MCI Telecommunications Corp. v. Texas Utilities Electric Co.

993 S.W.2d 663, 1996 Tex. App. LEXIS 5920, 1999 WL 351168
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedAugust 29, 1996
DocketNo. 2-95-194-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 993 S.W.2d 663 (MCI Telecommunications Corp. v. Texas Utilities Electric Co.) 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.

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MCI Telecommunications Corp. v. Texas Utilities Electric Co., 993 S.W.2d 663, 1996 Tex. App. LEXIS 5920, 1999 WL 351168 (Tex. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

OPINION

SAM DAY, Justice.

Appellant MCI Telecommunications Corporation (MCI) appeals from a adverse judgment for breach of contract and negligence rendered in favor of Texas Utilities Electric Company (TU). Several large steel electrical poles erected and maintained by TU as a licensee along a railroad right-of-way began to lean allegedly because of losing lateral support to their foundations as a result of trenching operations by MCI when it laid a fiber optic cable near the poles. After a trial to the court, the court found in favor of TU and rendered judgment for breach of contract and negligence and, in addition to present and future damages, awarded attorneys’ fees and interest. In sixteen points of error, MCI asserts that the trial court made various legal, evidentiary, and procedural errors. We affirm.

BACKGROUND FACTS

In 1973, TU’s predecessor, Texas Electric Service Company (TESCO) was granted a license by Texas and Pacific Railway Company, the predecessor to Missouri Pacific Railroad (MoPac), giving TESCO the right to construct an electric transmission fine on the railroad’s right-of-way. The particular area in question is about a six-mile portion of the line located in East Fort Worth that runs more or less parallel to the railroad tracks. The transmission lines are supported by steel poles, about 85 feet high, attached to concrete and steel foundations. The ground adjacent to the pole foundations provides lateral support to counter or balance out the force of the wind blowing against the poles and conductors and the tension of the conductors.

In 1985, MCI and MoPac entered into an agreement that granted MCI the right to construct and operate its fiber optic systems along the right-of-way. MCI constructed a buried fiber optic system by trenching, laying the cable, and repacking the ground. In several places along the route, MCI installed the cable in close proximity to TU’s poles, and at one point, even laid its cable in between the legs of the only two-legged tower on the six-mile route.

In 1992, TU discovered that four of the poles along the right-of-way were leaning. [666]*666When TU replaced the old foundations with new foundations, it learned that MCI’s cable was in close proximity to the foundations. TU sought to recover its replacement costs from MCI and eventually filed the present suit.

After the suit was filed, TU had MCI locate its fiber optic cable along the entire six-mile portion of the right-of-way. TU evaluated and further analyzed the impact of the alleged loss of lateral support on all of its seventy-four poles along the route and asserted that it was a reasonable probability that five more poles will have to have their foundations replaced in the future. Additionally, TU alleged that eight of another possible seventeen foundations would have to be replaced.

At trial, TU asserted that it was a third-party beneficiary of the agreement between MCI and MoPac because the agreement stipulated that MCI activities not interfere in any way with any existing prior rights. Also, TU alleged that MCI negligently affected the lateral support of its poles, causing the damages. MCI claimed, however, that the cause of the poles’ leaning was inadequate design of the foundations themselves and not its trenching operations. In this “battle of the experts,” the trial court was presented opposing technical evidence of foundation design and support and the mathematical theories and formulae. Upon consideration of the evidence, the trial court rendered judgment for TU on all its causes of action.

On appeal, MCI has grouped its sixteen points of error into three basic categories: (1) procedural errors; (2) legal errors; and (3) evidentiary errors. We will address MCI’s points of error along the same categorical theme.

PROCEDURAL ERRORS

In point of error three, MCI asserts that the trial court unconstitutionally denied MCI the opportunity to cross-examine TU’s expert, Dr. Buchanan, by requiring MCI to instead submit its rebuttal of Dr. Buchanan’s testimony in writing. In point of error four, MCI contends that the trial court erred by denying MCI’s request to have its expert witness remain present in the courtroom to assist in MCI’s cross-examination and presentation of its defenses. We will first address point of error four.

The record clearly indicates that at the beginning of the trial the “Rule” was invoked. See Tex R. Civ. Evid. 614; Tex.R. Civ. P. 267. At that time, MCI moved to “invoke an exception to the rule for the experts to advise on technical questions” so that one of its experts could remain in the courtroom. The request was denied by the trial court, and the trial began.

Both codifications of the “Rule” provide that its invocation does not authorize the exclusion of “a person whose presence is shown by a party to be essential to the presentation of [the] cause.” Tex R. Civ. Evid. 614; Tex.R. Civ. P. 267(b) (emphasis added). Although it has generally been held that expert witnesses are exempt from the operation of the “Rule,” those cases have addressed situations where a violation of the “Rule” by an expert witness will not justify excluding the witness’s testimony. See Triton Oil & Gas Corp. v. E.W. Moran Drilling Co., 509 S.W.2d 678, 685 (Tex.Civ.App.-Fort Worth 1974, writ refd n.r.e.). This is not a case where MCI’s expert witness was excluded from testifying. Nothing in Triton or its progeny negates the explicit language of the “Rule” itself, as well as pre-rules caselaw, that requires the party seeking the exemption to make a showing to the court why the expert witness’s presence is essential to the presentation of the party’s case. Tex R. Civ. Evid. 614; Tex.R. Civ. P. 267; see Missouri K. & T. Ry. v. Smith, 31 Tex.Civ.App. 332, 72 S.W. 418, 419 (1903, writ ref'd). In the present case, MCI wholly failed to provide the court any showing that the presence of its expert was essential to the presentation of the cause. Accordingly, we hold that the trial [667]*667court did not abuse its discretion in denying MCI’s request. Point of error four is overruled.

In point of error three, MCI complains that the trial court denied it the opportunity to cross-examine Dr. Buchanan before the court by ordering instead that MCI submit its rebuttal of Dr. Buchanan’s testimony in writing.

Dr. Buchanan testified as an engineering expert on behalf of TU. His testimony on direct examination concerned the foundations of the poles, soil strengths, load forces, and the original foundation design of the poles. MCI conducted an extensive cross-examination of Dr. Buchanan regarding his use of particular mathematical methods and formulae in arriving at his opinion. Particularly, the cross-examination centered on how Dr. Buchanan’s utilization of one formula resulted in disparate answers. Because this was a trial to the court, the court decided to give Dr. Buchanan an opportunity to explain the divergent results of the formula the next day, essentially providing him overnight to review the various mathematical formulae.

The following morning, Dr. Buchanan gave his explanation for the difference in the figures and equations used. On cross-examination, MCI questioned Dr. Buchanan regarding how that explanation was different from his previous deposition and testimony. ' At the conclusion of Dr.

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993 S.W.2d 663, 1996 Tex. App. LEXIS 5920, 1999 WL 351168, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mci-telecommunications-corp-v-texas-utilities-electric-co-texapp-1996.