Jernigan v. Jernigan

467 S.W.2d 621, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2669
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 13, 1971
Docket7242
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 467 S.W.2d 621 (Jernigan v. Jernigan) 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
Jernigan v. Jernigan, 467 S.W.2d 621, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2669 (Tex. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

KEITH, Justice.

We review interlocutory appeals from the District Court of Uvalde County granting a temporary injunction and denying pleas of privilege. Because of the involved nature of the litigation, an extensive statement of the underlying fact structure is required.

*623 Statement of Case

Our appellant, Bessie Jernigan, brought this suit in Uvalde County, alleging that she was the surviving widow of Neal G. Jernigan, deceased, who died in 1957. She named as parties defendant Vivian Jernigan, individually and as independent executrix of the estate of Neal G. Jernigan, and four individuals alleged to be the “children and heirs at law of said deceased.” Because of the common surname, we will speak of the original plaintiff as “Bessie”, the primary defendant as “Vivian”, and the decedent as “Neal”.

Bessie alleged that she and Neal were lawfully married in 1914 and “were never legally divorced and said marriage was dissolved by the death of said deceased [Neal] as aforesaid.” She sought to avoid the legal effect of a separation agreement entered into with Neal in 1931, and contended that all of the property owned by Neal at the time of his death in 1957 was the community property acquired during their marriage. According to her allegations, this community property included the Walcott Ranch in Uvalde County, purchased in 1957, as well as many items of personal property, including cash, bonds, livestock, etc., alleged to be situated in Uvalde County. She included elaborate allegations to the effect that the separation agreement was void and of no effect and contended that she is “entitled to have said so-called [separation] agreement cancelled, set aside and held for naught and removed as a cloud from plaintiff’s title to the real and personal property here in suit.”

Further allegations were to the effect that Vivian had qualified as independent executrix of Neal’s estate and that she and the other original defendants, who were children of Neal, “controvert the title and rights of plaintiff herein asserted and sued for.” She estimated the value of the land and personal property “here in suit” was in excess of $300,000.00.

Two additional defendants were named in an amended pleading filed by Bessie, and apparently they filed pleas of privilege along with Vivian. However, these pleas of privilege were waived and Vivian and the two added defendants answered to the merits. The other four original defendants appeared generally, although none were alleged to be residents of Uvalde County.

Vivian’s answer to the merits was also elaborate but it is sufficient to say that she too claimed to be Neal’s widow, and she tendered many legal and equitable defenses by her pleading. She attached to her answer certified copies of probate proceedings from Edwards County, showing her to be the duly qualified and acting independent executrix of Neal’s estate. Vivian’s amended pleadings also contained a cross-action against Bessie, two of the original defendants, and a third party complaint against one Hearnsberger. She alleged that Bessie and certain of the other defendants were wrongfully and illegally in possession of thousands of acres of land, most of which was situated in Edwards County, in addition to that described in Bessie’s pleading which was located in Uvalde County; that said cross-defendants were abusing said lands by over-grazing the same to her irreparable injury and damage for which she had no clear, complete, and adequate remedy at law, etc. Further allegations were to the effect that Bessie, et al, were about to make and enter into hunting leases with Hearnsberger upon some of the lands, but the location thereof is not set out with particularity.

In her cross-action, Vivian sought appropriate orders requiring the cross-defendants “to cease and desist placing livestock on such premises, and a mandatory injunction * * * to remove all of their livestock * * * [and] from making * * * any commercial hunting lease or leases with Walter Hearnsberger or any other person or persons.” She also sought, on final hearing, damages and “possession of such premises,” as well as general relief.

Bessie, along with her other cross-defendants and the third-party defendant, all *624 filed their pleas of privilege to be sued in the county of their domicile — the Jernigan cross-defendants alleged themselves to be residents of Edwards County and Hearnsberger of Nacogdoches County. In addition, all except Hearnsberger filed elaborate pleas to the jurisdiction of the court, asserting: (a) the injunctive aspect of the case should have been returnable to Edwards County under the provisions of Article 4656, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St., which court was alleged to have the sole jurisdiction thereof; and, (b) the pendency of prior litigation begun by Vivian in Edwards County in Cause No. 2399, and a suit brought by Bessie against Vivian in Edwards County, No. 2409. The Edwards County litigation (copies of the pleadings therein being attached to the answers) was alleged to involve the same Edwards County lands mentioned in Vivian’s cross-action, an identity of the parties, and of the subject matter of the pending litigation. At a later time, the cross-defendants pleaded that Vivian’s cross-action was an effort to thwart the jurisdiction of the District Court of Edwards County “in order to fraudulently try to claim venue and jurisdiction [in Uvalde County] as to each and all of the lands in Edwards County.”

Vivian filed what is denominated in our record as a “controverting affidavit” wherein she denied that Article 1995, § 14 was applicable, and she incorporated therein her amended answer and cross-action by reference. She swore to this instrument and claimed that § 14 was inapplicable, saying:

* * * for the reason that the parties and the cause of action as regards said lands in Edwards County and the lands in Uvalde County are identical, and further in this connection cross-plaintiff shows that this Cause, No. 9,882, was filed prior to the said suits in Edwards County, and this Court, therefore, has prior exclusive jurisdiction, and the orders and all proceedings in the subsequent suits in Edwards County are void because the District Court of Edwards County did not acquire any jurisdiction in such proceeding, and cross-plaintiff says that no exception to exclusive venue in County of one’s residence provided by law exists in this cause.”

At the conclusion of the single hearing, the trial court entered one order which: (a) overruled and denied the several pleas of privilege filed by the cross-defendants and the third-party defendant; (b) overruled the jurisdictional plea based upon Article 4656, V.A.C.S.; (c) overruled the pleas to the jurisdiction because of the pendency of the Edwards County litigation; (d) continued in effect a prior restraining order issued in the Edwards County litigation

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Bluebook (online)
467 S.W.2d 621, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2669, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jernigan-v-jernigan-texapp-1971.