Houston Printing Co. v. McClendon
Houston Printing Co. v. McClendon
Opinion of the Court
This is an original proceeding for mandamus, instituted in the Supreme Court by the relator, the Houston Printing Company, to compel the Court of Civil Appeals for the Third district to certify to the Supreme Court a. certain law question-involving a conflict of decision, as provided in article 1855 of the Revised Statutes. The ruling of said court, giving rise to the conflict, occurred in connection with a judgment of affirmance rendered by said court on June 11, 1930, in the case of the Houston Printing Co. v. Roy Tennant, 76
In our opinion the relator has lost, for lack of diligence, the privilege it once had to demand the certification of the question of law to which the present application relates. This conclusion is based primarily on the fact that, until after the other question which was certified had been heard and decided by the Supreme Court, the relator failed to invoke the jurisdiction of the latter court to compel the certification of the question here involved and which the relator now seeks to have certified. The means to compel the certification of this question were available to the relator during the entire period of time that the other question was pending in the Supreme Court for decision. That was the opportune time for the relator to invoke the mandamus remedy, in order that both questions might be decided by the Supreme Court in one proceeding. i Failing, without legal excuse, to avail itself of the opportunity to invoke such remedy then, -the relator will not be heard to invoke same now. The relator insists, however, that during said period of time the Court of Civil Appeals for the Third district had not refused to certify the question with which we are presently concerned, consequently the remedy of mandamus was not then available to compel the certification of said question. This contention is overruled. It is quite true, as contended by counsel, that unless a Court of Civil Appeals in a given ease has, upon proper request, refused to certify a question of law involved in a conflict of decision, the writ of mandamus is not, in any event, available to compel the certification. Oliver v. Gallagher, 119 Tex. 178, 26 S.W.(2d) 903. However, it is not to be supposed that a formal order, expressly stating such refusal, is an essential prerequisite to the writ. The requirement in this respect is satisfied whenever the Court of Civil Appeals, as such, takes some action which definitely implies such refusal. This was the effect of the action of the Court of Civil Appeals, in the case of Printing Company v. Tennant, in certifying the question it did, under the circumstances it did.
For the reason stated, the writ of mandamus is refused.
Opinion Adopted by the Supreme Court Nov. 28, 1934.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.