court of appeals fifth court of appeals district dallas, tx

524 Pages·2013·14 MB·English

ACCEPTED
225EFJ017714378
FIFTH COURT OF APPEALS
DALLAS, TEXA S
13 September 14 P1:29
Lisa Matz
NO. 05-13-00068-CV
CLERK
-----------------------
FILED IN
COURT OF APPEALS 5th COURT OF APPEALS
DALLAS, TEXAS
FIFTH COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT
9/14/2013 1:29:40 PM
DALLAS, TX
LISA MATZ

Clerk
------------------------

ROBERT D. COLEMAN,
APPELLANT

V.

REED W. PROSPERE,
APPELLEE

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF/APPENDIX

TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF SAID COURT:

NOW COMES Robert D. Coleman, Appellant, and as a basis for this Motion for
Leave to File Appellant’s Amended Brief/Appendix, shows the Court the following:
On or about June 17, 2013, Appellant filed his original Appellant’s Brief and
Appendix. It was the intent of Appellant and his counsel to effect an electronic filing
of the subject Brief which would contain electronic bookmarks as recommended by
significant secondary authority.
The foregoing did not occur because of technical issues.
The Amended Brief/Appendix being forwarded herewith electronically will
reflect electronic bookmarks.
The Amended Brief/Appendix does not contain any substantive changes in
language.
1
CERTIFICATE OF CONFERRING
On September 4, 2013, counsel for Appellant placed a phone call to counsel for
Appellee in order to confer regarding this motion. Counsel for Appellee has not
returned the aforesaid phone call.
Appellant contends that cause exists for this amended filing. Appellant
contends that permitting this filing is in the interest of justice. This is a complex
ethics question in which the additional organization per the electronic filing will be a
substantial assistance to the Court.
PRAYER
WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Appellant prays that leave be granted
for the filing of the Brief/Appendix as submitted herein, and for other relief the Court
deems proper.

Respectfully permitted,

/s/ Gershon D. Cohen
_____________________________________
GERSHON D. COHEN
State Bar No. 04508325
P.O. Box 6331
San Antonio, Texas 78209
[phone]
[phone] - Fax
[email protected]

ATTORNEY FOR ROBERT D. COLEMAN

2
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing has been
forwarded via fax: [phone] and first class mail to: Steven C. Bankhead, 8111
Preston Road, Suite 500, Dallas, Texas 75225, on this 6th day of September, 2013.

/s/ Gershon D. Cohen
_____________________________________
GERSHON D. COHEN
3
No. 05-13-00068-CV

IN THE
FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS
Dallas, Texas

ROBERT D. COLEMAN,

Appellant,

V.

REED W. PROSPERE,

Appellee.

On appeal from
The 68th Judicial District Court
Dallas County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 11-02288

APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF

Gershon D. Cohen
Texas Bar No. 04508325
Post Office Box 6331
San Antonio, Texas 78209
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT,
ROBERT D. COLEMAN
No. 05-13-00068-CV

IN THE
FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS
Dallas, Texas

ROBERT D. COLEMAN,

Appellant,

V.

REED W. PROSPERE,

Appellee.

On appeal from
The 68th Judicial District Court
Dallas County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 11-02288

APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF

Gershon D. Cohen
Texas Bar No. 04508325
Post Office Box 6331
San Antonio, Texas 78209
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT,
ROBERT D. COLEMAN

______________________________________________________________________________
APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF Page 2
No. 05-13-00068-CV

ROBERT D. COLEMAN,

Appellant,

V.

REED W. PROSPERE,

Appellee.

IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT: Robert D. Coleman

COUNSEL OF PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT: Gershon D. Cohen
Texas Bar Card No. 04508325
Post Office Box 6331
San Antonio, Texas 78209
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

DEFENDANT’/APPELLEE: Reed W. Prospere

COUNSEL OF DEFENDANT’/APPELLEE: Steven C. Bankhead
Texas Bar Card No. 01676700
8111 Preston Road, Suite 500
Dallas, Texas 75225
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

Reference herein to CR, RR, LA, and OD herein designate documents in
the four sections of the Appendix
______________________________________________________________________________
APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF Page 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL................................................................... 3

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES............................................................................................ 5

