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DeBakey v. StaggsDeBakey v. Staggs

Texas Supreme Court
Mar 4, 1981
B-9751
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Per Curiam
PER CURIAM.

Respondents, Marilyn Sue Staggs, et al., plaintiffs in the trial court, recovered a judgment against petitioner, Douglas ‍​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍N. DeBakey, Esq., under the Deceptive Trade Practice-Consumer Protection Act. (D.T.P. A.), Section 17.41 et seq., of the Texas Business and Commerce Code Annotated, for *925 their damages caused by petitioner’s “unconscionable” actions committed in connection with his ‍​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍agreement to furnish the legal services necessary to change the name of a daughter of Mrs. Staggs by a prior marriage. The trial court found damages of $420.00, which amount was tripled and judgment rendered for ‍​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Staggs. The court of civil appeals reduced the amount of damages to the sum of $170.00 and affirmed the trial court judgment as modified. 605 S.W.2d 631.

We agree with the holding of the court of civil ‍​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍appeals that respondents were “consumers” as defined by the D.T.P.A., Section 17.45(4). No question is presented by this application as to the standard of care by which a legal malpractice claim is- to be determined, and ‍​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍we expressly reserve that question for future determination.

The application for writ of error is refused, no reversible error.

Case Details

Case Name: DeBakey v. Staggs
Court Name: Texas Supreme Court
Date Published: Mar 4, 1981
Citations: 612 S.W.2d 924; 24 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 276; 1981 Tex. LEXIS 285; B-9751
Docket Number: B-9751
Court Abbreviation: Tex.
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