Shaw v. Taylor

146 S.W.2d 452
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 19, 1940
DocketNo. 3783.
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 146 S.W.2d 452 (Shaw v. Taylor) 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
Shaw v. Taylor, 146 S.W.2d 452 (Tex. Ct. App. 1940).

Opinion

WALKER, Chief Justice.

This was an action in district court of Shelby county by appellant, W. B. Shaw, describing himself as “plaintiff and contestant,” against appellee, J. C. Taylor, described as “defendant and contestee.” Appellant’s prayer was that he have judgment “declaring him to be the duly and legally elected school trustee for Fellowship Common School District No. 72, Shelby County,” and that the certificate of election issued to appellee “be cancelled,. rescinded and held for naught.” On trial to the court without a jury, judgment was *453 that appellant “take nothing,” from which he has duly prosecuted his appeal to this court.

In support of the judgment, the trial court filed the following conclusions of fact and law, all having support in the pleadings of the parties; the conclusions accurately state the nature and contents of appellant’s petition and of appellee’s answer:

“Findings of Fact
“1. I find that, pursuant to legal notice and in accordance with law there was held in the Fellowship Common School District No. 72 on April 6, 1940, an election for the purpose of electing one Trustee for said district, the results of the election ascertained and returns _ duly made to the proper officials.
“2. I find that at said election only 92 votes in’'all were cast, of which the contestant, W. B. Shaw, received 44 votes, contestee, J. C. Taylor, received 45 votes, and Ray Dickerson received 3 votes, which facts are reflected by the returns made by the- election officers.
“3. I find that the returns of said election were canvassed by the Commissioners Court of Shelby County, Texas, on April 1$, 1940, and that J. C. Taylor was by it declared to be elected; and that J. C. Taylor has qualified by taking the oath of office prescribed by law.
“4. I find that W. B. Shaw filed his contest on April 17, 1940, alleging and claiming that Leonard Brown and Mrs. Leonard Brown, who voted in said election for J. C. Taylor were not legally quali- ’ fied voters in said election by reason of the fact that they did not reside in Fellowship Common School District No. 72, and further alleging that Harvey Williams and his wife, Mrs. Harvey Williams, who.voted in ■ said election and voted for contestee, J. C. Taylor, were not legally qualified voters to vote in said election by reason of the fact that they did not reside in said Fellowship Common School District No. 72, and that no other grounds of contest were specified.
“5. I find that notice of said contest, together with duplicate original of contestant’s petition, was served oh J. C. Taylor on April 18th, 1940.
- “6. I find that on the 17th day of April, 1940, the Judge of this Court ordered that a special term of this Court be held for the 'purpose 'of trying and disposing of this election contest.
“7. I find that -no written reply to said contest was delivered to contestant, his agent or attorney or filed by the contestee until April 29, 1940, when he came by his counsel and filed pleas, in abatement, and, subject to the action of the Court on said pleas, his answer upon the merits, which answer was filed by leave of the Court-, and that a motion by contestant to strike said answer was overruled by the court after a hearing as to the facts.
“8. I find- that on April 6, 1940, Leonard Brown and his wife, Mrs. Leonard Brown, did not reside in Fellowship Common School District No. 72 and had not so resided for a long time prior to said date; and that said Leonard Brown and his wife, Mrs. Leonard Brown, voted for and their votes were counted for the contestee, J. C. Taylor.
“9. I find that Harvey Williams and his wife, Mrs. Harvey Williams, on April 6, 1940, were residing outside of Fellowship; Common School District No. 72 and within the boundaries of .Center Independent School District at Center, Shelby County, Texas; but that their absence from Fel-' lowship Common School District No. 72 was merely temporary absence and that when' removing from said District their intention was to be absent temporarily and then . to return and continue their actual residence within the boundaries .of Fellowship Common School District No. 72 and that said Harvey Williams and his wife,' Mrs. Harvey Williams, voted for the ’con-testee, J. C. Taylor, and their votes were counted for him.
“10. I find that in his answer or reply to the contest J. C. Taylor set up and alleged that Vessie Harvey and his wife, Mrs. Vessie Harvey, were permitted to vote in said election, that they voted for W. B. Shaw, that they were not qualified voters in said election because of the fact that they had not resided within the boundaries of Fellowship Common School District No. 72 a sufficient length of time to qualify them to vote in said election.
“11. I find that Vessie Harvey and his wife, Mrs. Vessie Harvey, were permitted to vote in said election,, that they cast their votes therein for contestant and said votes were counted for contestant, W. B. Shaw; that they had lived in the State’of Texas for more than twelve months and in Shelby County for more than six months prior to the date of the election but had .resided Qutside the boundaries of Fellowship Com *454 mon School District No. 72 until November 17, 1939, upon which date they moved into said District' with the intention to permanently reside therein and so resided from November 17, 1939, up to April 6, 1940, and thereafter within the boundaries of said Fellowship Common School District No. 72.
“12. I find that both the contestant, W. B. Shaw, and the contestee, J. C. Taylor, were possessed of the qualifications prescribed by law for a trustee of said Common School District on the date of said election and on the date of the canvass of the returns thereof.
“Conclusions of Law
“1. I conclude that Leonard Brown and his wife, Mrs. Leonard Brown, were not legally qualified to vote in said election.
“2. I conclude that Vessie Harvey and his wife, Mrs. Vessie Harvey, were not legally qualified to vote in said election.
“3. I conclude that Harvey Williams and his wife, Mrs. Harvey Williams, were qualified to vote in said election.
“4. Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law I conclude that contestant received 42 legal votes and contestee, J. C. Taylor, received 43 legal votes, and that J. C. Taylor is the duly elected and qualifiedvTrustee of said Common School District.”

Appellee presents his cross assignment of error that the court erred in overruling his plea in abatement, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain appellant’s cause of action, on the ground that appellant’s only relief was by proceedings in quo warranto. This contention is overruled. Relief by quo warranto is simply a concurrent remedy to appellant’s right to maintain this suit for the office of school trustee. 34 Tex.Jur. 624; Public Officers, Sec. 60.

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641 S.W.2d 392 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1982)
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146 S.W.2d 452, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shaw-v-taylor-texapp-1940.