STATEMENT OF THE CASE........................................................................................ 11

ISSUES PRESENTED FOR REVIEW............................................................................ 13

STATEMENT OF FACTS............................................................................................... 15

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT............................................................................... 17

ARGUMENT.................................................................................................................... 19

ISSUE 1: D’s Improper Statements................................................................................. 20

ISSUE 2: D’s Frivolous Perjurious MSJ......................................................................... 26

ISSUE 3: D’s Intentional Sham Affidavit....................................................................... 29

ISSUE 4: D’s Expert Witness Affidavit.......................................................................... 33

ISSUE 5: D’s Ambiguous Contract................................................................................. 35

ISSUE 6: D’s MSJ Burdens ............................................................................................ 39

ISSUE 7: D’s Affirmative Defense/Rebuttal.................................................................. 46

ISSUE 8: D’s Contract Fee and Deposit......................................................................... 50

ISSUE 9: D’s Counterclaim............................................................................................ 57

PRAYER .......................................................................................................................... 64

AFFIDAVIT..................................................................................................................... 65

APPENDIX ...................................................................................................................... 66
______________________________________________________________________________
APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF Page 4
INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

CASES

United States Appeals Court

Whiteside v. Scurr, 744 F.2d 1323 (8th Cir. 1984),
Opinion on Rehearing 750 F.2d 713 (8th Cir. 1984).........19, 47, 48, 49, 50, 58, 62

Texas Courts

Alaniz v. Hoyt, 105 S.W.3d 330 (Tex. App. – Corpus Christi 2003, no pet.).............39, 46

Amouri v. Sw. Toyota, Inc., 20 S.W.3d 165
(Tex. App.–Texarkana 2000, pet. denied) .......................................................39, 44

Baldwin v. Security Bank & Trust, 541 S.W.2d 908
(Tex. App.–Waco 1976, no writ) ....................................................................35, 38

Bassett v. Am. Nat’l Bank, 145 S.W.3d 692
(Tex. App.–Fort Worth 2004, no pet.).............................................................39, 44

Beeman v. Worrell, 612 S.W.2d 953 (Tex. App.–Dallas 1981, no writ)....................57, 63

Boudreau v. Fed. Trust Bank, 115 S.W.3d 740
(Tex. App.–Dallas 2003, pet. denied)............................................................. 39, 44

Broadnax v. Kroger Tex., L.P., No. 05-04-01306-CV, 2005 WL 2031783,
at *5-7 (Tex. App.–Dallas Aug. 24, 2005, no pet.) (mem. op.).................39, 42, 43

Brown v. Brown, 145 S.W.3d 745 (Tex. App.–Dallas 2004, pet. denied)......20, 22, 34, 35

Brownlee v. Brownlee, 665 S.W.2d 111 (Tex. 1984)................................................. 20, 23

Burrow v. Arce, 997 S.W.2d 229 (Tex. 1999)
& (Headnotes 2, 3 & 4)..................................................................20, 25, 34, 35, 39

Cantu v. Peacher, 53 S.W.3d 5 (Tex. App.–San Antonio 2001, pet. denied).......20, 29, 30

Carr v. Brasher, 776 S.W.2d 567 (Tex. 1989)............................................................39, 42

Casso v. Brand, 776 S.W.2d 551 (Tex. 1989).............................................................26, 28

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APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF Page 5
Centeq Realty, Inc. v. Siegler, 899 S.W.2d 195 (Tex. 1995)......................................39, 44

Chau v. Riddle, 212 S.W.3d 699 (Tex. App.–Houston [1st Dist.] 2006)....................34, 35

City of Ingleside v. Stewart, 554 S.W.2d 939
(Tex. App.–Corpus Christi 1977, writ ref’d n.r.e.)..........................................57, 63

City of Keller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802 (Tex. 2005) ...............................................39, 44

Cluck v. Commission for Lawyer Discipline, 214 S.W.3d 736
(Tex. App.–Austin 2007)....................................................19, 50, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57

Davis v. City of Grapevine, 188 S.W.3d 748 (Tex. App.–Fort Worth 2006) ...... 29, 31, 33

