ASPLUNDH TREE EXPERT CO. v. ABSHIRE

NO. 03-16-00760-CV.

517 S.W.3d 320 (2017)

ASPLUNDH TREE EXPERT CO., Appellant v. William J. ABSHIRE; James P. Allison; Teresa Amos; Joyce Anayanwa; Johnnie W. Andress, Jr.; Leslie P. Antalffy; Barbara A. Antalffy; David Ashley; Jammie Armor; David Arrizola; Jean E. Backus; Karl T. Baker; Karen M. Baker; Stephanie Ball; Gary Baltis; John Baszkiewicz; Eve Baszkiewicz; James Beckendorf; Cynthia Beckendorf; Michelle Belden; Tina Eileen Berdett; Angel Blackley as Executrix of Estate of Camilla Estelle Hawkins; Don G. Blackmon; Jan Blackmon; Richard Blakes; Edward Blas; Harriet Bliss-Laird; Richard Lloyd Bow; Cynthia M. Boyle; Tara Ann Brazeal; Gary Briggs; Joe Carlos Briones; William Greer Brooks; Robie Brown; Sue Ann Bunner; Richard Cabral; Mark A. Campbell; Ramon Campos; Adam Cardenas; Linda Cardenas; Richard James Carnicle; Marianne Case; Dean Christiansen; Edward J. Cisneros; Davie N. Coker; Linda Constantine; Alta Copeland; Jerry L. Courson; Irene Elizabeth Corbit; Lloyd Franklin Curry; Adan Cruz; J. Cindy Cruz; Michael S. Daniel; Robert B. Davis; Rodney W. Davis; Carolyn Freyer Degenhart; George Michael Degeurin; Anne Deshotels; Angela Dickinson; Shirley A. Diggs; Mark A. Dominguez; Stanley F. Dodd; David K. Douglas; Karen L. Douglas; Victor Dube; Vincent Robert Dudley; Jan Marie Dudley; Victor Glen Edwards; Judy Edwards; Connie Ellard; James Ellard; Mary McDonald Ellison; David Embler; Deborah E. Embler; Adam P. Espurvoa; Maria E. Espurvoa; Greg Etherington; Gretchen Etherington; Jackie J. D. Ferguson; Edward S. Fisher; Mary S. Flenoy; Billy A. Fletcher, Sr.; Joyce M. Fletcher; Lacinda Ford; Laura Francis; Ricky Garcia; Jimme E. Gatlin; Georgi K. Georgiev; Maryjane Garton Gibson; Jeff Gillman; Jan Givens; Stephen Gleinser; Betsy Goggan; Martin Goldfarb; Rolando Gonzales; Mindy Graber; Michael Graham; Alicia Graham; Haley's Triple H Ranch LLC; Jose Guerra; Joyce Haber; Mark A. Hanson; Kathy L. Hanson; Cecil E. Harbaugh; Samuel E. Harkins; Mary B. Hay; David Hermes; Beth Hermes; Elodia Hernandez; Terrel Herring; Amanda Herring; G. H. Hickman; Philippe Hilaire; Richards Hilaire; Edward Paul Hoffman; Annette Holmes; H. L. Homrighaus; Charles Horton; Eileen Hulme; John W. Hunt; Loraine H. Hunt; Laura Lea Jackson; Bill Jolly; JMH, Inc.; Phyllis A. Kalish; Fred Kawaja; Steve Keselik; Beth Keselik; W. E. Keller; Connie J. Kelly; Harris L. Kempner; Joellen A. Kerrigan; Steven D. King; Linda M. King; Shirley Kleypas; James G. Kohl; Katherine S. Kohl; Christy Kosser; Susan Kradjel; Sharon Kramer; Walter Kuster; Patty Kuster; Jesus Landero; Richard D. Larson; Lee Lasher; Bridget E. Laws; Anne M. Layton; Steven Dale Leclaire; Anthony A. Levermann; John A. Levermann; David L. Lewis; Tracy N. Lewis; Mary E. Lewis; Timothy D. Loe; Mary E. Loewe; Ronald J. Long; Celina D. Long; Daniel Lopez; Melissa Lopez; Charles Lowe; Marilyn Lowe; William K. Mabry; Dennis R. Maciejka; Richard West Maconi; Patsy Maddox; Paul G. Maddy; Dollie Maddy; Pauline A. Magee; Maria Orozco Maldonado; Michael Joe Mallicote; Sara Beatriz Mallicote; Elliott Manferd; Rebecca Manferd; Jr. Maranda; Martha Maranda; Juanita Maranda; Randy V. Marburger; Cora B. Marburger; Andrew Margarett; Matl Family Cemetery Assoc.; John A. Matl; Ruby R. Matl; Terrell Matlock; Dorothy Matlock; Thomas W. Matocha; Sheryl Lynn Coles Mays; Teressa Kay McCarthy; Brenda J. McCurry; Kenneth L. McNeil; Asuncion A. Mendoza; Rogelio Dungo Mendoza; Wayne Meuth; Larry L. Mills; Shari R. Mills; John D. Mican; Bill A. Mitchusson; Kay K. Mitchusson; Patricia L. Muller; John T. Murray; Laura A. Murray; Cody Murphy; Lori