In Re Cohen
340 S.W.3d 889
| Tex. App. | 2011Background
- Relator Cohen seeks mandamus relief to overturn trial court expungement of lis pendens on three Houston properties.
- Properties: Alabama/Dunlavy (7.7 acres), Bissonnet (1.56 acres), Newcastle (2.44 acres).
- Cohen alleged in pleadings that he acts derivatively for partnerships owning the properties and seeks to recover title or impose constructive trusts due to alleged fraudulent transfers
- Trial court expunged all three lis pendens based on pleadings, finding no direct real property claim for Alabama/Dunlavy.
- Second round orders expunged Bissonnet/Newcastle lis pendents; later orders clarified reliance on Fourth Amended Petition but noted no evidentiary findings.
- Court reviews whether pleading alone can support lis pendens under Texas Property Code § 12.0071(c) and whether Cohen adequately pleaded a real property claim.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Did Cohen plead a real property claim to support lis pendens? | Cohen pleads direct title/constructive trust relief. | Pleadings do not show a direct real property claim; defenses attack collateral nature. | Yes; pleadings state real property claims sufficient to support lis pendens. |
| Which pleading governs the sufficiency analysis for real property claims? | First/Second Amended Petitions control the live pleadings. | Fourth Amended Petition is the operative pleading for the expungement hearing. | Court does not resolve which pleading governs; concludes pleadings at issue suffice regardless of exact live pleading challenged. |
| Was expungement proper based solely on pleadings? | Pleadings show real property claims; expungement improper. | Pleadings fail to show direct real property claim for some properties; expungement proper. | Trial court erred in expunging based on pleadings alone; mandamus granted directing expungement orders vacated. |
Key Cases Cited
- First Nat'l Petroleum Corp. v. Lloyd, 908 S.W.2d 23 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1995) (constructive trust/return of title supports lis pendens)
- Hughes v. Houston Nw. Med. Ctr., 647 S.W.2d 5 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1982) (claims involving title affect lis pendens when seeking to set aside contracts impacting land)
- In re Collins, 172 S.W.3d 287 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 2005) (collateral vs direct interest analysis for lis pendens)
- Flores v. Haberman, 915 S.W.2d 477 (Tex.1995) (collateral interest no direct real property claim; lis pendens improper)
- Teve Holdings, Ltd. v. Jackson, 763 S.W.2d 905 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1988) (constructive trust/desired property interest-specific identification supports lis pendens)
- Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. v. Howard, 240 S.W.3d 1 (Tex.App.-Austin 2007) (validity of lis pendens tied to pleadings on file and timing relative to property transactions)