Sharmyn Long v. Pamela Faris and P S Faris LLC

CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 8, 2018
Docket02-17-00236-CV
StatusPublished

This text of Sharmyn Long v. Pamela Faris and P S Faris LLC (Sharmyn Long v. Pamela Faris and P S Faris LLC) 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
Sharmyn Long v. Pamela Faris and P S Faris LLC, (Tex. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICT OF TEXAS FORT WORTH

NO. 02-17-00236-CV

SHARMYN LONG APPELLANT

V.

PAMELA FARIS AND P S FARIS APPELLEES LLC

----------

FROM THE 96TH DISTRICT COURT OF TARRANT COUNTY TRIAL COURT NO. 096-291739-17

MEMORANDUM OPINION 1

I. Introduction

Appellant Sharmyn Long contracted with Appellees Pamela Faris and P S

Faris LLC for professional consulting services in conjunction with her divorce.

Long and her ex-husband entered into a mediated settlement agreement, and

the divorce decree stated that Appellees fulfilled their obligation to Long and had 1 See Tex. R. App. P. 47.4. no further obligation to her “absent an additional written agreement between”

them. Long subsequently sued Appellees for breach of contract, breach of

fiduciary duty, and negligent misrepresentation, and Appellees moved for

traditional and no-evidence summary judgment. The trial court granted summary

judgment for Appellees “in all respects,” and in two issues, Long appeals. We

affirm.

II. Summary Judgment

Long complains that the trial court erred by granting summary judgment for

Appellees because it failed to consider the evidence in the light most favorable to

her and failed to disregard all contrary evidence and inferences. She also

complains that she offered more than a scintilla of evidence on all of the

elements of her causes of action. Appellees respond that Long misapprehends

summary judgment standards, failed to raise a genuine issue of material fact to

overcome summary judgment on the challenged elements of her causes of

action, and failed to preserve her challenge to the form of the summary judgment

motion.

A. Standards of Review

In a traditional summary judgment case, the issue on appeal is whether the

movant met the summary judgment burden by establishing that no genuine issue

of material fact exists and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of

law. Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a(c); Mann Frankfort Stein & Lipp Advisors, Inc. v.

2 Fielding, 289 S.W.3d 844, 848 (Tex. 2009). We review a summary judgment

de novo. Travelers Ins. Co. v. Joachim, 315 S.W.3d 860, 862 (Tex. 2010).

We take as true all evidence favorable to the nonmovant, and we indulge

every reasonable inference and resolve any doubts in the nonmovant’s favor.

20801, Inc. v. Parker, 249 S.W.3d 392, 399 (Tex. 2008); Provident Life &

Accident Ins. Co. v. Knott, 128 S.W.3d 211, 215 (Tex. 2003). We consider the

evidence presented in the light most favorable to the nonmovant, crediting

evidence favorable to the nonmovant if reasonable jurors could and disregarding

evidence contrary to the nonmovant unless reasonable jurors could not. Mann

Frankfort, 289 S.W.3d at 848. We must consider whether reasonable and fair-

minded jurors could differ in their conclusions in light of all of the evidence

presented. See Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Spates, 186 S.W.3d 566, 568 (Tex.

2006); City of Keller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802, 822–24 (Tex. 2005).

A defendant who conclusively negates at least one essential element of a

cause of action is entitled to summary judgment on that claim. Frost Nat’l Bank

v. Fernandez, 315 S.W.3d 494, 508 (Tex. 2010), cert. denied, 562 U.S. 1180

(2011). Once the defendant produces sufficient evidence to establish the right to

summary judgment, the burden shifts to the plaintiff to come forward with

competent controverting evidence that raises a fact issue. Van v. Peña, 990

S.W.2d 751, 753 (Tex. 1999). The appellate court can consider only the material

on file with the trial court as of the time the summary judgment was granted.

3 Brookshire v. Longhorn Chevrolet Co., 788 S.W.2d 209, 213 (Tex. App.—Fort

Worth 1990, no writ).

In a no-evidence summary judgment case, after an adequate time for

discovery, the party without the burden of proof may, without presenting

evidence, move for summary judgment on the ground that there is no evidence to

support an essential element of the nonmovant’s claim or defense. Tex. R. Civ.

