Knupp v. Miller

858 S.W.2d 945, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2170, 1993 WL 284887
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 1, 1993
Docket09-92-170 CV
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 858 S.W.2d 945 (Knupp v. Miller) 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
Knupp v. Miller, 858 S.W.2d 945, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2170, 1993 WL 284887 (Tex. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinions

OPINION

BROOKSHIRE, Justice.

The form of the action was in the nature of a trespass to try title case. More importantly, the suit was to recover the value of timber that was wrongfully cut and removed from a tract of land. As well, the plaintiff below sought damages for the cost and expense of restoring the land to its former condition. A juried proceeding resulted in the jury questions being answered favorably to the plaintiff below, A.A. Miller, appellee here.

In fact, the jury answered all the issues favorably to appellee. The jury found for the appellee on several statutes of limitations including the three-year statute, the five-year statute, the ten-year statute, and the twenty-five year statute. The jury found a dollar value measured by the timber cut from Miller’s property. As well, the jury significantly found that the timber was cut willfully, wantonly and in total disregard to the rights of the plaintiff, awarding the manufactured value. Attorney’s fees were awarded for the successful plaintiff Miller. Specifically, the jury found that the stumpage value of the timber cut was $10,000. In jury question number ten, the jury was asked:

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the cutting of the timber from the land in controversy was done by the defendants willfully, wantonly and with total disregard for the rights of A.A. Miller?
Answer “Yes” or “No”.
Answer: Yes

In answer to question number eleven the jury found that the manufactured value of the timber was $18,850. The attorney’s fees awarded were for the preparation and services through the trial proceedings— $3,300; for representing A.A. Miller on appeal, if any, in the Court of Appeals— $1,500; and for representing A.A. Miller on the appeal, if any, in the Supreme Court of Texas — $1,500.

Miller pleaded that the defendants entered onto the land owned by him and cut timber off of approximately 12.5 acres without permission of the plaintiff Miller and that the defendants were without ownership interest in the said property. Further, that the entering upon the plaintiff’s land and the cutting of the said timber was willful, wanton and in total disregard to the rights of the plaintiff. The cutting was maliciously done. The defense was that the land from which the timber was cut or harvested was owned by Jill Reed and James Douglas and that such title was alleged to be for 11.5 acres of land more or less described in a conveyance from Everette Rhodes to W.W. Honea dated March [947]*94713, 1934, and recorded in Volume 47 at page 564 of the Deed Records of Newton County, Texas.

Plaintiff filed a first amended petition and added several defendants including one John Knupp. Miller in his first amended petition specifically pleaded the three-year statute of limitation of the State of Texas, the five-year statute of limitation, the ten-year statute of limitation, and the twenty-five year statute of limitation. By an amended answer, the defendants denied that there was any timber harvested from lands belonging to Miller. On that basic issue the case was tried. The real issue was who owned the timber.

The plaintiff acquired title to his 12.5 acres of land in question by a certain deed dated June 17, 1959, from Bernell Kerr. The plaintiff diligently went upon the land and found and located his corners. He marked his lines. Thereafter he sold pulpwood timber off of his 12.5 acres. Significantly, he signed a contract with Louisiana Pacific Company for that company to help him manage and properly produce and grow the timber. This management program included the burning off of the tract and properly maintaining it for timber growth on his 12.5 acres. Miller continuously kept his property lines marked right up until the date of the cutting of the timber.

Miller had purchased the 12.5 acre tract which was the more easterly tract of land out of a larger tract of land containing about 24.5 acres more or less. This 24.5 acre tract had been owned by Harriet Bean and Albert Bean. The purchase and acquisition of this 12.5 acre tract by the plaintiff was proved. The purchase was evidenced by admitting before the jury plaintiffs exhibit number eight. Miller’s 12.5 acre tract was and is located adjacent or near to a 24 acre tract of land owned by a Mr. Lura Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes was quite familiar with Miller’s 12.5 acre tract of land. Miller’s 12.5 acres was originally owned by certain aunts and kinfolks of the wife of Lura Rhodes.

Rhodes testified that when he was approximately thirteen years of age and thereafter for five years, he had plowed the 12.5 acre tract. Subsequent to his eighteenth birthday, Rhodes had frequently hunted upon the tract until it was sold by his wife’s relatives to a Mr. Bernell Kerr. Bernell Kerr was the plaintiff’s immediate predecessor in title. Mr. Rhodes clearly testified that the 12.5 acre tract that had been owned by his wife’s relatives had been sold by Mr. Kerr to A.A. Miller. Significantly and importantly, Mr. Rhodes testified that after Miller purchased the 12.5 acre tract, Miller and Mr. Rhodes had a common boundary which was evidenced and maintained by means of a fence. Miller’s south boundary line joined Rhodes’ northern boundary line. Rhodes had actually seen and observed Miller maintaining Miller’s property line. Rhodes observed and saw Miller when Miller was cutting bushes, burning the underbrush, and cutting off pulpwood. Rhodes testified that Miller’s 12.5 acre tract had a beautiful stand of timber on it — -it being the more easterly tract of the 24.5 acre Harriet and Albert Bean tract. However, the more westerly tract which was an 11.5 acre tract claimed by defendants did not have good timber standing. A contended-for — but not viable — issue in this case is that the property description in Miller’s deed had a beginning point which was referenced as the southeast corner of a 24 acre Allie and James Powell tract. If this false point is used as a beginning point, it would place Miller’s 12.5 acres outside the entire original Bean 24.5 acre tract. This is obviously a mistaken point but the remaining calls and description of Miller’s tract are correct.

Interestingly, the 11.5 acre tract which the defendants claim is their property and from which they contend that the timber in question was actually cut from, likewise has an incorrect beginning point. This said incorrect beginning point is the northeast corner of the so-called “22.5 acre tract”. Using this incorrect beginning corner, the said defendants’ tract of land, being 11.5 acres, would be completely outside the original Bean 24.5 acre tract. In this unusual record the plaintiff Miller proved and the record conclusively confirms that the deed into Jill J. Reed and James Douglas [948]*948definitely locates their 11.5 acre tract as being the westerly 11.5 acres out of the Bean 24.5 acre tract. Interestingly, the deed into Jill Reed and James Douglas from LOUISIANA-PACIFIC CORPORATION contains unusual recitations; e.g.:

BEGINNING at the Northeast (should be Northwest) corner of a 22VÍ2 (should be 24V2) acre tract now owned by Harriett and Albert Bean;

A surveyor, Wallace DuBose, testified. He was asked to determine whether the 12.5 acre tract owned by Miller was the most easterly tract of the original Bean 24.5 acre tract or if the 11.5 acre tract alleged to be owned by the defendants was the more easterly tract. Mr.

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Knupp v. Miller
858 S.W.2d 945 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1993)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
858 S.W.2d 945, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2170, 1993 WL 284887, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/knupp-v-miller-texapp-1993.