Ulmer v. Dunigan Tool & Supply Co.

163 S.W.2d 901, 1942 Tex. App. LEXIS 415
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 22, 1942
DocketNo. 2269.
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 163 S.W.2d 901 (Ulmer v. Dunigan Tool & Supply Co.) 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
Ulmer v. Dunigan Tool & Supply Co., 163 S.W.2d 901, 1942 Tex. App. LEXIS 415 (Tex. Ct. App. 1942).

Opinions

LESLIE, Chief Justice.

This is an appeal from an order overruling pleas of privilege where venue of the suit in Stephens County was claimed under subds. 5 and 29a, art. 1995, R.C.S. of Texas, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. art. 1995, subds. 5, 29a.

Dunigan Tool & Supply Company instituted this suit in Stephens County, Texas, against Harry W. Black, a nonresident of Texas, M. C. Ulmer, Alva W. Butler and husband, John P. Butler, who reside in Midland County, and Madeline Martin and husband, Charles Martin, who reside in Jasper County. The suit was brought by appellee against Harry W. Black to recover an indebtedness which he is alleged to have expressly contracted in writing to pay in Stephens County. The indebtedness was evidenced by a promissory note stipulating for payment “at the office of Duni-gan Tool & Supply Company, Breckenridge, Texas.” So did the sales tickets for goods sold him.

Three appellants claimed privilege of being sued in Midland County, and two of being sued in Jasper County. The relief sought against appellants Ulmer, the Butlers and Martins is the foreclosure of liens in favor of the plaintiff and alleged to exist agáinst certain oil, gas and mineral interests and personal property situated in Loving County, Texas. It is alleged that the appellants are subsequent purchasers of the property encumbered with said liens. That they are in possession of the same and that they refuse to surrender the same to appellee.

Other facts are in substance, as follows: Mrs. A. S. Chapman, joined by her husband, made a contract August 5, 1939, *903 with H. M. White to execute to him oil and gas leases on her lands in Loving County. September 11, 1939, White conveyed to R. O. Moorehead an undivided one-half interest in that contract which contemplated the development of the oil, gas and mineral resources in the land and the payment to her of the usual l/8th royalty. September 18, 1939, Moorehead and White assigned to Karl C. Portz, Sr. their interest in said contract, and the Chapmans thereafter executed mineral leases in pursuance of said contract. The Tool Company began to furnish material and equipment for the lease and oil well about September 20, 1939, and continued to do so until about December 31, 1939. Liens for such material attached and were preserved by registration.

May 8, 1940, Portz, by deed of general warranty, conveyed to Alva W. Butler and Madeline Martin (appellants) an undivided l/32nd interest in the lessee’s 7/8ths working interest, subject, however, to the overriding royalty interest of White and Moorehead. On May 8, 1940, said Portz by like deed conveyed to M. C. Ulmer (another appellant) an undivided 3/32nd interest in the lessee’s 7/8ths working interest in said Chapman lease, subject to the overriding interest of White and Moore-head, reserved therein.

Some months after these assignments, Portz, on August 14, 1940, executed an assignment to Dunigan Tool & Supply Company, by which instrument he conveyed to them his remaining interest in the Chapman lease. By that instrument he secured by lien the payment of said note. As stated, the other elements of the suit are evidenced by the sales tickets contracting in writing to pay in Stephens County.

The appellants were subsequent purchasers of an interest in the leasehold estate and in possession of the leasehold estate and personal property covered by the lien sought to be foreclosed. The appellee does not disagree with appellants’ statement of the nature and results of the suit. Clarifying the issues of the case the appellants frankly state:

“’This suit was brought by Dunigan Tool & Supply Company against Plarry W. Black, a nonresident of the State of Texas, to recover upon a debt alleged to have been contracted by said Black for goods sold and delivered to said Black. The relief sought against appellants, M. C. Ulmer, Alva W. Butler and husband, John P. But-lér,' and Madeline ’ Martin and husband, Charles Martin, is the ■ foreclosure of certain pretended liens alleged to exist against a certain oil and gas lease in Loving County, Texas, to secure an alleged debt against Harry W. Black.

“Appellants own'interests in the lease in question which appellee contends are sub-' ject to its alleged liens. It is not contended that app.ellánts have ever in any manner contracted to pay or become liable for the debt sued upon.

“There is no dispute that the cause of action stated in plaintiff’s (appellee’s) orig- ' inal petition is venuable in Stephens ’ County as against Harry W. Black.

“The only question now before the court is whether or not the evidence adduced on the trial hereof brings this case within the-terms of Subdivision 29a of Art. 1995, Texas Revised Civil Statutes, the necessary parties statute. Appellants devote this brief to the concrete question of the legal effect of the evidence contained in the record, not to the abstract question of whether or not a taker subject to is a necessary party ' to an action of this kind.” (Italics ours.)

Appellants’ statement under their first, proposition is in part:

“ * * * No question is here raised as to the propriety of the venue of this suit as against Harry W. Black. The sole purpose of joining appellants in this suit is to foreclose against their interests in the oil and gas lease described in plaintiff’s original petition a pretended material-man’s lien and a pretended chattel mortgage lien * * *.
“Appellants do not seek to reopen the. question of whether or not a taker subject to a lien is such a necessary party as is contemplated by this statute but concede that the later authorities determine that question in favor of appellee. The question sought to be raised is whether the facts •proved on the trial of this matter are sufficient as a matter of law to warrant the only conclusion of law upon which the judgment below may be supported, viz., that these appellants are necessary parties to the suit of appellee against Harry W. Black to recover a debt and to foreclose certain liens because said debt and liens in fact and in law are valid and subsisting and because appellants have an interest, subject in fact and in lazo to said liens in the property upon which foreclosure is sought.” (Italics ours.)

*904 Since by appellants’ admissions and the undisputed testimony the suit is venuable in Stephens County, Texas, as to Harry W. Black, under exception 5 to the general venue statute, that question is settled and need not be further considered.

Doubtless appellants’ admission or concession to the effect that “appellants do not seek to reopen the question of whether or not a taker subject to a lien is such a necessary party as is contemplated by this statute but concede that the later authorities determine that question in favor of the appellee” is based upon the opinion of our Supreme Court in Pioneer Building & Loan Ass’n v. Gray, 132 Tex. 509, 125 S.W.2d 284, and numerous authorities following the same, and others applying like principles: Pierson v. Pierson, 136 Tex. 310, 150 S.W.2d 788; Hamilton v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Harry Newton, Inc. v. Broaddus
372 S.W.2d 950 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1963)
Shaw v. Allied Finance Co.
330 S.W.2d 690 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1959)
Ladner v. Reliance Corp.
293 S.W.2d 758 (Texas Supreme Court, 1956)
Ladner v. Reliance Corp.
288 S.W.2d 129 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1955)
Deal v. Grand Fin. Co. of Austin
228 S.W.2d 984 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1950)
Liegl v. Trinity Finance Corp.
211 S.W.2d 318 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1948)
Southwestern Peanut Growers Ass'n v. Womack
179 S.W.2d 371 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1944)
Moreland v. Hawley Independent School Dist.
169 S.W.2d 227 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1943)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
163 S.W.2d 901, 1942 Tex. App. LEXIS 415, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ulmer-v-dunigan-tool-supply-co-texapp-1942.