Trinity River Authority of Texas v. San Jacinto County

535 S.W.2d 422, 1976 Tex. App. LEXIS 2628
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 25, 1976
DocketNo. 7809
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 535 S.W.2d 422 (Trinity River Authority of Texas v. San Jacinto County) 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
Trinity River Authority of Texas v. San Jacinto County, 535 S.W.2d 422, 1976 Tex. App. LEXIS 2628 (Tex. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

KEITH, Justice.

The appeal is from an order overruling the defendant’s plea of privilege to be sued in Tarrant County. San Jacinto County (hereinafter “County”) brought this suit seeking a declaratory judgment. The only defendant, our appellant, is Trinity River Authority of Texas (hereinafter “TRA”), created by Acts 1955, 53rd Leg., Ch. 518, p. 1314, under Texas Const., Art. XVI, § 59. 1

Pursuant to authorization conferred in the Act, TRA erected a dam across the Trinity River between San Jacinto and Polk Counties. When the gates of the dam were closed several years ago, the waters of Lake Livingston rose and covered what County claimed was a public road known as “People’s Road” (hereinafter simply “road”).

In this suit, County sought a declaratory judgment that the road was a public road located on ground necessary for Lake Livingston, formed by the construction by TRA of the dam. County sought a declaration that TRA was required to pay the expense of moving the roadway. Tex.Water Code Ann. § 5.044(b) (1972). TRA filed a plea of privilege which, in addition to the usual allegations, averred that it was a governmental agency of the State and a body politic and corporate which could only be sued in Tarrant County “the residence and domicile and seat of government of [TRA], notwithstanding any statute which might otherwise appear to establish venue in a county other than the residence of the defendant.” TRA also claimed governmental immunity as an agent of the State.

County duly controverted the plea by invoking subdivisions 14 and 23, Art. 1995, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. (1964). It further pleaded, in the controverting plea, that TRA had denied that the road was a public road; had denied liability for damages because of the inundation and destruction thereof; and that these acts of TRA were in violation of Texas Const. Art. I, § 17.

Upon the hearing, County offered correspondence between the County Judge and officers of TRA whereby TRA denied that the road in question was a public road, TRA contending in essence that it had acquired the tract of land over which the road was situated in an eminent domain proceeding (to which County was not a party) and that it had thereby acquired the title to the entire tract, including the road. County also offered oral testimony from persons familiar with the road to the effect that it was recognized by the County and the public generally as a public road; that it was improved and maintained by the County, and that since the flooding, they could [424]*424reach their lands only by sufferance of other individual landowners.

TRA established that its principal office had been established by its Board of Directors as being in Arlington, Tarrant County, where all of the business affairs of TRA were conducted and its officers resided. County established that there was a park superintendent and several minor employees maintaining an office in San Jacin-to County where the park facilities of Lake Livingston were located.

Although findings of fact and conclusions of law are not required in venue appeals,2 such were filed in this cause and there are two which are material: (a) that TRA having denied that the road in question was a public road, the County must prove such fact, hence “[t]he title to the road in question is an issue in this lawsuit” and venue was properly shown to be in San Jacinto County under subdivision 14; and, (b) notwithstanding that TRA is not a privately owned entity but is a governmental agency of the State of Texas and a body politic and corporate, and although TRA’s principal place of business is in Tarrant County; nevertheless the cause of action arose in San Jacinto County where TRA had an agency or representative, so that venue was properly maintained under subdivision 23.

We have a complete record consisting of a statement of facts supported by several written exhibits; consequently, the findings of fact are not conclusive upon appeal. Swanson v. Swanson, 148 Tex. 600, 228 S.W.2d 156, 158 (1950); Anderson v. Anderson, 503 S.W.2d 124, 125 (Tex.Civ. App.—Corpus Christi 1973, no writ). However, there is little, if any, dispute in the facts as shown by our present record.

TRA makes three basic attacks upon the order:

(1) The principal purpose of the suit is to determine rights and obligations under Tex. Water Code Ann. § 5.044(b), and thus is not a suit to establish title to or to recover damages to land within the purview of subdivision 14, Art. 1995, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat. Ann. It also argues its immunity from suit by County.

(2) TRA is not a privately owned entity and is not subject to the provisions of subdivision 23, Art. 1995, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann.; and,

(3) TRA is a resident only of Tarrant County and may be sued only in that county-

TRA had the right and power to inundate public roads as an incident to the construction of Lake Livingston. Water Code § 5.044(b), quoted in the margin, specifically provided such power, making it the duty of the commissioners to change the road when such occurred.3 However, the same statute placed upon TRA the obligation to “pay the expense of moving the bridge or roadway.”

TRA argues that the case of Live Oak County v. Lower Nueces River Water S. Dist., 352 S.W.2d 139 (Tex.Civ.App.—San Antonio 1961, writ dism’d), is dispositive. We disagree. There are many points of similarity in the two cases; but, there is one important point of difference. In Live Oak County, it was undisputed that the Lagarto Road and Bridge were a public road and bridge within contemplation of the statute (then known as Art. 7585, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat. Ann., and now found and cited as Tex. Water Code Ann. § 5.044 [1972]). Here defendant denies that the road was a “Public” road; it insists that it acquired the road in the eminent domain proceedings to which the County was not a party; it refuses to [425]*425pay the cost of relocating such road; and, it contends that it is immune from suit.

TRA argues, mistakenly, that the court in the Live Oak County Case did not mention the fact that there was no dispute over the fact that the Lagarto Road was a public road. In Live Oak, the court noted that the district had “notified” the county to remove the bridge and relocate Lagarto Road, but that the county had refused to do so.4 A cursory examination of the opinion reveals that the Lagarto Road was a public road.

Here, TRA uses the statute as a one-way street; it contends that it had the right to inundate and destroy the county road; but, it refuses to accept the burden incident to the use of the statute: to pay the cost of its relocation.

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Bluebook (online)
535 S.W.2d 422, 1976 Tex. App. LEXIS 2628, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/trinity-river-authority-of-texas-v-san-jacinto-county-texapp-1976.