Ives v. Watson

521 S.W.2d 930, 1975 Tex. App. LEXIS 2690
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 27, 1975
Docket7683
StatusPublished
Cited by42 cases

This text of 521 S.W.2d 930 (Ives v. Watson) 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
Ives v. Watson, 521 S.W.2d 930, 1975 Tex. App. LEXIS 2690 (Tex. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

*932 KEITH, Justice.

Defendant appeals from a judgment wherein plaintiff recovered judgment for the market value of 5900 shares of stock in a corporation known as Universal Mobile Services, Inc. Following the non-jury trial, the trial court filed extensive findings of fact and conclusions of law; but, on this appeal, we are without a statement of facts. 1

In presenting the nature of the case and the contentions of the parties, we are compelled to rely exclusively upon the pleadings and the findings of fact made by the trial court. In so doing, we will bear in mind several rules enunciated recently in Austin Paving Co. v. Cimarron Construction, Inc., 511 S.W.2d 417, 419 (Tex.Civ.App.—Austin 1974, no writ): (a) If the findings of fact are susceptible of different constructions, they will be construed to be in harmony with the judgment and to support it; (b) every presumption will be indulged in favor of the trial court’s findings and judgment. 2 Moreover, as said in Arlington Bank & Trust v. Nowell Motors, Inc., 511 S.W.2d 415, 416 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth 1974, no writ), since the defendant requested the trial court to file such findings, and did not request any additional findings, the findings of the trial court are binding on the parties and this court. Additionally, defendant is powerless to make a viable complaint as to the legal sufficiency of the evidence to support the judgment in the absence of a statement of facts. Id.

However, even without a statement of facts, it is our duty to review the correctness of the legal conclusions drawn from the facts actually found by the trial court. Dutchover v. Dutchover, 334 S.W.2d 569, 571 (Tex.Civ.App.—El Paso 1960, no writ) ; 4 McDonald, Texas Civil Practice § 16.10 at 30 (Rev.Vol.1971).

According to the findings of fact, in July 1971, the parties entered into an oral agreement whereby plaintiff would execute a note to a bank in the amount of $25,000, which was additionally secured by 40,000 shares of stock in Mobile Enterprises, Inc., then owned by defendant. Defendant agreed to repay such loan “to the best of his ability on the security of assets of both parties pledged to the Bank and would give to Plaintiff ten percent of his position in Mobile Enterprises, Inc.” Plaintiff put up no security with the bank.

Defendant received the face amount of the note, plus an additional $5,000 when the note was renewed at the bank. The oral agreement was entered into in contemplation of Mobile Enterprises “qualifying its shares to go public for public sale.” Mobile did not issue its public offering but merged with Universal Mobile Services, Inc., in April of 1972, and defendant received 80,000 shares of stock in Universal for his 40,000 shares in Mobile. In April of 1972, Universal went public and defendant paid off the bank note. In July 1972, plaintiff demanded his ten percent of defendant’s net holdings in Universal and threatened suit if such shares were not delivered. On August 29, 1972, defendant delivered one 1500-shares certificate (registered in his name) to plaintiff which has been “in the possession and control of and used by Plaintiff on and after” such date.

The Court found the fair cash market value of the stock of Universal to be $22 per share in July of 1972 when defendant “breached an agreement with the Plaintiff *933 to deliver him ten percent of Defendant's stock position” in Universal. The Court also found that defendant should have delivered to plaintiff 7400 shares of Universal in July 1972; but, having delivered only 1500 shares, he owed plaintiff the market value of the 590 shares undelivered.

The Court concluded that the oral agreement was “to assist the Defendant”, and plaintiff’s execution of the note was a “part of such assistance.” The critical conclusion of law is this:

“The agreement between the Parties Plaintiff and Defendant was a joint venture agreement whereby the Parties pooled assets to secure the loan at the . Bank and participated together in the making of the loan and the delivery of the moneys of the loan to Defendant.”

The further conclusions were to the effect that the parties “had an interest . [90/10] ... in the stock position of Defendant” in Universal at the time “Defendant breached the joint venture agreement.”

Defendant challenges the judgment with several multifarious points of error. For instance, point one complains that it was error to enter judgment based upon a conclusion that there was a joint venture because (a) there were no findings supporting the conclusion of law; and (b) plaintiff had no pleadings which would support either the findings of fact or conclusions of law. Point two is subject to the same infirmity. Although we are committed to a liberal interpretation of the rules relating to the composition of briefs, we decline to consider these points of error. See Barber v. Corpus Christi Bank & Trust, 506 S.W.2d 254, 257-258 (Tex.Civ.App.—Corpus Christi 1974, no writ), where the authorities are collected and analyzed.

However, the basic thrust of points one and two are contained in point four which is not subject to the objection of being multifarious. It is quoted in the margin. 3

We have reviewed carefully plaintiff’s pleadings and find no mention of “joint venture” therein. We do not consider this to be a fatal defect since “[p]leadings simply outline the issues.” Hidalgo v. Surety Savings and Loan Association, 462 S.W.2d 540, 543 (Tex.1971). Moreover, the question of joint venture may have been tried by consent. Ames v. Putz, 495 S.W.2d 581, 582 (Tex.Civ.App.—Eastland 1973, writ ref’d); 2 McDonald, Texas Civil Practice § 5.18, at 55, et seq. (1970 Rev. Vol.). In the absence of a statement of facts, we are unable to determine that such theory was not tried by consent, express or implied. Point four is overruled.

Point three is composed of four lettered subdivisions and we first direct our attention to subdivision “B” thereof reading: “That when appellant delivered to ap-pellee fifteen hundred shares of stock which were accepted by appellant, that there was an accord and satisfaction as a matter of law.” We disagree.

In the recent case of Jenkins v. Henry C. Beck Company, 449 S.W.2d 454, 455 (Tex.1969), the Court restated the rules governing the defense of accord and satisfaction. For the defense to be made, the party relying thereon must establish the existence of six conditions. Under our abbreviated record, we are unable to conclude that defendant established such defense as a matter of fact or of law. See also, Texas Gulf Sulphur Company v.

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Bluebook (online)
521 S.W.2d 930, 1975 Tex. App. LEXIS 2690, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ives-v-watson-texapp-1975.