Murphy; Judy Murphy; Michael G. Murphy; Alan R. Nalder; Richard B. Newberry; Tia Marie Clardy Niehus; Ronald Nolan; Kevin P. Owens; Ray B. Pack; Satish Kumar Paladugu; Don Parker; Vicki Parker; Gerald W. Parks; Sharon Ann Parks; Crea T. Parsons; Joe A. Patterson; Daniel Pereira; Barbara Pereira; Ted Peters; Lisa Picciandra; Michael Picciandra; Stephen Podkamensky; Eric L. Poe; Cyndi S. Poe; Jon Pollard; Freddie L. Poor; Roland J. Poppy; Patrick Pratt; Dennis J. Prihoda; Leigh Ann Privitera as Executrix of Estate of Marilyn Privitera; Jospeh K. Pullen; Patricia L. Pullen; The Purcell Family Trust; Barbara J. Purvis; Kelly Pustka; Donald L. Putman; Gregory Reece; Christin Reece; Roger Reid; Rosaena Resendez; Eduardo E. Reyes; Glen L. Reynolds; Bertha Rhea; Warren E. Richter; Carol Richter; Elizabeth Rinker; Benton A. Roberts; Alton Robinson; Jerry Ronquillo; Genovevo Rubalcaba; Joseph A. Russo; Slyvia Russo; William Herbert Rymer; Joseph L. Salone; James Salvitti; Nanette Salvitti; Gaylan Sampson; Ernest Schrab; James Scoggins; Terry Seidat; Henry R. Sellards; Hobert S. Seymore; Joan C. Smiley Shaw; Stephen B. Shaw; Rick Shelly; Patricia Shelly; Raymond D. Shelton; Shelly Silveira; Tony B. Simmons; Evelyn M. Simmons; Craig B. Sommers; Eric Shull; Ella Sheryl Smart; Terrence J. Smith; Vaughn R. Smith; Ricky Snell; Wanda Snell; Helen M. Stamps; Joseph M. Stasulli; Rosario C. Stasulli; Beatrice Stewart; Shelton Stohler; Barbara Stohler; Ronnie G. Tabor; Curtis Tallman; Vicki G. Tallman; Joy D. Tatum; Timothy R. Taylor; Joseph S. Ternus; Russell Terrell; Texas Kiln Products, Inc.; Timothy Tewalt; Susan Tewalt; Jan M. Thompson; Louis J. Thompson; Kelvin Thompson; William S. Thompson; Michael Tompkins; Steve R. Torees; Judy Thurston; Linda Torgerson; Cher D. Travis; James Roy Traweek; Elizabeth P. Tschudi; Paula Marie Tyre; James Tyson; Raul Valdez; John R. Vare; David Vasquez; Roger Vasquez; Mike Vega; Debbie Vega; Ronald W. Vigil; David Wade; Joel Wade; Warren D. Weber; C. Ann Weber; Linda K. Weber; Karen Wehr; Lisa D. Weinstein; William Russell Wheeler; Curtis White; Larry White; Claudia Witherspoon; Zinmon Jessie Whitter; Darrell C. Whitworth; Scott K. York; Gary J. Yurkiewicz; Gerald Zampanti; Jimmy L. Allison; Janis B. Allison; Patrick E. Amy; Ruth A. Amy; Linda Erwin; Dennis Andel; Erika Anderson; Paul Anderson; AQUA Water Supply Corp.; Cornelia Arhelger; Melvin Armstrong; Catherine Armstrong; George Arnell; Janet Arnell; Claudia Ashlock; Steven Ashlock; Jeff Bader; Patti Bader; J. P. Bailey c/o Donna Grace; James Gary Baker; Barbara J. Baker; Marian Baker; Melvin E. Baker; Betty J. Baker; Edward A. Balusek; Norma Bangs; Charles Bangs; Marian J. "Joey" Baron; Barbara A. Barrett; Michael C. Barrett; Donald Barron; Julie Barron; Linda Griesenbeck; Bastrop County Emergency Services District No. 2, James Allen, President; Bastrop Independent School District c/o Steve Murray; Bruce Bearden; Vonda Bearden; Joe Ray Bennight; Natalie Bennight; Jerry M. Benson; Margaret Benson; James Berkner; Dorothy Berkner; Patricia A. Biglin; Rick L. Blakely; Lisa Akard Block; Bluff Springs Food Mart, Inc. c/o Tariq Majeed; Katharina Bolinger; Rhonda Bonderson; Gary Bonnette; Cindy Bonnette; Bari Elese Bowles; Robert Bridges; Barbara Bridges; Ronald Bridges; Benjamin H. Bright; Connie Bright; Mark Brochstein; Michael D. Brooks; DeAnna Lynn Brooks; Connie Brown c/o Kevin Mechura, POA; Rodney Brown; Darlene Bryand; Quentin R. Jordan; Mitchell Buerger; Pamela Buerger; Max Butler; Janice Butler; Joy E. Caffey; John E. Carey; Anne Carey (Barnes); Michael L. Caprenter; Angelica Caprenter; Sina Chandler; Thomas Doyle