Krenek v. SOUTH TEXAS ELECTRIC CO-OPERATIVE, INC.

502 S.W.2d 605, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2683
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 30, 1973
Docket800
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 502 S.W.2d 605 (Krenek v. SOUTH TEXAS ELECTRIC CO-OPERATIVE, INC.) 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
Krenek v. SOUTH TEXAS ELECTRIC CO-OPERATIVE, INC., 502 S.W.2d 605, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2683 (Tex. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

OPINION

NYE, Chief Justice.

This is a condemnation case. South Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc., appellee herein, sought to acquire an easement across the appellants’ property for an electric transmission line. The case was tried before a jury in a district court which answered all of the issues as to the damages for the taking. Appellants’ main contention in this case, however, was that the appellee acted arbitrarily and capriciously in its selection of the specific route of the easement across appellants’ property. From an unfavorable judgment on this last aspect of the case, appellants have perfected their appeal.

The appellee filed its petition to condemn an easement for an electric transmission line across appellants’ property. The appellants answered the suit by seeking a temporary injunction enjoining the appellee from constructing the transmission line pending a hearing on the merits. No action was had on appellants’ application for the temporary injunction nor did appellants attempt to get their application heard. The line was built as proposed by the appellee prior to the trial on the merits. This sets up the basis for appellee’s cross-point of error; that they are entitled to an affirmance of the judgment of the trial court as a matter of law.

The present case was submitted upon five special issues. The first issue inquired as to whether or not the route selected by appellee over the land of the appellants was selected arbitrarily and capriciously. The jury brought in answers to issues 2 through 5, which inquired about the values of appellants’ property, but were unable to agree upon an answer to the first issue. The first issue (inquiring whether appellee’s route selection was arbitrary and capricious) was finally withdrawn from the jury and judgment was entered by the trial court upon the remaining jury verdict.

The appellants’ complaint on appeal concerns primarily this first special issue. It includes the failure of the trial court to declare a mistrial because the jury was unable to reach a verdict; withdrawing special issue number one from the jury; refusing to permit the introduction of certain evidence allegedly supporting the first issue; and refusing to give a proper definition of the terms arbitrary and capricious.

The entry of a temporary injunction in a condemnation type case is the appropriate remedy where the threatened taking of property is void. For example, an action under an unconstitutional or inapplicable statute would support such an injunction. See Lone Star Gas Co. v. City of Fort Worth, 128 Tex. 392, 98 S.W. 2d 799 (1936).

But where such relief is founded strictly upon the arbitrary, capricious, illegal or fraudulent action on the part of the condemning authority, then there must be convincing evidence, because broad discretion is vested in those to whom the power of eminent domain is delegated. As a general rule, the courts will not disturb their action in the absence of proof of fraud, bad faith or the gross abuse of discretion. Webb v. Dameron, 219 S.W.2d 581 (Tex.Civ.App. — Amarillo 1949) ref’d n. r. e. Where the alleged unauthorized taking is based upon an abuse of the condemning authority’s discretion, there must be proof that the action was arbitrary and capricious. This is not shown by proving that another alternate plan may be feasible or better adapted to the project. It is not shown where one plan might be more convenient to the one party than the other, or where the proposed cost would be less in an alternate plan than under the one adopted. Brown v. Lower Colorado River Authority, 485 S.W.2d 369 (Tex.Civ.App. — *608 Austin 1972) n. w. h. If the authority’s action is honestly exercised, then it is not arbitrary even though other experts would have selected a different route or would have arrived at a different conclusion. See Texas Electric Service Co. v. Linebery, 327 S.W.2d 657 (Tex.Civ.App.—El Paso 1959, writ dismissed). The terms arbitrary and capricious have been variously defined by the courts. Many use Black’s Law Dictionary, 4th edition definition of the word arbitrary. It is as follows :

“Means in an ‘arbitrary’ manner, as fixed or done capriciously or at pleasure; without adequate determining principle; not founded in the nature of things; nonrational; not done or acting according to reason or judgment; depending on the will alone; absolutely in power; capriciously; tyrannical; despotic; * * *. Without fair, solid, and substantial cause; that is, without cause based upon the law * * * not governed by any fixed rules or standard.”

Even the appellants admit that in order for there to be a judicial issue, the con-demnor’s act must be founded in fraud or arbitrarily exercised.

At the outset, we must point out that the appellants do not assert a single “no evidence” type point of error, nor do they have an insufficiency evidence contention in their motion or amended motion for new trial. Appellants’ third and fourth points of error must be overruled because the appellants did not enter a proper objection to the trial court’s action. After the jury became deadlocked on the first issue, the trial court withdrew the issue from the jury’s consideration. The only objection lodged by the appellants when the issue was withdrawn, was that: “ . . . we are attempting to split the charge after the jury has been deliberating for a day and a half . . . ” The appellants did not claim that there was evidence to support special issue no. 1 and that the trial court would be in error by withdrawing the issue.

Next, the appellants complain of the trial court’s comments to the jury. The jury had deliberated for a number of hours and reported to the court that it was deadlocked. The court suggested to the jury, in effect, that the case was a “very simple” case and that “I am not saying what my opinion would be, but I say it is either there or it is not”. The appellants did not object to the trial court’s remarks. This point of error is overruled.

Appellants’ first point claims error of the trial court in refusing to admit into evidence certain pictures which showed deviations in the transmission line as erected by the appellee. The line went from the City of Vanderbilt in Jackson County to the City of Danevang in a neighboring county. There was other evidence in the record that showed that the line did not run in a straight and direct route. Appellants’ non-admitted evidence was aerial photographs which showed that deviations existed from the beginning of the line to its destination. At one place there was a deviation of 7600 ft. from the straight course. The appellants wanted the ap-pellee to deviate their line some 1300 ft. so as to place it on a portion of their property that would be more advantageous to them. The trial court refused to introduce exhibits numbered 22 to 51 which would show the entire length of line that was constructed by the appellee. We reviewed these exhibits during oral argument. Although they show certain deviations from a straight line there is nothing in such exhibits that would show that the appellee acted improperly.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Thedford v. Missouri Pacific Railroad
929 S.W.2d 39 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1996)
Boswell v. Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.
910 S.W.2d 593 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1995)
Allstate Insurance Co. v. Evins
894 S.W.2d 847 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1995)
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Wilborn
835 S.W.2d 260 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1992)
Alabama Power Co. v. Taunton
465 So. 2d 1105 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1984)
Porras v. Craig
675 S.W.2d 503 (Texas Supreme Court, 1984)
Porras v. Craig
665 S.W.2d 167 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1983)
Bank of the Southwest N.A. v. Harlingen National Bank
662 S.W.2d 113 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1983)
ALABAMA ELEC. CO-OP., INC. v. Watson
419 So. 2d 1351 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1982)
In Interest of J___ T___ H___
630 S.W.2d 473 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1982)
Houston Transit Benefit Ass'n v. Carrington
590 S.W.2d 744 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
502 S.W.2d 605, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2683, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/krenek-v-south-texas-electric-co-operative-inc-texapp-1973.