Wilkinson v. Paschall

210 S.W.2d 215, 1948 Tex. App. LEXIS 1124
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 26, 1948
DocketNo. 2634.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 210 S.W.2d 215 (Wilkinson v. Paschall) 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
Wilkinson v. Paschall, 210 S.W.2d 215, 1948 Tex. App. LEXIS 1124 (Tex. Ct. App. 1948).

Opinion

GRISSOM, Chief Justice.

J. Brice Wilkinson and wife were riding in an automobile on a State Highway when there was a collision between their automobile and a cow belonging to Roy Paschall. Wilkinson sued Paschall for damages caused by that collision. Plaintiff alleged “there was in force and effect in Throck-morton County, Texas, a law which prevented cattle * ⅜ * from running at large upon said fenced public highway, and which law forbade owners of cattle from allowing their cattle to run at large upon such highwaythat Paschall had for some time prior to the collision “knowingly permitted * * * his cattle to run at large on said public highway,” and that defendant had “purposely arranged his .pasture fence abutting on said highway * * * so that his cattle could leave his pasture and go through his fence * * * upon * * * said highway * * Defendant filed, among other things, a general denial. He alleged various acts of contributory negligence by plaintiff and that plaintiff was under the influence of intoxicating liquor at the time of the collision.. Upon a trial to the court without a jury, judgment was rendered for defendant and plaintiff has appealed.

Appellant’s second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and tenth points are as follows:

“Second Point: The error of the Court in holding that it was necessary for plaintiff to prove that a stock law had been lawfully passed by Throckmorton County prohibiting livestock from running at large, since in 1935 an applicable State-wide law was passed.
“Third Point: The error of the Court in holding that under Section 1 of Art. 1370a [Vernon’s Ann.P.C.], Acts 1935, 44th Leg. p. 467, ch. 186, it was necessary for plaintiff to prove that the defendant ‘knowingly’ permitted his cow to roam at large unattended on the right-of-way of a designated State Highway inclosed by fences on both sides.
“Fourth Point: The error of the Court in holding that under the above State-wide Stock law passed by the Legislature in 1935, it was necessary for plaintiff to prove that the defendant ‘wilfully’ permitted his cow to roam at large unattended on the right-of-way of a designated State Highway inclosed by fences on both sides.
“Fifth Point: The error of the Court in holding that because it is a criminal statute, a violation of Section 1 of Art. 1370a, Acts 1935, 44th Leg. p. 467, ch. 186 could not be considered as an act of negligence in a civil suit for damages where defendant permitted his cow to roam at large urn-attended on the right-of-way of a designated State Highway inclosed by fences on both sides, thereby causing a collision with plaintiff’s automobile and consequent injuries to plaintiff’s wife.
“Sixth Point: The error of the Court in holding that it was necessary for plaintiff to establish by direct evidence that defendant had a ‘wilful intent’ to permit his cattle to roam at large unattended on the *217 right-of-way of a designated State Highway inclosed by fences on both sides.”
“Tenth Point: The error of the Court in basing his judgment in this case upon the decision in Jackson et al. v. Overby, Tex.Civ.App., 185 S.W.2d 765, which is wholly inapplicable to the law and facts of this case.”

Findings of fact and conclusions of law were not filed by the trial court, nor were they requested by appellant. We cannot consider the points quoted because the record does not show that the trial court held or did the things complained of therein. In the back of appellant’s brief is found what appears to be a photographic copy of a letter from the trial judge to the attorneys in which he informs them that judgment will be rendered for the defendant, and in which it is indicated that his decision is based upon the case of Jackson v. Overby, Tex.Civ.App., 185 S.W.2d 765. The judgment recites that at the conclusion of the trial, the court took the case under advisement and after consideration “under the authority of Jackson et al. v. Overby, Tex.Civ.App., 185 S.W.2d 765, and all other cases submitted on the subject matter of this suit is of the opinion that the defendant is entitled to a judgment that the plaintiff take nothing by this suit, which judgment is accordingly rendered by the court * * (Italics ours.)

We have no authority to consider the letter mentioned. If appellant wanted to complain of the holdings of the court, it was incumbent upon him to request findings of fact and conclusions of law by the trial court and have them included in the record on appeal so that this court might know what the court held and the basis for the judgment rendered.

Judge Gaines in Johnson v. Archibald, 78 Tex. 96, 14 S.W. 266, 268, 22 Am.St.Rep. 27, said:

“At all events, there being no conclusion of fact and law found in the record, if the evidence is sufficient to support the judgment upon any defense presented in the case, it is to be presumed that the court found in favor of the defendants upon that issue.”

Our Supreme Court in Davis v. Magnolia Petroleum Co., 134 Tex. 201, 209, 134 S.W.2d 1042, quoted the foregoing statement with approval. The following decisions are to the same effect: City of West University Place v. Ellis, 134 Tex. 222, 225, 134 S.W.2d 1038; Texas Creosoting Co. v. Hartburg Lumber Co., Tex.Com.App., 12 S.W.2d 169; Patrick v. Simpson, Tex.Civ.App., 168 S.W.2d 315, 316 (writ ref.); Smith v. Fishback, Tex.Civ.App., 123 S.W.2d 771, 773 (writ ref.); Haden Employees’ Ass’n. v. Lovett, Tex.Civ.App., 122 S.W.2d 230, 233 (writ ref.); Boyd v. Keystone Driller Co., Tex.Civ.App., 6 S.W.2d 221, 223 (writ ref.); Williams v. Henderson County Levee Improvement Dist. No. 3, Tex.Com.App., 36 S.W.2d 204, 205; Vick v. Duggan, Tex.Civ.App., 143 S.W.2d 1010, 1011; Gibson v. Henderson, Tex.Civ.App., 136 S.W.2d 634, 635; Miller v. State, Tex.Civ.App., 155 S.W.2d 1012, 1015; Hooven Radiator Co. v. Little Motor Kar Co., Tex.Civ.App., 291 S.W. 313, 314; Indian State Oil Co. of Texas v. McCutchen, Tex.Civ.App., 183 S.W.2d 692 (writ ref.); Commercial Credit Corp. v. Smith, 143 Tex. 612, 616, 187 S.W.2d 363.

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210 S.W.2d 215, 1948 Tex. App. LEXIS 1124, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilkinson-v-paschall-texapp-1948.