P. 166a(i). The motion must specifically state the elements for which there is no

evidence. Id.; Timpte Indus., Inc. v. Gish, 286 S.W.3d 306, 310 (Tex. 2009).

The trial court must grant the motion unless the nonmovant produces summary

judgment evidence that raises a genuine issue of material fact. See Tex. R. Civ.

P. 166a(i) & cmt.; Hamilton v. Wilson, 249 S.W.3d 425, 426 (Tex. 2008).

As in traditional summary judgment cases, when reviewing a no-evidence

summary judgment, we examine the entire record in the light most favorable to

the nonmovant, indulging every reasonable inference and resolving any doubts

against the motion. Sudan v. Sudan, 199 S.W.3d 291, 292 (Tex. 2006). We

review a no-evidence summary judgment for evidence that would enable

reasonable and fair-minded jurors to differ in their conclusions. Hamilton, 249

S.W.3d at 426 (citing City of Keller, 168 S.W.3d at 822). We credit evidence

favorable to the nonmovant if reasonable jurors could, and we disregard

evidence contrary to the nonmovant unless reasonable jurors could not. Timpte

Indus., 286 S.W.3d at 310 (quoting Mack Trucks, Inc. v. Tamez, 206 S.W.3d 572,

582 (Tex. 2006)). If the nonmovant brings forward more than a scintilla of

4 probative evidence that raises a genuine issue of material fact, then a no-

evidence summary judgment is not proper. Smith v. O’Donnell, 288 S.W.3d 417,

424 (Tex. 2009); King Ranch, Inc. v. Chapman, 118 S.W.3d 742, 751 (Tex.

2003), cert. denied, 541 U.S. 1030 (2004).

When a party moves for summary judgment under both rules 166a(c) and

166a(i), we will first review the trial court’s judgment under the standards of rule

166a(i). Ford Motor Co. v. Ridgway, 135 S.W.3d 598, 600 (Tex. 2004). If the

nonmovant failed to produce more than a scintilla of evidence under that burden,

then there is no need to analyze whether the movant’s summary judgment proof

satisfied the rule 166a(c) burden. Id.

B. Background

Appellees jointly filed a traditional and no-evidence motion for summary

judgment. In the no-evidence portion of the motion, Appellees challenged certain

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Related

Ford Motor Co. v. Ridgway
135 S.W.3d 598 (Texas Supreme Court, 2004)
Willis v. Donnelly
199 S.W.3d 262 (Texas Supreme Court, 2006)
MacK Trucks, Inc. v. Tamez
206 S.W.3d 572 (Texas Supreme Court, 2006)
Hamilton v. Wilson
249 S.W.3d 425 (Texas Supreme Court, 2008)
20801, INC. v. Parker
249 S.W.3d 392 (Texas Supreme Court, 2008)
Mann Frankfort Stein & Lipp Advisors, Inc. v. Fielding
289 S.W.3d 844 (Texas Supreme Court, 2009)
Timpte Industries, Inc. v. Gish
286 S.W.3d 306 (Texas Supreme Court, 2009)
Frost National Bank v. Fernandez
315 S.W.3d 494 (Texas Supreme Court, 2010)
Travelers Insurance Co. v. Joachim
315 S.W.3d 860 (Texas Supreme Court, 2010)
Matheus v. Sasser
164 S.W.3d 453 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2005)
Stewart v. Basey
245 S.W.2d 484 (Texas Supreme Court, 1952)
Schlumberger Technology Corp. v. Swanson
959 S.W.2d 171 (Texas Supreme Court, 1997)
City of Keller v. Wilson
168 S.W.3d 802 (Texas Supreme Court, 2005)
Provident Life & Accident Insurance Co. v. Knott
128 S.W.3d 211 (Texas Supreme Court, 2003)
King Ranch, Inc. v. Chapman
118 S.W.3d 742 (Texas Supreme Court, 2003)
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Spates
186 S.W.3d 566 (Texas Supreme Court, 2006)
Phan Son Van v. Pena
990 S.W.2d 751 (Texas Supreme Court, 1999)
Ryland Group, Inc. v. Hood
924 S.W.2d 120 (Texas Supreme Court, 1996)
Brookshire v. Longhorn Chevrolet Co.
788 S.W.2d 209 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1990)

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