Dickey v. Club Corp. of Am., 12 S.W.3d 172
(Tex. App.–Dallas 2000, pet. denied)............................................................. 39, 46

Forbes, Inc. v. Granada Biosciences, Inc., 124 S.W.3d 167 (Tex. 2003)................. 39, 44

Ford Motor Co., v. Ridgway, 135 S.W.3d 598 (Tex. 2004)........................................39, 44

Garza v. CTX MORTG. CO., LLC, 285 SW 3d 919 (Tex. App.–Dallas 2009)....20, 21, 46

Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. Wilson, 59 S.W. 589,
(Tex. App. – Galveston 1900, no writ).............................................................26, 27

Hamilton v. Wilson, 249 S.W.3d 425 (Tex. 2008)......................................................40, 44

Hamlett v. Holcomb, 69 S.W.3d 816
(Tex. App.–Corpus Christi 2002, no pet.)......................................35, 36, 40, 42, 43

Horizon/CMS Healthcare Corp.v. Auld, 34 S.W.3d 887 (Tex. 2000)........................20, 23

Hou-Tex, Inc. v. Landmark Graphics, 26 S.W.3d 103
(Tex. App.–Houston [14th Dist.] 2000)............................................. 20, 23, 40, 44

Johnson v. Brewer & Pritchard, P.C., 73 S.W.3d 193 (Tex. 2002)...........................20, 23

Johnson & Johnson Med., Inc. v. Sanchez, 924 S.W.2d 925 (Tex. 1996)..................40, 44

Johnston v. Kruse, 261 S.W.3d 895 (Tex. App.–Dallas 2008, no pet.)......................29, 30

Jones v. Hanna, 264 SW 2d 133 (Tex.App.–Waco 1954, no writ).............................57, 62
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APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF Page 6
Keenan v. Gibraltar Sav. Ass’n, 754 S.W.2d 392
(Tex. App.–Houston [14th Dist.] 1988, no writ)........................................20, 35, 38

Limestone Prods. Distrib., Inc. v. McNamara, 71 S.W.3d 308 (Tex. 2002)...............40, 44

Long Distance Int’l, Inc. v. Telefonos de Mex., S.A. de C.V.,
49 S.W.3d 347 (Tex. 2001)..............................................................................40, 44

Mack Trucks, Inc. v. Tamez, 206 S.W.3d 572 (Tex. 2006).........................................20, 21

Malooly Bros., Inc. v. Napier, 461 S.W.2d 119 (Tex. 1970)................................19, 40, 42

Mann Frankfort Stein & Lipp Advisors, Inc. v. Fielding,
289 S.W.3d 844 (Tex. 2009)............................................................................40, 44

McConnell v. Southside School Dist., 858 SW 2d 337, 342-43 (Tex. 1993)..20, 21, 22, 46

Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Havner, 953 S.W.2d 706 (Tex. 1997)...........40, 46

Michael v. Dyke, 41 S.W.3d 746
(Tex. App.–Corpus Christi 2001, no pet.)......................................20, 22, 40, 43, 46

Missouri Pac. Ry. v. Somers, 14 S.W. 779 (Tex. 1890)....................................................27

MMP, Ltd. v. Jones, 710 S.W.2d 59 (Tex. 1986)........................................................40, 44

Montgomery Ward & Co. v. Lusk, 52 S.W.2d 1110
(Tex. App.–Waco 1932, writ ref’d)..................................................................58, 62

Nixon v. Mr. Prop. Mgmt. Co., 690 S.W.2d 546 (Tex. 1985).....................................40, 46

Pierce v. Washington Mut. Bank, 226 S.W.3d 711 (Tex. App.–Tyler 2007) .......29, 31, 33

R & P Enters. v. LaGuarta, Gavrel & Kirk, Inc.,
596 S.W.2d 517 (Tex. 1980)............................................................................35, 36

Randall v. Dallas Power & Light Co., 752 S.W.2d 4 (Tex. 1988) ......................29, 31, 33

Rhône-Poulenc, Inc. v. Steel, 997 S.W.2d 217 (Tex. 1999) .......................................40, 44

Rogers v. Ricane Enterprises, Inc., 772 S.W.2d 76 (Tex. 1989)................................40, 42

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APPELLANT’S AMENDED BRIEF Page 7