (c) If a mediated settlement agreement meets the requirements of this Section, a party is entitled to judgment on the mediated settlement agreement notwithstanding Rule 11, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, or another rule of law.

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 6.602 (West 2006).

3 We review questions of statutory construction de novo. In re Lee, 411 S.W.3d at 450. The plain meaning of Section 6.602 is that an MSA that complies with the statute is irrevocable and a party to one is entitled to judgment based on the agreement. Cayan v. Cayan, 38 S.W.3d 161, 165 (Tex. App.–Houston [14th Dist.] 2000, pet. denied).

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