Mobile Pipe-Dillingham v. Stark

437 S.W.2d 359, 1969 Tex. App. LEXIS 2181
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 23, 1969
DocketNo. 7022
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 437 S.W.2d 359 (Mobile Pipe-Dillingham v. Stark) 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
Mobile Pipe-Dillingham v. Stark, 437 S.W.2d 359, 1969 Tex. App. LEXIS 2181 (Tex. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

KEITH, Justice.

The appeal is from a judgment awarding Stark $1,000.00 damages against Mobile Pipe-Dillingham (a joint venture) occasioned by the placing of some ten thousand feet of pipe upon land owned by Stark in Newton County. In a non-jury trial, it was shown that a subcontractor for Mobile Pipe-Dillingham (hereinafter for convenience called “Mobile”) engaged in constructing a pipe line, had placed some unusable pipe upon the property of Stark situated near the tailrace of the Toledo Bend Dam. The subcontractor having gone bankrupt, the pipe apparently was left there for some several months during which time Stark placed a fence around it with signs advising all persons to “Keep Off.” Mobile, desiring to remove the pipe, and being denied permission by Stark, sued out a writ of sequestration, and removed the pipe. The cross-action of Stark followed.

Stark, claiming that the placing of the pipe upon his land without his permission constituted a trespass, plead his damage claim as follows:

“As a direct result of the above described trespass by cross-defendant [Mo[360]*360bile], cross-plaintiff [Stark] has been damaged because of the damage to his land, and the deprivation of the use thereof, in the reasonable amount of Two Thousand, Five Hundred ($2,500.-00) Dollars, for which cross-plaintiff comes now and sues.”

The answer was a general denial and no point is raised on appeal as to the sufficiency of Stark’s pleadings.

The Court, upon motion of Mobile, filed findings of fact and conclusions of law, the substance of which are as follows: (a) Mobile “placed, or authorized or ratified the placing” of a large amount of pipe upon lands of Stark and left it there for approximately four months; (b) Mobile never requested or obtained permission from Stark to use the land or to place any pipe thereon; (c) the placing of the pipe and leaving it there for four months caused Stark “to be deprived of the use of said land for construction purposes” during such time, to his damage in the amount of $600.00; and (d) the placement of the pipe and leaving it there for four months caused damage in the amount of $400.00 for cleaning up said land and restoring it to its condition before the pipe was placed thereon.

Based upon these findings, the Court found that the action of Mobile “in placing, or authorizing, or ratifying the placing” of the pipe upon Stark’s land “without permission, constituted a wrongful entry and trespass” for which Stark was entitled •.to recover $1,000.00 in damages.

Stark was the only witness who testified, and, although he was not as clear- and concise as might be desired, did make out a case of trespass upon his land, particularly since it was not rebutted in any manner by Mobile. Under his testimony, the placement of the pipe was without either his knowledge or consent, thus constituting a trespass.

Throughout the proceedings, Stark repeatedly asserted ownership thereof; and, more importantly, Mobile made no attempt to impeach or to cast doubt upon such assertion of ownership. Title was not in issue in this case; and, under the record so made, the placement of the pipe upon Stark’s land constituted a trespass for which the offending party should respond in damages, even if nominal in amount. State v. Lain, 162 Tex. 549, 349 S.W.2d 579, 581 (1961). Mobile’s contentions that Stark failed to prove his ownership of the land are overruled.

Mobile challenges the Court’s finding of fact that Mobile “placed, or authorized or ratified the placing of the pipe” upon Stark’s land upon the basis of no evidence and insufficient evidence to support such finding. Since the two points are briefed together, we will consider them together. However, as to the no-evidence point, we consider only the evidence favorable to the Court’s finding, but in considering the second or insufficient-evidence point, the entire record will be utilized.

The only proof upon this issue found in the record is the original petition filed by Mobile upon which the writ of sequestration issued. This instrument, still a viable pleading insofar as we can determine, contained these allegations:

“That the plaintiff [Mobile], as prime contractor * * * has been engaged in the construction of two segments of a pipe line * * * and that in connection with which the plaintiff has produced approximately 10,000 feet of 8 inch inside diameter,steel pipe which was not useable [sic] in the construction of such pipe line and which was temporarily deposited at the edge of the pipe line right-of-way until such time as the same could be removed to another suitable location. That while such pipe was in the position in which it had been deposited by the plaintiff, the same was surrounded by a fence constructed by the defendant herein, * * (Emphasis supplied.)

Upon the basis of this allegation, Mobile procured the possession of the pipe under [361]*361the writ of sequestration and subsequent replevy. Many years ago, our Supreme Court, in Houston, E. & W. T. Ry. Co. v. De Walt, 96 Tex. 121, 70 S.W. 531, 537 (1902), said:

“If a fact be admitted in the pleadings in which the case is tried, it is, in general, assumed, without other evidence, to be conclusively established for the purposes of the trial.”

See also, 2 McCormick & Ray, Texas Evidence § 1127, p. 24; 4 Wigmore on Evidence, § 1064, p. 45.

There was not dispute that the pipe was upon the ground for some period, even though the exact period is rather indefinite. Under the record as made, both points are overruled.

The unauthorized entry upon Stark’s land by Mobile, which the trial court found and which we have approved, authorized the assessment of at least nominal damages for the trespass. 56 Tex.Jur. 2d, Trespass § 32, p. 38. Stark, however, sought and procured a judgment for compensatory, not simply nominal damages. Assuming the sufficiency of his pleadings, it was incumbent upon him to offer proof which would warrant the imposition of the damages which he claimed.

Mobile complains that there was no evidence, or alternatively, that the evidence was insufficient, to sustain the finding by the Court of damages in the amount of $1,000.00. This is predicated upon the contention that there was no evidence (or insufficient evidence) to prove that the alleged damage was: (a) either permanent or temporary; (b) of the market value before or after the alleged injury; (c) the reasonable rental value during the time the pipe remained thereon; or, (d) the cost of restoring the land to its condition prior to the time of the trespass. Again, considering only the evidence favorable to the finding, we are of the opinion that there was some evidence to support the finding; but, considering the record as a whole, the evidence was insufficient to warrant the finding of damages in the sum of $1,000.-00. The no-evidence point is overruled, while that challenging the sufficiency thereof is sustained.

Stark’s tract of land contained approximately two and one-half acres and the only improvement was a cafe which was vacant at the time of the trespass and of the trial. He testified that, because of its location near the Toledo Bend Dam site, it was potentially valuable as a fishing resort, particularly since most of the other land in the area was owned by the Sabine River Authority under whose authority the dam was constructed.

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Related

Louisiana Pacific Corp. v. Stevenson
551 S.W.2d 127 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1977)
Mobile Pipe-Dill Ingham v. Stark
468 S.W.2d 552 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1971)

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Bluebook (online)
437 S.W.2d 359, 1969 Tex. App. LEXIS 2181, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mobile-pipe-dillingham-v-stark-texapp-1969.