COURT OF APPEALS
SECOND DISTRICT OF TEXAS
FORT WORTH
NO. 2-03-383-CV
DAVID POWE, BOBBIE HOPKINS, APPELLANTS
AND ROY LEE BROWN IN THE
RIGHT OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
BAPTIST CHURCH OF FORT WORTH,
TEXAS, AS MEMBERS AND IN
BEHALF OF ALL OTHER MEMBERS
SIMILARY SITUATED
V.
ROBERT BURDETTE, NICOLE APPELLEES
BURDETTE, CHARLES CASTLEMAN,
AND RADENE TADLOCK, AS THE
DEFENDANTS, JOINING ARLINGTON
HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH OF
FORT WORTH, TEXAS AS PARTY
DEFENDANT
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FROM THE 141 ST DISTRICT COURT OF TARRANT COUNTY
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MEMORANDUM OPINION (footnote: 1)
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Appellants, David Powe, Bobbie Hopkins, and Roy Lee Brown in the right of Arlington Heights Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas, as members and in behalf of all other members similarly situated, brought suit against Appellees, Robert Burdette, Nicole Burdette, Charles Castleman, Radene Tadlock, and Arlington Heights Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas, seeking injunctive relief to enjoin Appellees from transferring the assets of and dissolving Arlington Heights Baptist Church, a Texas nonprofit corporation. The trial court denied Appellants’ application for temporary injunction and subsequently granted Appellees’ plea to the jurisdiction. In their sole issue on appeal, Appellants contend that the trial court erred by granting the plea to the jurisdiction. Appellees have filed a motion to dismiss the appeal, contending that the issue is moot. Because we hold that the issue in this case is moot, we grant Appellees’ motion and dismiss the cause.
Background
On August 3, 2003, a special business meeting of Arlington Heights Baptist Church of Fort Worth was held as announced July 27, 2003. The special business meeting was held to vote on a proposed motion to transfer the Church’s assets and to dissolve the Church as a corporate entity. After a vote was taken on the motion, it was determined that the assets would be transferred to Tarrant Baptist Association, Inc. and the corporation would be dissolved September 1, 2003.
Alleging that the July 27th notice and the August 3rd special business meeting violated the Church’s by laws and Texas statutory corporate laws, on August 25, 2003, Appellants filed this suit seeking injunctive relief to enjoin Appellees from transferring the assets and dissolving the Church. On September 3, 2003, an evidentiary hearing was held on Appellants’ petition for temporary injunction, and on September 5, 2003, the trial court entered an order denying the petition. Appellants did not seek a stay of the order pending appeal. On December 17, 2003, the trial court entered an order granting Appellees’ plea to the jurisdiction, dismissing Appellants’ suit. On December 29, 2003, the Church’s dissolution committee transferred the Church’s assets to Tarrant Baptist Association, Inc. and filed articles of dissolution with the Secretary of State. On December 30, 2003, Appellants filed their notice of appeal.
Discussion
Appellees contend that this appeal is moot because the actions Appellants sought to enjoin have already been performed. We agree. Mootness is a component of subject matter jurisdiction. (footnote: 2) If issues presented are no longer “live” or the parties lack a legally cognizable interest in the outcome, the case is moot. (footnote: 3) When actions sought to be enjoined have been fully performed, the case is moot. (footnote: 4)
Although Appellants’ issue in this case is whether the trial court erred by granting Appellees’ plea to the jurisdiction, if upon review of this case we were to hold that the trial court did abuse its discretion, no live controversy exists to remand to the trial court. (footnote: 5) As the record appears before us, we hold that Appellants issues on appeal are moot.
Conclusion
Having held that no viable case or controversy exists, we dismiss Appellants appeal as moot.
LEE ANN DAUPHINOT
JUSTICE
PANEL B: DAUPHINOT, GARDNER, and WALKER, JJ.
DELIVERED: August 12, 2004
FOOTNOTES
1:
See Tex. R. App. P. 47.4.
2:
Labrado v. County of El Paso , 132 S.W.3d 581, 589 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2004, no pet. h.).
3:
Murphy v. Hunt , 455 U.S. 478, 481, 102 S. Ct. 1181, 1183 (1982); City of Fort Worth v. Pastusek Indus. , Inc. , 48 S.W.3d 366, 371 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2001, no pet.).
4:
Day v. First City Nat’l Bank of Houston , 654 S.W.2d 794, 795 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1983, no writ); see also Labrado , 132 S.W.3d at 589.
5:
See F.D.I.C. v. Nueces County , 886 S.W.2d 766, 767 (Tex. 1994); Pastusek Indus. , 48 S.W.3d at 371.