VanHuss v. Buchanan

508 S.W.2d 412
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 5, 1974
Docket17493
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 508 S.W.2d 412 (VanHuss v. Buchanan) 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
VanHuss v. Buchanan, 508 S.W.2d 412 (Tex. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinions

OPINION

BREWSTER, Justice.

This is an appeal by the two defendants in the case, Mrs. J. D. VanHuss and her son, Jack VanHuss, from orders overruling their pleas of privilege. Both defendants lived outside the county of suit.

The plaintiff, Bob Buchanan, sued the defendants in Wise County, Texas, seeking to recover from both a joint and several judgment on a $40,000.00 note that was executed by Mrs. J. D. VanHuss and one of her other sons, T. L. VanHuss, who had died prior to the time the suit -was filed. The principal and interest of the note were, by its terms, made payable in Wise County, Texas. The makers of the note also executed a security agreement by the [414]*414terms of which they conveyed to plaintiff a security interest in 2,000 pounds of A.M. P.I. Milk Marketing Base as security for the payment of the note. Plaintiff sought as against Mrs. VanHuss a judgment on the note plus a foreclosure of the security agreement lien.

The plaintiff’s petition alleged that T. L. VanHuss, a co-maker of the note, was dead, that he died intestate, that he had never been married, that he left no descendants, that there was no administration on his estate, and that he left as his only heirs, his mother who is the defendant, Mrs. J. D. VanHuss, and his brother, who is the other defendant, Jack VanHuss. He further alleged that he was suing Jack VanHuss in his capacity as an heir at law of T. L. VanHuss, deceased, who had been an owner at the time of his death of the property that was the subject matter of the security agreement that is herein sought to be foreclosed. Plaintiff alleged that Jack VanHuss was in possession of this property, and was claiming some sort of right or title to it. The defendant, Jack VanHuss, was also sued in his individual capacity.

Mrs. VanHuss’ point of error is that the trial court erred in overruling her plea of privilege to be sued in Clay County, the county of her residence.

We overrule this point.

Plaintiff contended he had a right to keep venue as to Mrs. VanHuss in Wise County by virtue of Subd. 5, Art. 1995, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St, because the written contract sued on was by its terms made payable in Wise County, Texas.

The law is that to keep venue in the county of suit under Art. 1995, Subd. 5, the plaintiff must prove by a preponderance of the evidence at the venue hearing that the contract in writing that is sued on was executed by defendant and 'that the terms of the contract bound the defendant to perform the contract in the county of suit. Pinkston-Hollar, Inc. v. Big Three Welding Supply Co., 378 S.W.2d 715 (Fort Worth, Tex.Civ.App., 1964, no writ hist.).

In this case Mrs. VanHuss did not deny under oath the execution of the note sued on as is required by Rule 93, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Therefore, it was not necessary that plaintiff prove execution of the note by her. It was only necessary under those circumstances that the note be introduced into evidence in order to prove up its terms. Thompson v. Republic Acceptance Corporation, 388 S. W.2d 404 (Tex.Sup., 1965). The plaintiff here did introduce the note into evidence and it was received without objection. It showed by its terms that it was made performable by Mrs. VanHuss in the county, of suit. This was all that plaintiff had to prove under the facts of this case in order to show his right to keep venue of Mrs. VanHuss’ case in Wise County under Subd. 5, Art. 1995. See 60 Tex.Jur.2d, Venue, Sections 210 and 211.

Mrs. VanHuss contends that the rules we have announced above should not apply here because the contract sued on was illegal and void because in violation of the antitrust laws. We overrule this contention.

Neither defendant pleaded in the trial court that the contract sued on was illegal or that it was in violation of the antitrust laws. Because of this the defense of illegality was waived.

Under Rule 94, T.R.C.P., illegality is an affirmative defense that must be pleaded. If illegality is not affirmatively pleaded as a defense, it is waived. Free-Flow Muffler Company v. Kliewer, 283 S.W.2d 778 (Texarkana, Tex.Civ.App., 1955, ref. n. r. e.); Chapman v. Tyler Bank & Trust Company, 396 S.W.2d 143 (Tyler Tex.Civ. App., 1965, ref., n. r. e.); and Bachman Center Corporation v. Sale, 359 S.W.2d 290 (Dallas, Tex.Civ.App., 1962, ref., n. r. e.) The contracts here sued upon do not show on their face that they are illegal as being in violation of the antitrust laws.

[415]*415In addition to what we have said, whether or not a contract is illegal is a defensive matter, and it is not one of the venue facts to be determined at the venue hearing. 60 Tex.Jur.2d, Venue, Sec. 210, notes 10 and 11; and Arnold v. Wheeler, 304 S.W.2d 368 (San Antonio, Tex.Civ. App., 1957, ref., n. r. e.).

The second point of error urged by defendants is that the court erred in overruling the plea of privilege of defendant, Jack VanHuss.

We also overrule this point.

Plaintiff contends that he is entitled to keep venue of the case against Jack Van-Huss in Wise County, Texas, under Art. 1995, subd. 29a, V.A.C.S. It provides in substance that when there are two or more defendants in any suit and it is lawfully maintainable in the county of suit against one of them under the provisions of Art. 1995, then it can be maintained in that county against any and all necessary parties.

The following is from McDonald’s “Texas Civil Practice”, Vol. 1, Sec. 4.36, note 27: “Before exception 29a can apply, four conditions must exist: the action must be against two or more defendants; all of them must reside outside the county of suit; venue must be proper against at least one of the defendants under some exception to the general venue rule; and the defendant urging his privilege must be a necessary party to the claim against the defendant as to whom venue is proper. The venue facts thus become clear:

“(I) Plaintiff must establish the propriety of venue as to some defendant under some exception to the general venue rule. . The controverting affidavit must allege, and plaintiff must establish, facts which sustain the venue of the action in the county of suit as against one defendant ; . . . .

“(II) Plaintiff must show that the defendant urging his plea of privilege is a necessary party upon the cause of action as to which venue against the codefendant has been established.”

In this case, as demonstrated above, the plaintiff, at the venue hearing, alleged and proved that he had a right to try the case in Wise County as against Mrs. VanHuss under Subd. 5 of Art. 1995, V.A.C.S. The case was brought against two defendants, neither of whom lived in Wise County.

The remaining question for our determination is whether the plaintiff alleged and proved at the venue hearing that Jack VanHuss is a necessary party to the cause of action as to which venue against Mrs. J. D. VanHuss has been established.

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

Related

Ceramic Tile International, Inc. v. Balusek
137 S.W.3d 722 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2004)
Executive Tele-Communication Systems, Inc. v. Buchbaum
669 S.W.2d 400 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1984)
Foster v. First National Bank of Chicago
604 S.W.2d 508 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1980)
Neese v. Fidelity Union Life Insurance Co.
587 S.W.2d 498 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1979)
Riverside National Bank v. Lewis
572 S.W.2d 553 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1978)
Zodiac Corp. v. General Electric Credit Corp.
566 S.W.2d 341 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1978)
Bauer v. Valley Bank of El Paso
560 S.W.2d 520 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1977)
Vahlsing v. Collier Cobb & Associates of Dallas, Inc.
560 S.W.2d 117 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1977)
American Transfer & Storage Co. v. Reichley
543 S.W.2d 162 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1976)
MacPet v. Oil Field Maintenance Co.
538 S.W.2d 240 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1976)
American Fiber Glass, Inc. v. General Electric Credit Corp.
529 S.W.2d 298 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1975)
VanHuss v. Buchanan
508 S.W.2d 412 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1974)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
508 S.W.2d 412, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vanhuss-v-buchanan-texapp-1974.