Christian; Dixie Ruth Christian; Nancey Chumley; Margaret Clakley c/o Sheri Bartsch, daughter; Joseph C. Clemmons; Jacqueline Clickner c/o Richard Clickner, POA; John Cline; Linda Cline; Vito Colavito; Collins Properties, LLC; Judith Dale Connelly c/o Carol Brandy; Marvin C. Conrad, Jr.; Terry L. Conrad; David Tracy Conti; Erichca Lynn Conti; Darryl Cook; Glenn A. Cordell; Nancye Cordell; Laura Cox; Marc Cox; Tiffany Cox; Paula Cox; Ana Cox; Micah Craddock; Frank Craddock; Norma June Craig; Susanne Marie Crane; Janet Cseresznye; Gerald Cseresznye; Guadalupe De Los Santos; Maria Levrie Barber; Edward Dear; James Denny; Donna Deteau; James L. Drury; Emil Doyle Dubec dba Pro-D Builders LLC; Robert J. Dulovics; Kathleen K. Dulovics; James Dunbar; Sherry Dunbar; Jacquelyn Anne Hartwell Eason; Marisa E. Eatock; Jason J. Edwards; Denise Edwards; Joe Ellett; Lynn Ewert; Richard Fender; Mary Ann Fender; Jack Figart; Mary Nelle Figart; Stephanie Figueroa; Oskar Fink; Brigitte Fink; Bennie Fore, III; Marianne Wakehouse; Kelvin Fouts; Johnny Stock; Christine Fox; Stephen A. Fox; Ernest R. Fox Living Trust; Judge Randy Fritz; Holly Fritz; William J. Forst; Judith Fruchter; John Gargus; Anita Gargus; Michele Gay; Shelley Holmes; Christopher Kirker; Carlos Gaytan; James Gerhardt; Olena Gerhardt; Larry Gfeller; Kathleen Gfeller; Angela Gibson; Bryan Goertz; Debbie Goertz; William Gonzales; Kizzie Gonzales; Tom Gostomski; Robert Gregory; Bettye Groom; Floyd Johnson; Robert Gurley; Jana Gurley; Daniel Gutierrez; Julie Gutierrez; William Wayne Hall; Deborah Hall; WW & DM Hall Trust; Thomas Haptonstall; Irma Haptonstall; Bealuh Laverne Hardee c/o Bryson Hardee; Bryson Hardee; Willie R. Hargrove; Mary Lynn Harmon; Roy Harmon; Steven W. Harris; Bill Haschke; Andrea Haschke; Wayne E. Hatfield; Helma I. Hatfield; Frans Hendriks; Roselly Hendriks; Daniel Hepker; Cynthia Hepker; Luz Hernandez; Shawn Herring; Chris Gustafson; Joseph J. Herrman; James Hershberger; Dail Hershberger c/o Keridwyn Hershberger and James Hershberger; William Hewett; Dorothy Hewett; Willian Higgins; Deborah Higgins; William & Deborah Higgins Revocable Trust; James B. Hoffman; William Allen Hoffman; Bryan Hohenstein; Michael Hojnacki; Cordelia H. Holmes; David Holmes; Rebecca Holmes; Jerry Hooten; Debra Hooten; Michael Horecka; Catherine Horecka; W. Roy Horton; Virgie Horton; Michael George Hritz; Johnny D. Hughes; Rosely A. Hughes; Stephen Hughes; Ismaela Hughes; Phillip Hurt; Troy Hyatt; Robert Ingrum; Thomas P. Jackson; Karen Jackson; James D. Jennings; Julianne Jones; Greg Jones; Leona L. Jones; Robert D. Jones; Dennis Kane; Margaret Kane; Marilyn Kellar; Robert Kelly; Gaile Kelly; Coitt Kessler; Kristi Kessler; Donald King; Deanna King; Thomas Kirchner; Allen Kleypas; Dan Kohlert; Brenda McClelland Kohlert; Larry Kretschmar; Jean Kretschmar; L & L Ranch c/o Robert K. Long; Isabel Lambertz; Monte Land; Jill Land; Lawrence K. Land; Janis K. Land; Lisa Laney; Chester Lathan; Brenda Gay; Timothy Lee; Darlene (maiden name Burr) Lincoln; John H. Lipscombe; Robert J. Loucks; Judith E. Loucks; Kimberly (Bevins) Magaldi; Connie Hopson; Richard C. Mangiamele; Colin Mason; Kimberly Mason; Tanya Mathison; Cary Porter; Eleanor Maynarich; Wayne McDowell; F. Stacy McDowell, deceased; John McGinley; Rollie Gregory; Ronnie McKelvey; Julie McKelvey; Sandra B. McLain; James Merchant; Julia Merchant; John C. Miller; Shelli Miller; Mace Miller; Georgia Miller; James Minto; Gayle Minto; Robert L. Mitchell; Kristan L. Mitchell; Sara J. Moers; Robert Moers; Lawrence Momey; Judy Slater Moore; Jerry Slater; Lee Moore; Loretta Green; Roger Green; Joe