Tonda Harris Helms v. Mary Frances Swansen

Opinion

ACCEPTED 12-14-00280-CV TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS TYLER, TEXAS 4/30/2015 1:32:41 PM CATHY LUSK CLERK

NO. 12-14-00280-CV __________________________________________________________________ FILED IN 12th COURT OF APPEALS IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE TWELFTH DISTRICT, TYLER, TYLER, TEXAS TEXAS 4/30/2015 1:32:41 PM __________________________________________________________________ CATHY S. LUSK Clerk

TONDA HARRIS HELMS Appellant, v. MARY FRANCES SWANSEN Appellee. __________________________________________________________________

On Appeal from Cause No. 62,602-A In the County Court at Law #2 in and for Smith County, Texas Honorable Randall Lee Rogers, Presiding Judge __________________________________________________________________

APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF __________________________________________________________________

Jonathan Wharton SNOW E. BUSH, JR., P.C. Texas State Bar No. 24075764 420 N. Center Street Longview, TX 75601 Tel. (903) 753-7006 Fax (903) 753-7278 jonathanwharton1@sbcglobal.net ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT TONDA HARRIS HELMS

April 30, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1 ARGUMENT

The Appellant’s brief is sufficient to inform this court’s decision, but one

additional note should be made. The Appellee’s brief highlights the problem of the

trial court refusing to file additional findings of fact: she is now arguing that her

breach of contract claim is based on bailment for the first time on appeal. “Bailment”

is not mentioned in her pleadings. CR 4-9. It was not mentioned in the trial or in the

parties’ written closing arguments. CR 78-79. It is not mentioned in the judgment. CR

111-13. Neither is it mentioned in the findings of fact and conclusions of law. CR

102-06. The Appellant specifically requested additional findings on these issues so

that they could be resolved in the trial court instead of on appeal, but that request was

ignored. CR 97-98. The appellate court and the parties should not have to wait until

after an appeal has been filed and briefs submitted to find out the basis of the

judgment when a timely request was made.

Respectfully submitted,

SNOW E. BUSH, JR., P.C. 420 N. Center Street Longview, TX 75601 Tel. (903) 753-7006 Fax. (903) 753-7278 E-mail: jonathanwharton1@sbcglobal.net /s/ Jonathan Wharton By:___________________________

2 JONATHAN WHARTON STATE BAR NO. 24075764 ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT, TONDA HARRIS HELMS

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the above and foregoing has been delivered to Robert G. Hindman, counsel for appellee, on this the 30th day of April, 2015. /s/ Jonathan Wharton

JONATHAN WHARTON

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

I hereby certify that the Appellant’s Reply Brief (as measured under Tex. R. App. P. 9.4(i)(1)) contains 7,872 words as counted by Microsoft WordPerfect on this the 30th day of April, 2015. /s/ Jonathan Wharton

JONATHAN WHARTON