Reynolds v. City of Alice

150 S.W.2d 455
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 19, 1940
DocketNo. 4048.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 150 S.W.2d 455 (Reynolds v. City of Alice) 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
Reynolds v. City of Alice, 150 S.W.2d 455 (Tex. Ct. App. 1940).

Opinion

PRICE, Chief Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the District Court of Jim Wells County. Appellants’ motion is to strike from the transcript a certified copy of the minutes of the District Court of Nueces County relating to the election by the Bar and qualification of the Honorable John E. Lyle as Special District Judge of the 117th Judicial District, and a certain letter written by Judge Lyle to Miss Beula E. Richardson, District Clerk of Nueces County, requesting that she include in this transcript a certified copy of the minutes of the District Court of Nueces. County re *458 lating to his election by the Bar as such Special District Judge.

At all relevant times herein Honorable L. Broeter was the duly elected and qualified Judge of the 79th Judicial District and also Presiding Judge of the 5th Administrative Judicial District. Judge Broeter deemed himself disqualified to try this case. In compliance with a request that a judge be designated to try the case, as Presiding Judge of the Administrative District, he designated in an order the Honorable Cullen W. Briggs, Judge of the 117th Judicial District, to try this case on March 4, 1940, or at such time during the March term of the District Court of Jim Wells County as was convenient.

On the 4th day of March, 1940, it is shown by the assailed certified copy of the minutes of the District Court of Nue-ces County that, through absence from the District, the Honorable Cullen W. Briggs was unable to preside over the District Court of Nueces County on the 4th day of March, 1940; that proclamation was made by the sheriff, and the Honorable John E. ILyle was elected Special District Judge of Ahe 117th Judicial District, and thereupon he took the oath of office as such. This took place in the courthouse of Nueces County, and the proceedings seem to have been regular.

In our opinion, it is fundamental that the letter assailed had no place in the transcript. It is no part of the record, and there is no authority for including same therein.

The question then arises on this motion : Did the election of the Special District Judge by the lawyers in attendance on the District Court of Nueces County give full authority to perform any and all judicial functions in any judicial district in the State which the regularly elected and qualified Judge of the 117th Judicial District could have performed?

Articles 1887 to 1892, R.S.1925, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. arts. 1887-1892, provide for the election of a special judge and the manner of the conduct of such election. The selection of the Honorable John E. Lyle as Special District Judge for the 117th Judicial District conferred authority on him to hold the term, or part of term, then current, of the District Court of Nue-ces County. This was the extent of his authority. Wynn v. R. E. Edmonson Land & Cattle Co., Tex.Civ.App., 150 S.W. 310; League v. Brazoria County Road Dist., Tex.Civ.App., 187 S.W. 1012; State v. Guardian Foundation of Texas, Inc., Tex.Civ.App., 112 S.W.2d 806, citing 25 Tex.Jur., p. 325, par. 76, and Note 2, p. 327. As having bearing on the matter, see, also, Articles 2278 and 2281, R.S.1925, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. arts. 2278, 2281; Rules Nos. 84 and 85 for the District Courts of Texas; Freeman v. Anderson, Tex.Civ.App., 119 S.W.2d 1081.

The motion is in all things sustained, and said instruments are ordered stricken from the transcript.

On the Merits.

This is an appeal from the judgment of the District Court of Jim Wells County. Plaintiffs were Mayme Nayer Reynolds and her husband, E. A. Reynolds; defendants, City of Alice, Joe W. Johnson, and Jimmie Lynn Post No. 186, American Legion. The action was in form of trespass to try title, trial before Honorable John E. Lyle, Jr., as Special Judge, and was without a jury, judgment that plaintiffs take nothing. Plaintiffs have perfected this appeal from the judgment.

The parties will be designated as they were in the trial court.

Plaintiffs contend that the Honorable John E. Lyle, Jr., was without power or authority to try the cause, hence the judgment is void and should be reversed.

Before entering upon the trial the parties to this appeal entered into the following written agreement: “The parties to the above entitled and numbered cause, by their attorneys of record, hereby agree that this cause shall be tried by the Honorable John E. Lyle, Jr., a practicing attorney of Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas, in lieu of Honorable L. Broeter, the regular District Judge of this District, who has certified his disqualification on account of being a citizen and taxpayer of the City of Alice, one of the defendants in this cause.”

Judge Lyle took the oath of office as Special District Judge. All parties proceeded to the trial under this agreement without protest until after the judgment was rendered in the case.

Section 11, of Article 5, of the State Constitution, Vernon's Ann.St. is in part as follows:

“When a judge of the District Court is disqualified by any of the causes above stated, the parties may, by consent, appoint a *459 proper person to try said case; or upon their failing to do so, a competent person may be appointed to try the same in the county where it is pending, in such manner as may be prescribed by law.
“And the District Judges may exchange districts, or hold courts for each other when they may deem it expedient, and shall do so when required by law.”

This provision by its very terms conditions the appointment of a special judge by agreement of the parties upon the disqualification of the district judge.

There is no room for construction here, the literal terms must be followed. Bailey v. Triplett Bros., Tex.Civ. App., 278 S.W. 250; Summerlin v. State, 69 Tex.Cr.R. 275, 153 S.W. 890; Compere v. Girand, Tex.Civ.App., 42 S.W.2d 278.

However, if there be a disqualification and the parties agree upon a special judge, the power so to do is given in clear and unequivocal terms. It is held that if the judge deems himself disqualified and so certifies, and the parties proceed to trial before a special judge upon whom they have agreed, they are estopped to question the fact of disqualification. Ford v. First Nat. Bank of Cameron, Tex.Civ.App., 34 S.W. 684.

The matter would seem to be very clear here, unless the right to agree upon a special judge is in some way limited by the facts appearing in the record which we shall now narrate.

The Honorable L. Broeter was Judge of the 79th District, of which Jim Wells. County is a part, and likewise Presiding Judge of the Fifth Administrative District of Texas, in which Jim Wells County is also situated. On the 24th day of February, 1940, as Judge of the 79th District, he noted on the docket of the District Court of Jim Wells County his disqualification to try this cause, and as Presiding Judge of the Fifth Administrative District designated and appointed the Honorable Cullen W.

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150 S.W.2d 455, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reynolds-v-city-of-alice-texapp-1940.