Andrew Woodrum v. Wal-Mart Stores Texas, LLC, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Walmart Inc., Wal Mart Real Estate Business Trust, Marshall Henry, and Brian Speights ( 2022 )


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  • DISMISS and Opinion Filed February 28, 2022
    S   In The
    Court of Appeals
    Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
    No. 05-21-01062-CV
    ANDREW WOODRUM, Appellant
    V.
    WAL-MART STORES TEXAS, LLC, WAL-MART STORES, INC.,
    WAL-MART, INC., WAL-MART REAL ESTATE BUSINESS TRUST,
    MARSHALL HENRY, AND BRIAN SPEIGHTS, Appellees
    On Appeal from the 192nd Judicial District Court
    Dallas County, Texas
    Trial Court Cause No. DC-19-08052
    MEMORANDUM OPINION
    Before Justices Myers, Molberg, and Garcia
    Opinion by Justice Garcia
    Appellant appeals from the trial court’s November 5, 2021 order granting
    summary judgment in favor of appellees Wal-Mart Stores Texas, LLC, Wal-Mart
    Stores, Inc., Wal-Mart, Inc., and Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust (collectively
    Wal-Mart). Because the order did not dispose of appellant’s claims against appellees
    Marshall Henry and Brian Speights, Wal-Mart has filed a motion to dismiss the
    appeal for want of jurisdiction. See Lehmann v. Har-Con Corp., 
    39 S.W.3d 191
    ,
    195 (Tex. 2001) (subject to mostly statutory exceptions, appeal may be taken only
    from final judgment that disposes of all parties and claims).
    In his response to the motion to dismiss, appellant agrees that the order is
    interlocutory, explains that he has filed a motion to sever the claims against appellees
    Henry and Speights, and asks that we abate the appeal pending the trial court’s ruling
    on his motion to sever set for hearing on April 8. Wal-Mart filed a reply noting that
    a severance order will not resolve all issues because the appealed order granted its
    first motion for summary judgment as opposed its “live” third motion for summary
    judgment. See KSWO Television Co. v. KFDA Operating Co., LLC, 
    442 S.W.3d 695
    , 699 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014, no pet.) (amended motion for summary
    judgment supersedes the previous motion which can no longer be considered), see
    also King v. Regions Bank, No. 02-15-00201-CV, 
    2016 WL 2586663
     (Tex. App.—
    Fort Worth May 5, 2016, no pet.) (reversing summary judgment order that failed to
    grant live summary judgment motion before the trial court). Wal-Mart has filed a
    motion to modify the order granting summary judgment to reflect the proper motion
    for summary judgment granted by the trial court.1 This motion is set to be heard on
    April 8 as well. Nothing in the record before us reflects determination of appellees’
    motion to modify will be perfunctory. See Parks v. DeWitt Cty. Elec. Coop., Inc.,
    
    112 S.W.3d 157
    , 163 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2003, no pet.) (declining to abate
    to allow trial court to dispose of statutory counterclaim for attorney’s fee because
    1
    This motion was filed on February 9, 2022 and is viewable on the trial court’s website.
    –2–
    determination of counterclaim “require[d] more than the determination of
    ‘perfunctory issues’ ”).
    Because this appeal was filed on December 6, 2021, the earliest the motions
    to sever and modify will be determined is April 8, and the determination of the
    motion to modify is more than a ministerial act, we decline to abate the appeal
    pending resolution below. We grant appellees’ motion and dismiss the appeal for
    want of jurisdiction. See TEX. R. APP. P. 42.3(a); Lehmann, 39 S.W.3d at 195.
    /Dennise Garcia/
    DENNISE GARCIA
    JUSTICE
    211062F.P05
    –3–
    S
    Court of Appeals
    Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
    JUDGMENT
    ANDREW WOODRUM, Appellant                  On Appeal from the 192nd Judicial
    District Court, Dallas County, Texas
    No. 05-21-01062-CV        V.               Trial Court Cause No. DC-19-08052.
    Opinion delivered by Justice Garcia.
    WAL-MART STORES TEXAS,                     Justices Myers and Molberg
    LLC, WAL-MART STORES, INC.,                participating.
    WAL-MART, INC., WAL-MART
    REAL ESTATE BUSINESS
    TRUST, MARSHALL HENRY,
    AND BRIAN SPEIGHTS, Appellees
    In accordance with this Court’s opinion of this date, the appeal is
    DISMISSED.
    It is ORDERED that appellees WAL-MART STORES TEXAS, LLC, WAL-
    MART STORES, INC., WALMART INC., WAL-MART REAL ESTATE
    BUSINESS TRUST, MARSHALL HENRY, AND BRIAN SPEIGHTS recover
    their costs of this appeal from appellant ANDREW WOODRUM.
    Judgment entered February 28, 2022
    –4–
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 05-21-01062-CV

Filed Date: 2/28/2022

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 3/2/2022