Mohnke v. Greenwood

915 S.W.2d 585, 1996 Tex. App. LEXIS 83, 1996 WL 11101
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 11, 1996
Docket14-94-01032-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by60 cases

This text of 915 S.W.2d 585 (Mohnke v. Greenwood) 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
Mohnke v. Greenwood, 915 S.W.2d 585, 1996 Tex. App. LEXIS 83, 1996 WL 11101 (Tex. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

OPINION

O’NEILL, Justice.

This is an appeal by Pauline Mohnke and her family (the “Mohnkes”) 1 from a trial before the court that resulted in a take-nothing judgment in favor of appellee, Wanda M. Greenwood (“Greenwood”). At issue is the ownership of an approximate 0.016 acre strip of land in Harris County, Texas. The Mohnkes raise twelve points of error on appeal. We affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

In 1967, the Mohnkes purchased an approximate 99 acre tract of land. At that time a barbed wire fence surrounded the property. The fence was put up in 1961 to replace a fence that had been there since before 1930. In connection with their purchase, the Mohnkes hired Robert M. Atkinson, Sr. (“Atkinson”) to prepare a survey. The survey set the boundary of the property at the fence line. The Mohnkes used the land to graze cattle. In the late 1960’s the Mohnkes planted Loblolly pines inside the perimeter of the barbed wire fence.

In 1988, Greenwood purchased a 5.5 acre tract that abutted the Mohnkes’ land to the east. In connection with her purchase Greenwood, too, had the land surveyed. Greenwood’s surveyor, Thomas G. Robinson (“Robinson”), marked a different boundary, which showed that the barbed wire fence was encroaching onto the Greenwood property. Greenwood tore down that part of the barbed wire fence that encroached on her land, and constructed a wooden fence approximately eight feet to the west of where the barbed wire fence had stood.

The Mohnkes brought suit against Greenwood to establish the correct boundary and for adverse possession. They also claimed the boundary was established by acquiescence. Greenwood responded that the true boundary was where she placed her fence, *589 that there was no boundary by agreement and that a cause of action did not lie for adverse possession. After a trial to the bench, the court rendered judgment in favor of Greenwood. Both parties submitted proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. On August 24,1994, the court signed findings and conclusions supporting the judgment in favor of Greenwood.

Appellants bring twelve points of error contending that the evidence was legally and factually insufficient to support the trial court’s findings. Appellants also assert error in the trial court’s alleged failure to make additional findings of fact and conclusions of law, and in his failure to award them attorney’s fees.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Findings of fact in a ease tried to the court have the same force and dignity as a jury’s verdict. City of Clute v. City of Lake Jackson, 559 S.W.2d 391, 395 (Tex.Civ. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1977, writ ref'd n.r.e.). However, a trial court’s findings of fact are not conclusive when a complete statement of facts appears in the record, as it does here. See Middleton v. Kawasaki Steel Corp., 687 S.W.2d 42, 44 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1985), writ ref'd n.r.e. per cu-riam, 699 S.W.2d 199 (Tex.1985). A trial court’s findings of fact are reviewable for legal and factual sufficiency of the evidence by the same standards that are applied in reviewing the evidence supporting a jury’s verdict. Criton Corp. v. Highlands Ins. Co., 809 S.W.2d 355, 358 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1991, writ denied); Zieben v. Platt, 786 S.W.2d 797, 799 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1990, no writ).

When confronted with both legal and factual sufficiency points, we must first examine the legal sufficiency point. Texmarc Conveyor Co. v. Arts, 857 S.W.2d 743, 745 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1993, writ denied). An appellant attacking the legal sufficiency of an adverse finding on an issue on which it has the burden of proof must demonstrate on appeal that the evidence conclusively establishes all vital facts in support of the issue. Sterner v. Marathon Oil Co., 767 S.W.2d 686, 690 (Tex.1989); Smith v. Central Freight Lines, Inc., 774 S.W.2d 411, 412 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1989, writ denied). In reviewing a “matter of law” point, the reviewing court employs a two prong test. The court must first examine the record for evidence that supports the finding, while ignoring all evidence to the contrary. Sterner, 767 S.W.2d at 690. If there is no evidence to support the finding, the reviewing court must then examine the entire record to determine if the contrary proposition is established as a matter of law. Id. If the proposition asserted by the appellant is established as a matter of law, the point of error will be sustained.

When a party who has the burden of proof attacks the factual sufficiency of the evidence to support an adverse finding, he must demonstrate that the finding is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. Raw Hide Oil & Gas, Inc. v. Maxus Exploration Co., 766 S.W.2d 264, 275 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1988, writ denied). In reviewing such a challenge, the appellate court must examine the entire record, Lofton v. Texas Brine Corp., 720 S.W.2d 804, 805 (Tex.1986), and set aside the verdict only if it is so contrary to the overwhelming weight and preponderance of the evidence that it is clearly wrong and manifestly unjust. Cain v. Bain, 709 S.W.2d 175, 176 (Tex.1986) (per curiam); Zieben, 786 S.W.2d at 799. The findings of fact must be upheld if there is more than a scintilla of evidence to support them. Stedman v. Georgetown Sav. & Loan Ass’n, 595 S.W.2d 486, 488 (Tex.1979).

When undertaking a factual sufficiency review, the court of appeals may not set aside fact findings merely because it could have drawn different factual findings and legal conclusions from the evidence. First Baptist/Amarillo Found. v. Potter County Appraisal Dist., 813 S.W.2d 192, 196 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1991, no writ). The appellate court cannot retry the case or other wise substitute its judgment or opinion for that of the trier of fact. Baptist Memorial Hosp. Sys. v. Smith, 822 S.W.2d 67, 81 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 1991, writ denied). The trier of fact is the sole judge of the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given *590 their testimony, and the appellate court should not act as a thirteenth juror in assessing the evidence and the credibility of the witnesses. Rego Co. v. Brannon, 682 S.W.2d 677, 680 (Tex.App.

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Bluebook (online)
915 S.W.2d 585, 1996 Tex. App. LEXIS 83, 1996 WL 11101, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mohnke-v-greenwood-texapp-1996.