Sandler v. Bufkor, Inc.

658 S.W.2d 289
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 15, 1983
Docket01-83-0037-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 658 S.W.2d 289 (Sandler v. Bufkor, Inc.) 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
Sandler v. Bufkor, Inc., 658 S.W.2d 289 (Tex. Ct. App. 1983).

Opinion

OPINION

BASS, Justice.

This is an appeal from a summary judgment awarding appellees recovery on a claimant’s bond.

On January 15,1975, in Cause No. 1,004,-115, out of the 113th District Court of Harris County, Texas, Bufkor, Inc. recovered a judgment against James T. Dolleslager individually and d/b/a Tavernier Jewelers. Bufkor proceeded to execute upon the assets of Dolleslager, which included a number of items of property on consignment from Star Jewelry Company, Inc. (“Star”).

Star then filed a trial of right to property action pursuant to Tex.R.Civ.P. 717, in cause No. 1,004,115-A, claiming legal title to the consigned items. Star also filed a claimant’s bond and replevied the goods pending resolution of the title dispute. The bond was made in the amount of $22,000, the value of the property covered by the bond, as appraised by the Sheriff of Harris County, Texas. By its terms, in the event Star failed to establish its right to the property, appellants and their surety bound themselves to pay the value of the property, interest, and all damages and costs awarded, unless Star returned the goods in the same condition as when received.

Although the trial court ruled in favor of Star, Bufkor appealed to the Ninth Court of Civil Appeals, which initially affirmed the decision of the trial court, but on motion for rehearing ordered the judgment reversed, the levy vacated, and the goods returned to Bufkor. Bufkor, Inc. v. Star Jewelry Company, Inc., 552 S.W.2d 522 (Tex.Civ.App.-Beaumont 1977, writ ref’d n.r.e.).

Demand was made upon Star by Bufkor and Harris County Constable Walter Rankin for return of the items replevied. However, the writ of execution was returned unsatisfied, according to the statement on the return, because Star denied that it had in its possession any of the goods belonging to Bufkor, or that it was indebted to Bufkor in any amount for which execution could issue. Appellees then filed this action for enforcement of their rights under the claimant’s bond.

In their motion for summary judgment to establish both appellants’ liability on the claimant’s bond and the amount of damages, appellees alleged that they had recovered a judgment against Dolleslager and Tavernier Jewelers, in Cause No. 1,004,115, and had executed upon Dolleslager’s assets. They stated that Star had filed a trial of right to property action in Cause No. 1,004,-115-A, that Star had filed a claimant’s bond, and that Star had replevied the assets to which it claimed title. Appellees further asserted Star had failed to establish its right to the property, and that the Ninth Court of Appeals had ordered the goods protected by the claimant’s bond returned to Bufkor by Star. Appellees stated that return had been demanded, but that the writ of execution was returned unsatisfied, as nearly all of the goods protected by the bond had been sold prior to resolution of the title dispute.

*291 Furthermore, appellees alleged that Star had not disputed the valuation made by the Sheriff or otherwise raised the issue of the true value of the goods protected by the claimant’s bond at the trial of right to property. They contended that it was impossible to accurately determine the value of the items protected by the bond but no longer in Star’s possession, and that as Star had shown itself unable to comply with the express terms of the bond, they were entitled to recover on the bond. They prayed for the face amount of the bond, interest, the statutory bond forfeiture penalty, attorneys’ fees, and costs.

Summary judgment evidence included a copy of the claimant’s bond, the judgment of the Ninth Court of Appeals and fact findings in Cause No. 1,004,115-A, a copy of the writ of execution and return, depositions of Myron and Barry Sandler, authorized representatives of Star, the affidavit of Morley White, appellees’ trial attorney, and copies of bills for costs.

In their response to the motion, appellants contended that genuine issues of material fact existed “as appear from the pleadings and depositions on file and the affidavits submitted with this motion,” regarding good faith tender, valuation of the replevied goods, and attorneys’ fees, thereby precluding summary judgment. They further alleged that appellees had presented no competent summary judgment proof that the items replevied but no longer in Star’s possession were incapable of valuation, as the affidavit of Morley White, relied upon by appellees, was that of an interested witness, was inconsistent with other evidence before the court, and merely directed the court’s attention to two depositions, containing some 100 pages of testimony. Appellants also attacked appellees’ affidavit regarding attorneys’ fees on the basis that the affidavit included hearsay and failed to state that it was based on the affiant’s personal knowledge.

Appellants introduced two controverting affidavits in support of their assertions. Affiant Myron Sandler alleged that the claimant’s bond was in an amount considerably in excess of the value of the property Star had replevied. Sandler stated further that the missing items were capable of valuation, and that the highest wholesale price of the goods was only $3,094.00. Sandler alleged that he had repeatedly offered both the remainder of the goods in Star’s possession and a check for $2,385.00 to appellees, which “when coupled with the return of the remaining items of replevied jewelry, represents a value in excess of $3,000.00.” The affidavit of Robert J. Vander Lyn, a licensed attorney, alleged that appellees’ requested attorneys’ fees, amounting to almost $11,000.00, were excessive and unwarranted.

Summary judgment was filed December 1, 1982. The judgment recites that the court based its determination upon the pleadings, depositions on file, requests for admissions and admissions on file, interrogatories and answers to interrogatories on file, affidavits on file, testimony as to attorney’s fees, and judicial notice of the facts found in Cause No. 1,004,115-A and of the opinion of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth District. The trial court found that neither Star nor Myron Sandler had all of the goods covered by the claimant’s bond in their possession, and that they were therefore unable to comply with the mandate of the Ninth Court of Appeals. The court concluded that proper grounds existed for the granting of appellees’ motion for summary judgment, and awarded damages including $22,000.00, the face amount of the claimant’s bond, a statutory penalty of $2,200.00, interest, court costs and costs of collection, and attorneys fees.

Appellants raise three points of error on appeal. In their first point, they urge that the trial court erred in granting the motion for summary judgment because the depositions relied upon by appellees did not establish the absence of a fact issue regarding the impossibility of valuation of the missing items protected by the claimant’s bond. They assert that appellees were required to present competent summary judgment evidence regarding the impossibility of valuation in order to be entitled to the full value *292 of the bond.

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Bluebook (online)
658 S.W.2d 289, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sandler-v-bufkor-inc-texapp-1983.