Malouf v. Dallas Athletic Country Club

837 S.W.2d 674, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 2691, 1992 WL 172205
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 21, 1992
Docket05-91-00562-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 837 S.W.2d 674 (Malouf v. Dallas Athletic Country Club) 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
Malouf v. Dallas Athletic Country Club, 837 S.W.2d 674, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 2691, 1992 WL 172205 (Tex. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

LAGARDE, Justice.

Appellants own homes adjacent to the number six hole of one of appellee’s (DAC) two golf courses. Appellants sued DAC for damages caused by golf balls spiking their property. After a bench trial, the trial court entered findings of fact and conclusions of law. Based thereon, the trial court rendered a take-nothing judgment in favor of DAC. Appellants argue that this was not a fair way to dispose of the case. In four points of error, appellants contend, generally, that the trial court erred in finding that (1) DAC did not trespass upon the property; and (2) DAC was not negligent in redesigning the golf course. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Edward Malouf, Harry Hollander, and C.M. Presley bought houses which abut the number six hole of the “Gold” golf course owned and managed by DAC. Each appellant complains of damage to his car and home caused by errant golf balls from unidentified golfers. Although each appellant complained to DAC, each was told it was not DAC’s policy to reimburse for damage caused by unidentified third parties.

At trial, DAC general manager Robert Jones testified that the club has a procedure it follows when a golfer hits a stray shot. If notified, management will go out and inquire of groups three holes forward and three holes backward, if anyone hit the stray shot. If someone steps forward, then DAC either charges that person for the damage or puts the two parties together. DAC followed this procedure when a golf ball broke appellant Presley’s window. On that day, the person who hit the ball spoke up. The Mesquite Chamber of Commerce had rented the club for that day and it reimbursed Presley on his claim.

Appellants initially filed individual lawsuits in a justice-of-the-peace court. The justice of the peace entered judgments in favor of appellants. DAC appealed to the Dallas County Court at Law Number Two. In that court, the cases were consolidated for trial. After a trial de novo, the trial court entered a take-nothing judgment against appellants.

LEGAL ANALYSIS

Standards of Review

Appellants raise both legal and factual sufficiency points. A legal-suffi *676 ciency or conclusive-evidence point is a question of law. City of Dallas v. Moreau, 718 S.W.2d 776, 778 (Tex.App. — Corpus Christi 1986, writ ref'd n.r.e.). Appellants had the burden of proof at trial to show that DAC trespassed and was negligent in its design of the course. Thus, appellants have the burden of demonstrating on appeal that the evidence conclusively established all vital facts in support of those issues. See Ritchey v. Crawford, 734 S.W.2d 85, 86 (Houston [1st Dist.] 1987, no writ). The initial review of a matter-of-law point is the same as that required for a no-evidence point. A.B.F. Freight Sys. v. Austrian Import, 798 S.W.2d 606, 612 (Tex.App. — Dallas 1990, writ denied). However, in addition to finding no probative evidence to support the trial court’s finding, this Court must also find that the contrary proposition to the finding is established as a matter of law. Holley v. Watts, 629 S.W.2d 694, 696 (Tex.1982); A.B.F. Freight Sys., 798 S.W.2d at 612.

In reviewing a factual-sufficiency or great-weight-and-preponderance point of error, this Court must consider and weigh all of the evidence relevant to the fact being challenged to determine whether the verdict is so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be manifestly unjust. Harco Nat’l Ins. Co. v. Villanueva, 765 S.W.2d 809, 810 (Tex.App. — Dallas 1988, writ denied); Ellsworth v. Bishop Jewelry & Loan Co., 742 S.W.2d 533, 535 (Tex.App. — Dallas 1987, writ denied). However, this Court is not a fact finder, and we do not pass upon the credibility of the witnesses or substitute our judgment for that of the trier of fact, even if there is conflicting evidence that would support a different conclusion. Cain v. Bain, 709 S.W.2d 175,176 (Tex.1986); Harco Nat’l Ins. Co., 765 S.W.2d at 810. When both legal and factual insufficiency points are raised, we are to rule upon the legal-insufficiency point first. Glover v. Texas Gen. Indem. Co., 619 S.W.2d 400, 401 (Tex.1981); Stiles v. Royal Ins. Co. of Am., 798 S.W.2d 591, 593 (Tex.App. — Dallas 1990, writ denied).

Trespass

In points of error one and three, appellants argue that they established the elements of trespass and that, because DAC filed a general denial, there was no affirmative defense. The gist of trespass to personalty is an injury to, or interference with, possession, unlawfully, with or without the exercise of physical force. Mountain States Tel. & Tel. Co. v. Vowell Constr. Co., 341 S.W.2d 148, 150 (Tex.1960). Destruction of, or injury to, personal property, regardless of negligence, may be a trespass. Id. A trespass is usually regarded as an intentional tort in the sense that it involves an intent to commit an act which violates a property right, or would be practically certain to have that effect, although the actor may not know that the act he intends to commit is such a violation. General Tel. Co. v. BI-Co Pavers, Inc., 514 S.W.2d 168, 170 (Tex.Civ.App. — Dallas 1974, no writ). Unless the intended act would violate a property right, the actor’s liability for unintended consequences ordinarily depends upon proof of negligence. Id. (emphasis added). 2

Appellants contend that DAC is liable for trespass. The trial court made the following findings of fact:

1. C.M. Presley suffered damage to his ... Ford Mustang ... and his fiberglass awning from a golfball(s).
2. Harry Hollander suffered damage to his ... Porsche ... and his window from a golfball(s).
3. Edward J. Malouf suffered damage to his ... Cutlass stationwagon from a golfball(s).
4. Dallas Athletic Club Country Club extensively revised and redesigned the layout of fairway No. 6 on the Gold course after 1987 to make it less possible for golfballs to move right off of the tee of fairway No. 6.

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Bluebook (online)
837 S.W.2d 674, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 2691, 1992 WL 172205, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/malouf-v-dallas-athletic-country-club-texapp-1992.