Yoast v. Yoast

649 S.W.2d 289, 26 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 310, 1983 Tex. LEXIS 296
CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedApril 6, 1983
DocketC-742
StatusPublished
Cited by48 cases

This text of 649 S.W.2d 289 (Yoast v. Yoast) 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
Yoast v. Yoast, 649 S.W.2d 289, 26 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 310, 1983 Tex. LEXIS 296 (Tex. 1983).

Opinions

RAY, Justice.

This is a trespass to try title suit. Lovell Yoast and wife sued his mother, Clara Yoast, and his brother, Ernest Yoast, and wife for title to a portion of a 442.94-acre tract of land located in Bastrop County. Lovell claimed title to 102.45 acres of the tract under three separate gift deeds and an additional 162.47 acres by adverse possession. After a non-jury trial, the court ordered that the plaintiffs recover title and possession of 262.45 acres.1 The court of [291]*291appeals reversed the trial court’s judgment in part. 620 S.W.2d 223 (Tex.Civ.App.1981). We affirm the judgment of the court of appeals in part and reverse in part.

In 1931 or 1932, Clara’s father-in-law acquired the 442.94 acre tract and Clara, her husband, and two sons moved onto the property. The father-in-law died in 1947 'and devised the tract to Clara’s husband. Clara and her husband continued to live on the land and paid taxes on the entire tract for the years 1948 and 1949. In 1949, Clara and her husband built a house on a 162.47-acre tract and designated the tract for Lo-vell’s use. In 1950, however, Clara’s husband changed the tax rendition so Lovell would be taxed for the 162.47 acres. Lovell has lived on this tract continuously since 1949, claiming the property as homestead and paying taxes.

In 1965, 1966 and 1967, Clara and her husband executed several gift deeds whereby Lovell and Ernest were each ultimately conveyed a %sths undivided interest in the 442.94-acre tract. Each deed contained identical language, conveying “an undivided ⅛3 interest in and to 442.94 acres.” Clara sought to lease portions of the 442.94-acre tract to Lovell. He has refused to lease the land, claiming he already owns it.

Lovell’s petition was entitled “Trespass to Try Title,” and in it he prayed for title to certain described lands. Clara’s answer consisted of a “not guilty” plea and a general denial. The trial court granted an interlocutory order on October 10, 1979, finding that Lovell was entitled to title and possession of a 262.45-acre interest to be awarded to Lovell in the final judgment. The order appointed a surveyor to partition in a contiguous manner a 160-acre tract, acquired by Lovell’s adverse possession, and a 102.45-acre tract conveyed to Lovell by the gift deeds. The trial court further stated in the October 10th order that the final judgment would be rendered when the survey was returned. Rather than waiting for the final judgment, Clara filed a cost bond on October 24, 1979, asserting her desire to appeal the October 10th order. The trial court rendered its “Final Judgment” a week later on November 1, 1979.

Although Clara did not file a cost bond after the November 1st judgment was rendered, as required by Rule 356, we hold her filing of cash in lieu of bond on October 24, 1979, constitutes a premature appeal within the scope of Rule 306c of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Lassiter v. Bliss, 559 S.W.2d 353, 358 (Tex.1977). Clara, therefore, has perfected her appeal from the final judgment and the court of appeals had jurisdiction to consider Clara’s appeal.

The court of appeals characterized this suit as a partition action, and determined that the final judgment for purposes of appeal was October 10, 1979. The court of appeals held the October 10th judgment was the first of the two adjudications involved in a partition suit. Benson v. Fox, 589 S.W.2d 823, 828 (Tex.Civ.App—Tyler 1979, no writ). Clara did not file her statement of facts within the time period allowed by Rule 386, regardless of whether the final appealable judgment was October 10th or November 1st. Tex.R.Civ.P. 386. She did, however, file a motion for extension of time to file the statement of facts on January 2nd. See Tex.R.Civ.P. 21c. Lo-vell filed a motion to strike the statement of facts from the record on appeal. The court of appeals granted Lovell’s motion, holding that Clara’s Rule 21c motion was not timely filed, because it was not filed within fifteen days from the date the statement of facts was due under the October 10th order.

We find the court of appeals erred in characterizing the suit as one for partition and in not considering Clara’s Rule 21c motion. No point of error, however, was preserved on the court of appeals’ striking of the statement of facts. Clara has, therefore, waived any error on this question because this Court cannot supply a point of error on a controlling ruling of the court of appeals. Deer Park v. State, 154 Tex. 174, 275 S.W.2d 77 (1954); London Terrace, Inc., v. McAlister, 142 Tex. 608, 180 S.W.2d 619 [292]*292(1944). Accordingly, the statement of facts is not part of the appellate record.

The court of appeals mischaracter-ized this case as a partition suit. • Lovell’s pleadings are in the form prescribed by the rule for pleading a trespass to try title action, and cannot be construed as doing more than alleging a suit for trespass to try title. See Hunt v. Heaton, 643 S.W.2d 677 (Tex.1982); Tex.R.Civ.P. 783. A trespass to try title action is a procedure by which rival claims to title or right of possession may be adjudicated. Poth v. Roosth, 146 Tex. 7, 202 S.W.2d 442, 445 (1947); Tide Water Oil Co. v. Bean, 148 S.W.2d 184, 187 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1941), rev’d on other grounds, 138 Tex. 479, 160 S.W.2d 235 (1942). Partition issues may be resolved in a trespass to try title suit once the controversy as to title or right to possession is settled. Tide Water Oil Co. v. Bean, 148 S.W.2d at 187. That, however, does not convert the cause of action to a partition suit.

A partition suit is based on the theory of common title, rather than disputed ownership. Green v. Churchwell, 222 S.W. 341, 341 (Tex.Civ.App.—Austin 1920, no writ). Ownership of the 442.94-acre tract was disputed in this case. Once title was awarded to Lovell, partition issues were adjudicated to avoid multiplicity of suits. The action was not converted to a suit for partition. Tide Water Oil Co. v. Bean, 148 S.W.2d at 187; McLean v. Moore, 145 S.W. 1074, 1075 (Tex.Civ.App.—Austin 1912, no writ).

The court of appeals affirmed the trial court’s judgment awarding the 160 acres to Lovell by adverse possession. The trial judge made all the necessary findings of fact to support Lovell’s claim of title under the ten-year statute of limitations. Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann. art. 5510. Since the statement of facts is not part of the record, Clara is powerless to make a complaint as to the sufficiency of the evidence to support the judgment. Ives v. Watson, 521 S.W.2d 930, 932 (Tex.Civ.App.—Beaumont 1975, writ ref’d n.r.e.). It is presumed on appeal that sufficient evidence was introduced to support the findings and judgment of the trial court. Lane v. Fair Stores, 150 Tex.

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Bluebook (online)
649 S.W.2d 289, 26 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 310, 1983 Tex. LEXIS 296, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/yoast-v-yoast-tex-1983.