ACCEPTED
12-14-00280-CV
TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS
TYLER, TEXAS
4/30/2015 1:32:41 PM
CATHY LUSK
CLERK
NO. 12-14-00280-CV
__________________________________________________________________
FILED IN
12th COURT OF APPEALS
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE TWELFTH DISTRICT, TYLER,
TYLER, TEXAS
TEXAS 4/30/2015 1:32:41 PM
__________________________________________________________________
CATHY S. LUSK
Clerk
TONDA HARRIS HELMS
Appellant,
v.
MARY FRANCES SWANSEN
Appellee.
__________________________________________________________________
On Appeal from Cause No. 62,602-A
In the County Court at Law #2 in and for Smith County, Texas
Honorable Randall Lee Rogers, Presiding Judge
__________________________________________________________________
APPELLANT’S REPLY BRIEF
__________________________________________________________________
Jonathan Wharton
SNOW E. BUSH, JR., P.C.
Texas State Bar No. 24075764
420 N. Center Street
Longview, TX 75601
Tel. (903) 753-7006
Fax (903) 753-7278
jonathanwharton1@sbcglobal.net
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
TONDA HARRIS HELMS
April 30, 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1
ARGUMENT
The Appellant’s brief is sufficient to inform this court’s decision, but one
additional note should be made. The Appellee’s brief highlights the problem of the
trial court refusing to file additional findings of fact: she is now arguing that her
breach of contract claim is based on bailment for the first time on appeal. “Bailment”
is not mentioned in her pleadings. CR 4-9. It was not mentioned in the trial or in the
parties’ written closing arguments. CR 78-79. It is not mentioned in the judgment. CR
111-13. Neither is it mentioned in the findings of fact and conclusions of law. CR
102-06. The Appellant specifically requested additional findings on these issues so
that they could be resolved in the trial court instead of on appeal, but that request was
ignored. CR 97-98. The appellate court and the parties should not have to wait until
after an appeal has been filed and briefs submitted to find out the basis of the
judgment when a timely request was made.
Respectfully submitted,
SNOW E. BUSH, JR., P.C.
420 N. Center Street
Longview, TX 75601
Tel. (903) 753-7006
Fax. (903) 753-7278
E-mail: jonathanwharton1@sbcglobal.net
/s/ Jonathan Wharton
By:___________________________
2
JONATHAN WHARTON
STATE BAR NO. 24075764
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT,
TONDA HARRIS HELMS
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the above and foregoing has
been delivered to Robert G. Hindman, counsel for appellee, on this the 30th day of
April, 2015.
/s/ Jonathan Wharton
JONATHAN WHARTON
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
I hereby certify that the Appellant’s Reply Brief (as measured under Tex. R.
App. P. 9.4(i)(1)) contains 7,872 words as counted by Microsoft WordPerfect on this
the 30th day of April, 2015.
/s/ Jonathan Wharton
JONATHAN WHARTON
3