Morales; Lynelle Morales; Ashby Morrison; John Moum; Brenda Moum; Susan Garner; Debbie (Marrs-Campion) Murphy; Wayne Murphy; Ashley Mutschink c/o JBA Properties LLC; Henrietta Nations; Richard Nations; John J. Navar; Lynette C. Navar; Stacey Tiner Nevarez; Kandra Niagra; Dennis J. Norman; Laurie J. Norman; Edgar Nyc; Frederick F. Nyc, III, c/o Billie Thibeaux; David Ogilvie; Lou Ford Nitkin; Fernando Orozco; Juan Ortiz; Teresa Ortiz; Ronald Overpeck; Denise Halle; Barbara Palmer; Robert Palmer; James Parrish; Mark Patterson; Fran Patterson; Scott Pearson Aimed Investments, Inc.; Mary Helen Pena; Jearol Jackson; Julio Perez; Charles Dempsey Peters; E. W. Peters; Barbara Peters; Scott Pierron; Linda Pierron; Elizabeth Pittman; James H. Polsky Skipol, Inc.; James H. Polsky; Marcie Polsky; Vivian Primeaux; Gary Raemsch; Mark Raemsch; Bernie Raemsch; Frank Rainosek; Lorraine Reagan; Marisa Rendon; Sam Roberson; Arlene L. Sawyer; Matilde Rodriguez; Tomas Rodriguez; Kathryn Rogers; Thomas Claiborne; George F. Rohr; Virginia C. Rohr; Willie Ross; Edna L. Ross; Guy Roush; Kerri Roush; Robin Rudloff; Brian Rudloff; Anielea Rust AKA Properties of North TX; Ernesto Salazar; Sarah Salazar; Michael Samson; Carol Hanley; Otilia Sanchez; John A. Sandoval; Minerva Sandoval; Darlene Vaughan Saunders; Khaleel Sayyed; Rachel (Simpson) Scales; Rickey Alan Schoppe; Jack A. Schumacher; Shirley Schumacher; Rex A. Schumacher; Shirley and Rex A. Shcumacher Loblolly Pines Village Ltd; Stephen Schwettmann; Seabolt Investments; David C. Jones, M.D.; Allan W. Seekatz; Kellye S. Seekatz; Jon A. Seitz; Mary Sepeda; Sandra Gonzalez (daughter); Sofia Sepeda; Jimmie Sepeda; Jack Shelton; Tanya Shelton; William Sigle; Sophia Sigle; Janie Sue Simmons; The Janie S. Simmons Revocable Lifetime Trust; Roger Slaughter; Peggy Jane Smith Trust; John D. Smith, Jr., Trust; Diane S. Simpson Trust; Bruce Smith Trust c/o T.L. Smith Jr. Trusts; Bruce Smith; David Smith; Shannon Smith; Lisa Quackenbush Smith; Smithville Independent School District c/o Howard S. Burns, Jr.; Jerry Snyder; Debbie Somers; Gerry Warner; James Sowell; Mildred Sowell; Steven Stamper; Marsha Stamper; Ann E. Steele; Donald & Patricia Steffe Revocable LivingTrust; Carson Stephens; Jeanette Stephens; Carson Stephens FBO Equity Trust Company Sterling Trust Custodian FBO Carson Stephens IRA; Shirley T. Stinson; Walt M. Stischer, Trustee The Walt M. Stischer Living Trust; Terry Swanson; Joan Swanson; Harvey Symm; Josephine Symm; Charles Tausch; Kasey Tausch; Carolyn V. Terrell; Billie Thibeaux; Terry Thibeaux; Emory A. Thomas; T&S 2000 Family Limited Partnership; Belinda (Williams) Tolbert; George Traugott; Alice Traugott; Charles Trautman; Cave Creek Properties LLC; Markus Trillsch; Virgil Tripp; Sherida Tripp; Sherri Tullos; Paul C. Tuttrup; Maria Tuttrup; Virgil A. Van Cleef, III; Scottie Vandiver; Rhonda Vandiver; Rainer A. Vanoni; Jimmie Ann Vaughan; Shelton Vaughan; Anne M. Vaughan; Kathleen A. Vaughan; Laurier Vocal; Gisele Vocal; Susan Voelzel; Graham Voelzel; Debra Vukelich (Rocha); Donald Walker; Epifania Walker; Kimberly Walker; James Walker; Conrad Gordon Walton, Jr.; Laura Ann Walton; Charles Watt; Deborah Watt; Gary Wehr; Deborah Wehr; Sherry Wetzel; Carter White; Norman Whitlock; Michael A. Wiles; Elizabeth J. Wiles; Raachael Williams; Debbie Williams; Drew Williams; Donnie Williamson; Deborah Williamson; Walter Winslett Representing Dorothy H. Winslett, Jeri Nell Winslett, and H.R. Winslett Trust; D.C. Wofford; Richard A. Wolforth; Rudy Woods; Janice Woods; Laura Yannuzzi; Wayne E Yeo; John G. Young; Sandra Young; Rose M. Yound; and John Early, Appellees

