McNary v. Reeves

461 S.W.2d 127
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 24, 1970
DocketNo. 8007
StatusPublished

This text of 461 S.W.2d 127 (McNary v. Reeves) 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
McNary v. Reeves, 461 S.W.2d 127 (Tex. Ct. App. 1970).

Opinions

CHADICK, Chief Justice.

On September 16, 1968, Jack Reeves began construction of an automobile service station on a 1.077 acre tract of land in the Isaac Skillern Survey of Gregg County, Texas. The structure erected extended well into and occupied a significant portion of a vehicle passageway approximately 25 feet wide along the north side of the 1.077 acre tract. Beulah McNary, in her own behalf “and for the general public similarly situated”, instituted a lawsuit naming “Jack Reeves, Individually, and dba Mobile Oil Station, and Maggie Lee Reeves, Individually, and as Independent Executrix of the Will of Homer L. Reeves, deceased”, as defendants for the purpose of enjoining the defendants named from obstructing the passageway, for damages, etc.

The tract upon which Reeves built is a rectangular lot severed from a 10.4 acre tract which was set apart to Mary Smith, mother of Beulah McNary, in a division of the estate of Charlie Key, deceased. The instrument evidencing the conveyance of the 10.4 acre tract to Mary Smith is dated January 13, 1928. In 1931 Mary Smith and her husband built a house on the 10.4 acre tract, and the passageway here in question [129]*129was the driveway or road from their house to the Pine Tree public road. This passageway is frequently referred to in the record as Conrad Street, but such reference in the discussion that follows is for convenience in expression and does not imply a determination by this court that the passageway has the characteristics of a public street or road. The evidence, excepting certain details to be examined and discussed separately, is unquestioned that since 1931 the public made the same common, conventional and routine use of the driveway that is made of an ordinary public street, and that before the area was incorporated into the City of Longview the county graded and improved the strip. Prior to incorporation a local improvement association in the Greggton community assigned it Fifth Street as a name, and put up street markers accordingly. The City of Longview changed the name to Conrad Street and erected street markers so designating it and continued maintenance after incorporation. All the while Mary Smith and her successors in title, particularly Beulah McNary, continued to use the strip for passageway in common with the public. At the time appellee Jack Reeves started construction he was aware of the passageway, its use and posted name.

In 1944 Mary Smith died. Appellant, Beulah McNary, is one of her seven chil-den. In 1954 these children partitioned the 10.4 acre tract by executing warranty deeds to each other. Matthew Smith received a 1.077 acre tract fronting on Pine Tree Road. This tract was subsequently conveyed to H. L. Reeves, and a strip thereof now called Conrad Street is the subject of this lawsuit. Beulah McNary was deeded an 1.077 acre tract immediately adjacent and east of Matthew Smith’s tract; and at the date of the lawsuit her house and place of residence occupied the lot. Matthew Smith’s tract lay between Beulah McNary’s tract and Pine Tree road. In 1954 Matthew Smith conveyed his 1.077 acres to Billy Ray Martin by warranty deed. Thereafter, on June 8, 1964, Matthew Smith and Billy Ray Martin, by warranty deed prepared by Billy Ray Martin as Matthew Smith’s attorney, conveyed the same tract to H. L. Reeves. Besides the usual provisions of a warranty deed this last instrument contained this language, to-wit: “This conveyance is made subject to any all restrictions, reservations and easements of record.”

In the trial of the ca%e four special issues were submitted, two conditional, and in compliance with the trial court’s instructions only the first two were answered; such issues and the jury answers are as follows, to-wit:

“SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 1: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that prior to May 12, 1969, a roadway known as Conrad Street and identified on Plaintiff’s Exhibit No. 1, designated as XYQZK, was dedicated, as that term is defined herein, as a public road by the owners of the land across which said road traveled ?
Answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
ANSWER: No
You are instructed that an intent to dedicate land for the purpose of a public road by the owner must be shown by his act and declaration; and such act and declaration should clearly and unmistakably show his intent to dedicate the land absolutely and irrevocably to the use of the public and an acceptance thereby by the public.
“SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 2: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the tract shown on Plaintiff’s Exhibit No. 1, designated as XYQZX was used as a public road continuously, open and adversely for any period of ten consecutive years or longer prior to the filing of this suit?
Answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
ANSWER: No.
You are further instructed that the term ‘adverse possession’ is defined as the actual and peaceable appropriation of [130]*130land commenced and continued under a claim of right inconsistent with and hostile to the claim of another.
The term ‘hostile’ is defined as a using of the road by the general public with the intent to claim it to the exclusion of any inconsistent claim or use of the road by the owner or owners of the land across which it runs. The use of the road by the owners and others at the same time raises the presumption that the use by others is permissive only and there must be present sufficient evidence to show use by the others under a claim of right. Mere joint use of the road by the owner and the public at the same time is not determinative.
“If the nature of the use is such as to show the owner that the users are claiming under a right independent of any permission from owner there is a requisite adverseness. In other words, the mere joint use of the road by the owners and others during the same time is not destructive of a conclusion of adverseness if there are other facts present to show use by others is under a claim of right in themselves.”

Unanswered special issue Number 3 inquired whether or not the use by the general public of the roadway was with the acquiescence of the plaintiff and the other owners of the property the passageway crossed, and Number 4 submitted the question of damages. A recovery by the plaintiff was limited by the charge to proof of dedication or adverse use.

The appellant Beulah McNary has briefed 32 points of error. The appellant’s brief earnestly advocates reversal on the ground that the proof showed a dedication of the strip to public use as a matter of law, and alternatively, that as a matter of law the public acquired an easement for street purposes by adverse use. Also, no evidence, insufficient evidence and great weight and preponderance of the evidence points of error are urged. In addition, the charge, instructions and issues submitted by the court are attacked as erroneous, as well as the failure of the court to submit certain requested issues and instructions.

In consummating a division of the Mary Smith 10.4 acre tract, Beulah McNary and other heirs (except Matthew Smith) by warranty deed conveyed to Matthew Smith the 1.077 acres heretofore mentioned as having been set apart to him. The conveyance was made subject to any reservations or restrictions of record. Later, Matthew Smith made the conveyance to H. L. Reeves heretofore mentioned, subject to restrictions, reservations and easements of record.

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Bluebook (online)
461 S.W.2d 127, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcnary-v-reeves-texapp-1970.