in the Interest of A.E.A., a Child

406 S.W.3d 404, 2013 WL 3761309, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 8935
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided July 18, 2013·No. 02-12-00510-CV·Published·Cited by 58 cases

Opinion

OPINION

SUE WALKER, Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

This is an appeal from a bench trial in a high-conflict suit affecting the parent-child relationship. 1 Appellant David Harris appeals from a judgment giving Appellee Ginger Adams the exclusive right to make decisions concerning the education of their son, A.E.A. In two issues, David argues that the evidence is insufficient to support the trial court’s finding of a material and substantial change in circumstances and that the trial court infringed on his due process rights. We will affirm.

II. Factual and PROCEDURAL Background

When David and Ginger divorced in February 2008, A.E.A. was enrolled in preschool and was about to turn five years old. The divorce decree provided for joint conservatorship, and both David and Ginger were given “the right subject to the agreement of the other parent conservator, and further subject to the orders of the Court herein below[,] to make decisions concerning the child’s education.” The divorce decree also included the following “Special Provisions for Education”:

18. The Court finds that it is in the best interest of the minor child to continue attending Créme de la Creme preschool until such time as the minor child shall begin attending elementary school, AND IT IS SO ORDERED.
19. The court finds that it is in the best interest of the minor child to attend Greenhill private school when he becomes eligible, AND IT IS SO ORDERED. The Court further finds that the parties may agree in writing for the minor child to attend a different school!,] and in that event!,] the minor child shall attend the school so agreed upon, AND IT IS SO ORDERED.
*409 20. The Court finds that [DAVID HARRIS] shall continue to pay the expenses for the minor child to attend Créme de la Créme, AND IT IS SO ORDERED.
■ 21. The Court finds that [DAVID HARRIS] shall pay all tuition and expenses of the minor child to attend Greenhill private school including expenses necessary for the minor child to participate in school activities, AND IT IS SO ORDERED.
22. The Court finds that since it will be necessary for [DAVID HARRIS] to make arrangements to pay for the expenses of attending Greenhill private school, that [DAVID HARRIS] shall make any necessary application, enroll the minor child[,] and make any necessary arrangements with Greenhill private school in order for the minor child to attend, AND IT IS SO ORDERED.

After the divorce decree was signed, A.E.A. completed preschool and kindergarten at Créme de la Créme but was not granted admission to Greenhill. A.E.A. attended elementary school in the Piano Independent School District.

In September 2010, David filed a petition to modify the parent-child relationship in which he alleged that there had been a material and substantial change in circumstances since the signing of the divorce decree. Among the modifications David requested was that he be appointed as the person with the exclusive right to make decisions concerning the child’s education.

Ginger answered and filed a counterpetition to modify, alleging that the circumstances had materially and substantially changed since the date of the divorce decree. Ginger requested, among other modifications, that she be appointed as the person with the exclusive right to make decisions regarding the child’s education, including the decision of where the child shall attend school. Ginger also requested that temporary orders be made ordering David to pay child support. 2

After hearing argument on the competing motions, the trial court signed a modification order, setting aside as moot the entire section of the divorce decree entitled “Special Provisions for Education” and granting Ginger the exclusive right to make decisions concerning the child’s education. David requested findings of fact and conclusions of law, which the trial court made, and filed a motion for new trial raising due process complaints. This appeal followed.

III. Judicial Admission of Material and Substantial Change in Circumstances

In his first issue, David argues that there is no evidence of a material and substantial change in circumstances since the divorce decree was signed to warrant a modification of the final decree.

Under section 156.101 of the Texas Family Code, a trial court may modify conservatorship of a child if (1) the modification is in the child’s best interest and (2) the circumstances of the child, a conservator, or other party affected by the existing conservatorship order have materially and substantially changed since the rendition of the existing order. Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 156.101(a)(1)(A) (West Supp. *410 2012); In re L.C.L., 396 S.W.3d 712, 718 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2013, no pet.). One party’s allegation of changed circumstances of the parties constitutes a judicial admission of the common element of changed circumstances of the parties in the other party’s similar pleading. L.C.L., 396 S.W.3d at 718 (citing Delaney v. Scheer, No. 03-02-00273-CV, 2003 WL 247110, at *5 (Tex.App.-Austin Feb. 6, 2003, no pet.) (mem. op.)). Admissions in trial pleadings are judicial admissions in the case in which the pleadings are filed; the facts judicially admitted require no proof and preclude the introduction of evidence to the contrary. Id.; see also Houston First Am. Sav. v. Musick, 650 S.W.2d 764, 767 (Tex.1983). Thus, a “judicial admission is conclusive upon the party making it, ... relieves the opposing party’s burden of proving the admitted fact, and bars the admitting part[y] from disputing it.” Hennigan v. I.P. Petroleum Co., 858 S.W.2d 371, 372 (Tex.1993) (quoting Mendoza v. Fid. & Guar. Ins. Underwriters, Inc., 606 S.W.2d 692, 694 (Tex.1980)). This rule is based on the public policy that it would be absurd and manifestly unjust to permit a party to recover after he has sworn himself out of court by a clear and unequivocal statement. U.S. Fid. & Guar. Co. v. Carr, 242 S.W.2d 224, 229 (Tex.Civ.App.-San Antonio 1951, writ ref'd).

As set forth above, David and Ginger both filed motions to modify.

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in the Interest of A.E.A., a Child, 406 S.W.3d 404, 2013 WL 3761309, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 8935 (Tex. Ct. App. 2013).

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