Fort Worth Court of Appeals holds oral pronouncements from bench cannot be considered when appealing a written order granting Town’s plea to the jurisdiction
John Artuso v. Town of Trophy Club, Texas, 02-20-00377-CV, (Tex. App – Fort Worth, May 13, 2021)
This is a negligence, taking, and declaratory judgment action where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the Town’s plea to the jurisdiction.
Plaintiff Artuso sued the Town of Trophy Club for negligence and gross negligence with regard to his home’s placement in the Town’s Public Improvement District No. 1 (PID) and the special assessments imposed in the district. Artuso asserted he timely paid all assessments and even overpaid. He requested the Town credit his account for previously over-assessed amounts, which he characterized as a taking. He claimed that the manner in which the Town apportioned the PID costs was arbitrary and capricious, amounting to a violation of his due process rights, and he complained that the Town had not responded to his assessment-reduction petition. The Town filed two pleas to the jurisdiction, which were granted. Artuso appealed.
Artuso’s argument that the trial court’s oral statements about the grounds for granting the plea were improper. The trial court’s signed order listed no grounds. The appellate court asserted it could not look to the oral statements in the record, only to the wording of the actual written order. By applying this policy, the courts and parties are relieved of the obligation to “parse statements made in letters to the parties, at hearings on motions for summary judgment, on docket notations, and/or in other places in the record.” Because Artuso has failed to challenge all of the grounds upon which the Town’s motion could have been granted, and failed to brief all grounds, the court of appeals affirmed the granting of the dispositive motions.
If you would like to read this opinion click here. Panel consists of Chief Justice Sudderth, and Justices Kerr and Womack. Memorandum Opinion by Chief Justice Sudderth. Docket page with attorney information found here.
