Tunnell v. Otis Elevator Co.

Decision Date22 June 1966
Docket NumberNo. A--11435,A--11435
Citation404 S.W.2d 307
PartiesRalph E. TUNNELL et ux., Petitioners, v. OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY et al., Respondents.
CourtTexas Supreme Court

Huff & Bowers, Robert W. Gauss, with above firm, Lubbock, for petitioners.

Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam, Max C. Addison, with above firm, Lubbock, for respondents.

PER CURIAM.

The opinion of the Court of Civil Appeals in this case is reported in 400 S.W.2d 781 (1965). The application for writ of error is refused, no reversible error. Rule 483, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. This action is not, however, to be taken as an approval of the holding of the Court of Civil Appeals that a charitable organization engaged in non-charitable, profit-making activities is entitled to immunity from tort liability under the rule of law announced in Southern Methodist University v. Clayton, 142 Tex. 179, 176 S.W.2d 749 (1943) and followed in Watkins v. Southcrest Baptist Church, 399 S.W.2d 530 (Tex.Sup.1966).

The trial court granted a motion for summary judgment in favor of respondent, Northwest Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The claim against respondent, Otis Elevator Company, was severed and a final judgment was entered on November 4, 1963. No appeal was taken from this judgment. On May 11, 1964, a judgment nunc pro tunc was entered declaring the earlier judgment to be interlocutory in nature and purporting to merge the same into one final judgment. It is from this latter judgment that the petitioners have perfected an appeal.

It is well settled that a judicial error cannot be corrected by a judgment nunc pro tunc. Perkins v. Dunlavy, 61 Tex. 241 (1884); Coleman v. Zapp, 105 Tex. 491, 151 S.W. 1040 (1912). There is nothing in the record to show that the judgment of November 4, 1963 has been vacated or set aside, nor do any grounds justifying vacation appear in the record. The judgment is therefore valid and subsisting until set aside by bill of review. Love v. State Bank & Trust Co. of San Antonio, 126 Tex. 591, 90 S.W.2d 819 (1936); Mullins v. Thomas, 136 Tex. 215, 150 S.W.2d 83 (1941); Bridgeman v. Moore, 143 Tex. 240, 183 S.W.2d 705 (1944). No appeal having been taken, this Court is without jurisdiction to consider any assignments of error other than those presented in the appeal from the judgment of May 11, 1964.

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10 cases
  • Leal v. C. C. Pitts Sand & Gravel, Inc.
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • March 22, 1967
    ...Tex.Civ.App., 393 S.W.2d 428, writ ref'd; Tunnell v. Otis Elevator Co., Tex.Civ.App., 400 S.W.2d 781, 783, writ ref'd, n.r.e., Tex., 404 S.W.2d 307; Campbell v. Campbell, Tex.Civ.App., 362 S.W.2d 904, 908, writ dism'd; McClelland v. Briscoe, Tex.Civ.App., 359 S.W.2d 635, 638; 15 Tex.Jur.2d,......
  • Del Castillo v. Ralor Pharmacy, Inc., 86-1023
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • September 15, 1987
    ...510 So.2d 1242 (Fla. 3d DCA 1987); Saul v. Basse, 399 So.2d at 130; Johnson v. Johnson, 674 P.2d 539 (Okla.1983); Tunnell v. Otis Elevator Co., 404 S.W.2d 307 (Tex.1966). The troublesome aspect of this case is that there are two papers which may qualify as the "final judgment" under this ru......
  • Fluor Daniel, Inc. v. Boyd, 13-94-488-CV
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • December 19, 1996
    ...consideration. See Tunnell v. Otis Elevator Co., 400 S.W.2d 781, 784 (Tex.Civ.App.--Amarillo 1965), writ ref'd n.r.e. per curiam, 404 S.W.2d 307 (Tex.1966). The instruction served no legitimate purpose because the jury had been previously instructed that it would be charged with the resolut......
  • Smith v. State
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • January 28, 1970
    ...pro tunc, entered December 9, 1969, did not correct the fatal defect. Finlay v. Jones, 435 S.W.2d 136 (Tex.1968); Tunnell v. Otis Elevator Company, 404 S.W.2d 307 (Tex.1966); Coleman v. Zapp, 105 Tex. 491, 151 S.W. 1040 (1912); Perkins v. Dunlavy, 61 Tex. 241 The trial court conducted a bri......
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