Jasper Independent School District v. Dealers Electrical Supply

562 S.W.2d 551, 1978 Tex. App. LEXIS 2940
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 16, 1978
DocketNo. 5838
StatusPublished

This text of 562 S.W.2d 551 (Jasper Independent School District v. Dealers Electrical Supply) 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
Jasper Independent School District v. Dealers Electrical Supply, 562 S.W.2d 551, 1978 Tex. App. LEXIS 2940 (Tex. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

HALL, Justice.

This is a venue case involving subdivisions 5 and 29a of the venue statute.

Dealers Electrical Supply sold electrical equipment and supplies on an open account to G. L. & H., Inc., an electrical contractor. A part of the merchandise was delivered to the premises of Jasper Independent School District for installation by G. L. & H. on School District’s buildings under a contract [552]*552between G. L. & H. and District, and stored in a room in one of District’s buildings. G. L. & H. abandoned its contract with District before completion, and defaulted on payment of its account with Dealers.

Dealers brought this suit in McLennan County on a sworn open account against G. L. & H. and District to recover $13,289.54, the balance owed on the account, and for sequestration and sale of the supplies stored on District’s premises. G. L. & H. is a resident of Angelina County, and District is a resident of Jasper County. G. L. & H. did not respond to the suit, but District filed a plea of privilege to be sued in the county of its residence. This is the only pleading by District in the record before us. Dealers controverted the plea of privilege, and asserted that the suit could be maintained in McLennan County (1) against G. L. & H. under the provisions of subdivision 5 venue statute (Article 1995, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St.), and (2) against District under the provisions of subdivision 29a of the venue statute. After a hearing without a jury the plea of privilege was overruled. District appeals. We affirm.

Subdivision 5 of article 1995 provides that if a defendant has contracted in writing to perform an obligation in a particular county, expressly naming the county or a definite place therein in the writing, then suit upon that obligation may be brought against the defendant in that county.

Subdivision 29a provides that if a suit with two or more defendants may be maintained under the provisions of article 1995 in the county where filed against any one of the defendants, then it may also be maintained there “against any and all necessary parties thereto.” Our Supreme Court has ruled that a party is a necessary party within the meaning of this subdivision “if the complete relief to which plaintiff is entitled under the facts of the case as against the defendant properly suable in that county can be obtained only in a suit to which both defendants are parties.” Union Bus Lines v. Byrd, 142 Tex. 257, 177 S.W.2d 774, 775 (1944).

District contends the record does not establish (1) that G. L. & H. agreed in writing to pay its account with Dealers in McLen-nan County as required by subdivision 5 of the venue statute, nor (2) that District is a necessary party to Dealers’s suit against G. L. & H. within the meaning of subdivision 29a.

Dealers attached nine invoices to its petition and incorporated the invoices by reference in support of its sworn account. These invoices represent merchandise sold to G. L. & H. and delivered by Dealers to District’s premises for use by G. L. & H. under G. L. & H.’s contract with District. Under “TERMS” printed on its face, each invoice contained the statement that it was, “Payable in Waco, McLennan County, Texas.” Six of the nine invoices were signed by Mike Martin under the words, “Received By.” Dealers expressly pleaded that “venue of this action is in Waco, McLennan County, Texas by virtue of written agreements forming a part of the contract with G. L. & H., Inc., . . . wherein [G. L. & H.] by signed acceptance of merchandise from Plaintiff agreed that the invoices representing the merchandise were payable in Waco, McLennan County, Texas, as per the attached copies of invoices . . . ” The invoices are a part of the evidence in the case. The proof also shows that payments made by G. L. & H. on its account with Dealers were always made at Dealer’s office in Waco, McLennan County, Texas.

The invoices containing written provisions for payment in McLennan County and signed by G. L. & H. were “contracts in writing to perform an obligation in a particular county” within the meaning of the venue statute. Berry v. Pierce Petroleum Corp., 120 Tex. 452, 39 S.W.2d 824, 825 (1931); Grimes v. Pure Milk & Ice Cream Company, 527 S.W.2d 508, 510 (Tex.Civ.App.—Waco 1975, writ dism.). They support venue in McLennan County on Dealers’s suit against G. L. & H. although all invoices upon which the suit is based were not signed by G. L. & H. Warner v. Gohlman, Lester & Co., 117 Tex. 145, 298 S.W. 890, 891 (1927); Kimbell, Inc. v. Baker, 523 [553]*553S.W.2d 956, 958 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth 1975, no writ).

District argues in its brief that the record does not show any relationship between the person named “Mike Martin” who signed the invoices and the parties to the suit. We disagree. District’s business manager (who was also District’s representative at the plea of privilege hearing) testified directly that the Mike Martin who signed the invoices “is a G. L. & H. man, he is not employed by us.” As we have already shown, the execution of the invoices by G. L. & H., pleaded by Dealers, has not been denied. Rule 93, Vernon’s Tex.Rules Civ.Proc., requires such denial to be made under oath in order to place it in issue.

The record shows that District determined to substantially renovate its school buildings. Believing it would save money by not employing a general contractor for the work, District chose to deal directly with the electricians, carpenters, plumbers and others who would make the repairs. It contracted with G. L. & H. for the electrical work.

G. L. & H.’s total contract with District was for $44,990.00, which included labor, fixtures and supplies. G. L. & H. bought the fixtures and supplies for this job (and others) from Dealers on open account. Under supervision of its architect, District permitted G. L. & H. certain “draws” as it completed the electrical work. G. L. & H. began the work in the Fall of 1976. On January 6, 1977, the architect approved $10,000.00 electrical materials and fixtures stored on the project site; and, based upon this, District paid G. L. & H. the sum of $7,434.16 on January 10th after deducting retainage. This left a balance of $12,800.00 not paid to G. L. & H. under its contract with District. The fixtures and materials for which this payment was made by District had been delivered to the job site by Dealers in the middle of December, 1976, for which G. L. & H. was billed $11,835.00 by Dealers.

On January 14, 1977, Dealers effected written notice to District by certified mail that G. L. & H. was indebted to Dealers for $13,289.54 for fixtures and supplies delivered to G. L. & H.

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Related

Kimbell, Inc. v. Baker
523 S.W.2d 956 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1975)
Moody Day Co. v. Westview National Bank, Waco
441 S.W.2d 294 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1969)
Berry v. Pierce Petroleum Corporation
39 S.W.2d 824 (Texas Supreme Court, 1931)
Union Bus Lines v. Byrd
177 S.W.2d 774 (Texas Supreme Court, 1944)
Warner v. Gohlman, Lester Co., Inc.
298 S.W. 890 (Texas Supreme Court, 1927)
Grimes v. Pure Milk & Ice Cream Co.
527 S.W.2d 508 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1975)

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Bluebook (online)
562 S.W.2d 551, 1978 Tex. App. LEXIS 2940, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jasper-independent-school-district-v-dealers-electrical-supply-texapp-1978.