Court of Appeals of Texas, Austin.

Filed: March 24, 2017.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Joseph R. Russo Jr. , Darrell A. Apffel , John Andrews , Greer, Herz & Adams LLP, Andrew J. Mytelka , Greer, Herz & Adams LLP, Galveston, TX, Robyn B. Hargrove , S. Abraham Kuczaj, III , Ryan Squires , Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP, William G. Rossick , Putonti, Escover, & Rossick, PC, Anooj Thakrar , Grotefeld Hoffman , Austin, TX, Lauren Arisco , Apffell Legal, PLLC, Angela Olalde , Greer, Herz & Adams LLP, League City, TX, Jeffry H. Ray , Ray McChristian & Jeans PC, El Paso, TX, Robert D. Kizer , Manor, TX, Joe Grady Tuck , Law Office of Joe Grady Tuck, Bastrop, TX, Mark Grotefeld , Chicago, IL, For Appellees.

A. David Bona , Alex D. Cheng , Randy W. Gimple , Carlson, Caladine & Peterson LLP, San Francisco, CA, Jerry P. Campbell , Nick R. Bray , Neal Edward Pirkle , Naman Howell Smith & Lee, LLP, Waco, TX, Scott Rothenberg , Law Offices of Scott Rothenberg, Houston, TX, For Appellant.

Before Justices Puryear, Pemberton, and Goodwin.


OPINION

In three separate lawsuits, several hundred individuals sued Asplundh Tree Expert Co. ("Asplundh") seeking damages stemming from the devastating 2011 Bastrop County Complex Fire. In response, Asplundh filed a motion for summary judgment asserting that the suits were untimely because...

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