McNeil Interests, Inc. v. James G. Quisenberry, Jr.

407 S.W.3d 381, 2013 WL 3422891, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 8289
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided July 9, 2013·No. 14-12-01142-CV·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

OPINION

SHARON McCALLY, Justice.

Appellant McNeil Interests, Inc. sued appellee James G. Quisenberry, Jr. for sums owing on two notes. Following a bench trial, the trial court entered a take nothing judgment against McNeil Interests along with findings of fact and conclusions of law resolving that McNeil Interests claims are barred by the doctrine of res judicata. In three issues, McNeil Interests appeals the trial court’s judgment. We affirm, in part, and reverse and remand, in part.

*384 I. BACKGROUND 1

Ricky McNeil is a sergeant in the Houston Police Department and has been for over twenty years. McNeil also invested in various business opportunities over the years. McNeil and his mother formed McNeil Interests to engage in certain investments. McNeil owned 75% of the shares of McNeil Interests, and his mother owned the other 25%.

In the spring of 2006, Quisenberry approached McNeil about investing in a high end car sales business he owned and operated as a sole proprietor. McNeil agreed to invest, and the two formed Performance Highline of Houston, LLC (“PHH”). Qui-senberry and McNeil were each 50% owners of PHH.

PHH applied for and received a revolving line of credit with Amegy Bank in the initial amount of $200,000, which PHH used to purchase its first vehicles. PHH, McNeil, and Quisenberry executed a series of documents for the loan. PHH executed a business loan agreement, which outlined the terms of the loan, and a promissory note. MeNeil and Quisenberry each executed a commercial guaranty agreement guaranteeing that note in their individual capacities. McNeil Interests executed a commercial pledge agreement pledging its mutual funds account maintained at Ame-gy Bank as collateral to secure PHH’s loan. PHH’s line of credit with Amegy Bank increased over time and reached a high point of $600,000 (the “Amegy note”).

When PHH needed additional operating funds, McNeil Interests loaned $100,000 to PHH (the “McNeil Interests note”). On November 80, 2007, PHH and Quisenberry executed, as co-obligors, a promissory note to McNeil Interests in the principal amount of $100,000. In late 2007 and early 2008, the slow-down in the economy began hurting the business. In early 2008, Quisenberry came to McNeil and told him that he was not making enough money from PHH and asked whether McNeil minded if he took on other work to supplement his income.

In 2008, McNeil discovered that Quisen-berry had been transferring substantial sums of money out of PHH to his mother, Dianna Quisenberry, without any authority. At trial, Quisenberry’s mother admitted that she received these transfers, but said she did it to help Quisenberry manage his personal affairs, because he did not have a bank account.

In approximately May or June of 2008, McNeil Interests gave PHH and Quisen-berry notice of default under the $100,000 note and made its demand on them both for payment in full. PHH defaulted on the Amegy note, and Amegy Bank exercised its rights under the commercial pledge agreement, taking approximately $620,000 out of McNeil Interests’ mutual fund account pledged. McNeil Interests demanded that PHH and Quisenberry pay contribution to it, but both failed and refused to do so.

On December 1, 2008, McNeil Interests filed suit against PHH for breach of contract, contribution, and subrogation— claims all related to PHH’s failure to pay McNeil Interests the amount paid on the $600,000 Amegy note, and suit on the $100,000 McNeil Interests note (“Lawsuit No. 1”). On February 16, 2009, the trial court signed a final default judgment awarding McNeil Interests judgment against PHH for the principal sum of *385 $700,000 (representing the Amegy note and the McNeil Interests note), prejudgment interest on the sum of $100,000 (representing the McNeil Interests note), attorney’s fees, and post judgment interest.

On June 17, 2010, McNeil Interests and McNeil, individually and as shareholder on behalf of PHH, filed this suit against Qui-senberry. 2 McNeil Interests alleged claims against Quisenberry for contribution on the $600,000 Amegy note and suit on the $100,000 McNeil Interests note.

After a bench trial, the court ordered that McNeil and McNeil Interests “take nothing” from Quisenberry based upon Quisenberry’s affirmative defense of res judicata. Although the trial court entered findings of fact and conclusions of law determining that Quisenberry is liable to McNeil Interests on both the Amegy note and the McNeil Interests note, the trial court also found in pertinent part that:

As to the Amegy Note:
• PHH executed a promissory note in the amount of $600,000 with Amegy Bank.
• McNeil Interests executed a commercial pledge agreement in favor of Amegy Bank as collateral for the Amegy note.
• Quisenberry and McNeil were each personal guarantors on the Amegy note.
• PHH defaulted on the Amegy note.
• Amegy Bank foreclosed on the McNeil Interests collateral.
As to the McNeil Interests Note:
• PHH and Quisenberry executed a promissory note in the amount of $100,000 payable to McNeil Interests and secured by certain collateral.
• PHH and Quisenberry defaulted on the McNeil Interests note.
• McNeil Interests gave notice of the default and accelerated the McNeil Interests note.
As to Lawsuit No. 1:
• Quisenberry and McNeil are each 50% percent owners of PHH.
• McNeil Interests filed suit against PHH in Lawsuit No. 1 for breach of contract, contribution as co-guarantor of the Amegy note, subrogation, and suit on the McNeil Interests note.
• McNeil interests obtained a default judgment against PHH in Lawsuit No. 1.
• Quisenberry pleaded, inter alia, res judicata.

Based upon these findings, the trial court concluded:

• Claims made by McNeil Interests against PHH in Lawsuit No. 1 were fully litigated.
• As a person holding a 50% interest in PHH, Quisenberry is in privity with PHH and could have been sued as such in Lawsuit No. 1.
*386 • The court found in favor of Quisen-berry on his affirmative defense of res judicata.

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McNeil Interests, Inc. v. James G. Quisenberry, Jr., 407 S.W.3d 381, 2013 WL 3422891, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 8289 (Tex. Ct. App. 2013).

407 S.W.3d 381 (McNeil Interests, Inc. v. James G. Quisenberry, Jr.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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