Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. v. Wilson

768 S.W.2d 755, 1989 Tex. App. LEXIS 327, 1988 WL 141973
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 9, 1989
Docket13-87-336-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by59 cases

This text of 768 S.W.2d 755 (Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. v. Wilson) 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
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. v. Wilson, 768 S.W.2d 755, 1989 Tex. App. LEXIS 327, 1988 WL 141973 (Tex. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

OPINION

BENAVIDES, Justice.

Southwestern Bell (Bell) appeals from a trial court judgment of more than five million dollars in a case brought by John Wilson and Cochise Air Conditioning and Electrical (Wilson). 1 Wilson was awarded damages for claims of unreasonable collection efforts, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, assault, battery, and false imprisonment, arising from Bell’s efforts to collect a $9,500.00 agreed judgment. Bell attacks the liability and damage findings in seventy-three points of error.

Wilson entered into an agreement with Bell in April 1983 to accept payment for telephone bills at Polly’s Bus Station in *758 Donna, Texas. Wilson owned the bus station which was managed by his wife. In February, 1984, Wilson reported a theft of $10,000 of Bell’s money from Polly’s. According to Wilson, after the theft, telephone representatives began contacting him in order to pursuade him to pay the money that Bell believed he owed. Bell later filed suit against Wilson and Cochise, which resulted in a $9,500.00 agreed judgment. Bell agreed to postpone execution of its judgment for six months to allow Wilson to pay. The judgment was not paid, and in August 1985, Bell requested a writ of execution. Wilson later filed suit against Bell in connection with the activities occurring during the levy and later amended its pleadings to allege harassment by Bell employees prior to the levy of execution. The trial court, in more than 200 fact findings, held Bell vicariously liable for the wrongful conduct committed by all of the alleged tortfeasors.

Wilson had a history of heart problems which he alleged were seriously aggravated by Bell’s collection efforts. He had undergone a triple bypass heart operation in 1981. He alleged that cardiac events which occurred in 1984, as well as other health problems occurring later, were the direct result of wrongful conduct by Bell. Wilson also alleged and the trial court found that Bell was responsible for the failure of Wilson’s businesses. Prior to the theft in 1984, Wilson owned Polly’s Bus Station as well as Cochise and Brinley’s, Inc. Brinley’s and Cochise were businesses which engaged in industrial refrigeration and air conditioning.

Bell argues by its first forty-five points of error that it is not vicariously liable for any wrongful conduct. The trial court found that the acts and conduct of Bell were each and all done by a person or persons authorized to act on Bell’s behalf. These persons included Constable Quintan-illa and Deputy Salinas, lawyers Mark Walker and Mario Barrera, and unnamed Bell employees. The trial court further found that Bell ratified the conduct of the above parties, accepted the benefits of such conduct and caused all damages and that the resulting injuries were proximately caused by such conduct. In determining Bell’s liability to Wilson, we will examine Bell’s relationship with the three groups whose alleged acts caused Wilson’s damages.

Attorneys

The trial court found Bell responsible for the tortious acts of its attorneys, Walker and Barrera. The trial court concluded that Walker accosted Wilson in the courthouse hallway and demanded $9,500.00 from him. Walker called Wilson a thief. According to the trial court’s findings, Mario Barrera told Wilson he was going to ruin him and put him out of business during the levy on Wilson’s property. The court found that Barrera verbally and physically assaulted and battered Wilson during the attempted execution on his property. According to the fact findings, Mario Barrera repeatedly poked Wilson on the chest with his hand.

Wilson testified that Barrera handed him the notice of seizure on the day of the levy. According to Wilson, on the day of the execution, Constable Quintanilla and Attorney Barrera surrounded him. Barrera “cussed” him out. Barrera was very irritated and mad. He was pointing his finger at Wilson and poking him in the chest. He said that he was upset with Barrera poking him in the chest and cussing at him. Barrera threatened to ruin him.

Sylvia Escamillo, Wilson’s employee, testified that on the day of the execution, Attorney Barrera was furious when he entered Wilson’s place of business. She said that they surrounded Wilson. Escamillo testified that the individuals there were not exercising their authority in a proper way. She saw Barrera point his finger at Wilson.

Constable Quintanilla testified that he never heard Barrera tell Wilson that he was going to ruin him or put him out of business. He never saw Barrera poke Wilson in the chest. Deputy Salinas said that Barrera arrived two to three minutes after they did. According to Salinas, Barrera used no abusive or profane language. Salinas said that Barrera did not threaten Wil *759 son or tell him he was going to put him out of business. Salinas did not see Barrera assault Wilson.

In order to hold Bell liable for the intentional torts of its attorneys, it was incumbent upon Wilson to prove that Barrera was an agent or employee of Bell when the alleged tortious acts were committed. Norton v. Martin, 703 S.W.2d 267, 272 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1985, writ ref d n.r.e.). Wilson must also have proven that the act or acts subjecting the corporation to liability were within the scope of the agent’s employment. Leadon v. Kimbrough Brothers Lumber Co., 484 S.W.2d 567, 569 (Tex.1972); Dieter v. Baker Service Tools, 739 S.W.2d 405 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1987, writ denied). The relationship of attorney and client may be im plied from the conduct of the parties. Duval County Ranch Co. v. Alamo Lumber Co., 663 S.W.2d 627, 633 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1983, writ ref d n.r.e.). An attorney-client relationship is an agency relationship and generally the acts and omissions within the scope of his or her employment are regarded as the clients’ acts. Gavenda v. Strata Energy, Inc., 705 S.W.2d 690, 693 (Tex.1986). To determine liability of the principal, we determine if the act complained of arose directly out of the business that the servant was hired to do. Green v. Jackson, 674 S.W.2d 395, 398 (Tex.App.—Amarillo 1984, writ ref d n.r.e.). A principal is responsible for an unlawful act of his agent where the act is committed by the agent for the purpose of accomplishing the mission entrusted to him by his principal. Aetna Casualty and Surety Co. v. Love, 132 Tex. 280, 121 S.W.2d 986, 990 (Comm.App.1938); Arterbury v. American Bank & Trust Co., 553 S.W.2d 943, 949 (Tex.Civ.App.—Texarkana 1977, no writ).

The record clearly reflects that attorneys Walker and Barrera were representing Bell in the collection of the $9,500.00 debt. Walker stated in an affidavit in connection with answers to interrogatories that he was the authorized representative and attorney of record for Bell with regard to answering the interrogatories. Barrera attended and participated in the levy. Constable Quintanilla testified that Barrera was the Bell representative present when they seized the Donna Bus Station.

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Bluebook (online)
768 S.W.2d 755, 1989 Tex. App. LEXIS 327, 1988 WL 141973, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/southwestern-bell-telephone-co-v-wilson-texapp-1989.