Veronica L. Davis and James A. Davis v. State Farm Lloyds Texas and Gerald Krouse

CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 6, 2016
Docket03-16-00091-CV
StatusPublished

This text of Veronica L. Davis and James A. Davis v. State Farm Lloyds Texas and Gerald Krouse (Veronica L. Davis and James A. Davis v. State Farm Lloyds Texas and Gerald Krouse) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Veronica L. Davis and James A. Davis v. State Farm Lloyds Texas and Gerald Krouse, (Tex. 2016).

Opinion

ACCEPTED 03-16-00091-CV 13096560 THIRD COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS 10/6/2016 10:51:57 AM JEFFREY D. KYLE CLERK NO. 03-16-00091-CV

FILED IN 3rd COURT OF APPEALS IN THE COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS FOR THE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS10/6/2016 10:51:57 AM DISTRICT OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN JEFFREY D. KYLE Clerk

JAMES A. DAVIS AND VERONICA L. DAVIS Appellants,

v.

STATE FARM LLOYDS TEXAS AND GERALD KROUSE, Appellees.

On Appeal from the 250th Judicial District Court of Travis County, Texas

BRIEF OF APPELLEE, GERALD KROUSE

APPELLEE REQUESTS ORAL ARGUMENT

Gregory A. Whigham State Bar No. 21266800 MacINNES, WHIGHAM & SIEFKEN, L.L.P. 3305 Northland Drive, Suite 205 Austin, TX 78731 (512) 477-6813 Telephone (512) 477-7573 Facsimile

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE GERALD KROUSE NO. 03-16-00091-CV

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

JAMES A. DAVIS AND VERONICA L. DAVIS

Appellants,

STATE FARM LLOYDS TEXAS AND GERALD KROUSE,

Appellees.

TO THE HONORABLE COURT OF APPEALS:

Appellee, GERALD KROUSE respectfully presents this his Brief of Appellee

in support of the Order Denying Plaintiffs’ Motion to Reinstate, signed on January

19, 2016, by the 345th District Court, Travis County, Texas, and in support of the

preceding Order, signed on November 16, 2015, by that same District Court (which

Order dismissed Cause No. D-1-GN-13-001724, following Plaintiffs/Appellants’

Notice of Non-Suit), and respectfully represents the following:

i IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

Appellants/Plaintiffs: James A. Davis and Veronica L. Davis

Trial/Appellate Counsel: Veronica L. Davis State Bar No. 05557300 Law Office of Veronica L. Davis 226 N. Mattson West Columbia, Texas 77486 Telephone: 979-345-2953 Facsimile: 979-345-5461

Appellee/Co-Defendant: Gerald Krouse

Trial/Appellate Counsel: Robert A. MacInnes State Bar No. 12760550 Gregory A. Whigham State Bar No. 21266800 MacINNES, WHIGHAM & SIEFKEN, L.L.P. 3305 Northland Drive, Suite 205 Austin, TX 78731 Telephone: 512-477-6813 Facsimile: 512-477-7573

Appellee/Co-Defendant: State Farm Lloyds Texas

Trial/Appellate Counsel: Edward F. Kaye State Bar No. 24012942 Skelton & Woody 248 Addie Roy Rd., Ste. B-302 Austin, Texas 78746 Telephone: 512-651-7000 Facsimile: 512-651-7001

ii PARTY REFERENCES

References to Appellee, Gerald Krouse, will sometimes be “Krouse”

References to Appellee, State Farm Lloyds Texas, will sometimes be “State Farm”

CITATION REFERENCES

Clerk’s Record will be cited as “CR”.

Supplemental Clerk’s Record will be cited as “SCR”.

iii TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDENTITY OF PARTIES & COUNSEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

PARTY REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

CITATION REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

STATEMENT OF THE CASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

STATEMENT OF FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

A. The Order Denying Plaintiffs’ Motion to Reinstate, signed on January 19, 2016, by the 345th District Court, Travis County, Texas, and the preceding Order, signed on November 16, 2015, by that same District Court (which Order dismissed Cause No. D-1-GN-13-001724, following Plaintiffs/Appellants’ Notice of Non-Suit), are final, disposing of all issues in that Cause Number . . . . . 3, 6

B. The Trial Court did not err in refusing to allow venue transfer once the previous severance order was granted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 8

C. The Trial Court did not err in signing its Order Vacating Prior “Order” & Order on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Sanctions, Motion to Compel, and Motion for Continuance, signed on July 15, 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 8

D. The Trial Court did not err in refusing to grant a continuance in Cause No. D-1-GN-13-001724 on November 16, 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 9

iv E. The Trial Court did not err in signing its Order Denying Plaintiffs’ Motion to Reinstate, signed on January 19, 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 10

F. The Trial Court did not err in signing its Order Sustaining Contest to Affidavit of Indigence Inability to Pay Fees and Related Costs of Appeal, signed on March 8, 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 10

G. There is nothing in the record before this Honorable Appellate Court to demonstrate that the Court made any “determination of mistake” that allegedly forced Plaintiffs/Appellants to non-suit Cause No. D-1-GN-13-001724 . . 5, 11

CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

v INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

CASES

Ashpole v. Millard, 778 S.W.2d 169 (Tex. App-Houston [1st Dist.]) . . . . . . . . . . 7

Brainard v. Trinity Universal Ins. Co., 216 S.W.3d 809 (Tex. 2006) . . . . . . . . . . 7

Couch Mortgage Company v. Roberts, 544 S.W.2d 944 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1977) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Hjalmarson v. Langley, 840 S.W.2d 153 (Tex. App.-Waco 1992) . . . . . . 7, 10, 11

Lentino v. Front National Bank, 159 S.W.3d 651 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.]) .................................................................. 7

McClendon v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 796 S.W.2d 229 (Tex. App.-El Paso 1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 12

United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company v. Beuhler, 597 S.W.2d 523 (Tex. App.-Beaumont 1980) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

vi STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Nature of the case. The Plaintiffs/Appellants brought Cause No. D-1-GN-12-

004077 in the 345th District Court, Travis County, Texas, against both

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Related

Hjalmarson v. Langley
840 S.W.2d 153 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1992)
Brainard v. Trinity Universal Insurance Co.
216 S.W.3d 809 (Texas Supreme Court, 2006)
Lentino v. Frost National Bank
159 S.W.3d 651 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2004)
United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Beuhler
597 S.W.2d 523 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1980)
McClendon v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.
796 S.W.2d 229 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1990)
Ashpole v. Millard
778 S.W.2d 169 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1989)
Couch Mortgage Co. v. Roberts
544 S.W.2d 944 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1976)

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Veronica L. Davis and James A. Davis v. State Farm Lloyds Texas and Gerald Krouse, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/veronica-l-davis-and-james-a-davis-v-state-farm-lloyds-texas-and-gerald-tex-2016.