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Rule 366. When Party Fails to Comply (1984)

TEXT

If the appellate court requires additional bond or other security for supersedeas, execution of the judg­ment shall be suspended for twenty days after the order is served. If the appellant fails to comply with the order within that period, the clerk shall notify the trial court that execution may be issued on the judgment, but the appeal shall not be dismissed unless the clerk finds that the bond or deposit is insufficient under Rule 354 to secure the costs. The additional security shall not release the liability of the surety on the original bond.

Amended by order of Dec. 5, 1983, eff. April 1, 1984: The amendment codifies the current practice but makes clear that suspension of the judgment continues for the period allowed to comply with the order requiring additional bond.

ADVISORY OPINIONS

Question: Under Rule 364, subdivision (a), providing that appellant desiring to suspend the execution of a judgment may do so by giving a bond “in a sum at least the amount of the judgment, interest and costs," how is the provision for interest to be taken care of when the rule does not prescribe the amount of interest or the length of time for which interest shall be paid?

Answer: Rules 364 and 368, both in­clusive, should be considered together. The condition of the supersedeas bond is that appellant will perform the judgment, sentence or decree of the appellate court "and pay all such damages as said court may award against him." The intent is that, pending the appeal, the supersedeas bond shall always be in an amount and with sufficient sureties to enable the ap­pellee to collect the judgment against the appellant and his sureties if it is affirmed. The bond should, therefore, be “in a sum at least the amount of the judgment" plus an estimated amount of interest, which will probably accrue during the appeal at the rate prescribed in the judgment, plus the estimated amount of the costs. Rules 365 and 366 prescribe an adequate remedy to the appellee if the bond in the first instance is not adequate or if pending the appeal it becomes insufficient either as to amount or as to the sureties.

5 Tex. B.J. 96 (1942) reprinted in 8 Tex. B.J. 9 (1945).

(No. 18) Question: Under Rule 364, subdivision (a), providing that appellant desiring to suspend the execution of a judgment may do so by giving a bond "in a sum at least the amount of the judgment, interest and costs," how is the provision for interest to be taken care of when the rule does not prescribe the amount of interest or the length of time for which interest shall be paid?

Answer: Rules 364 and 368, both in­clusive, should be considered together. The condition of the supersedeas bond is that appellant will perform the judgment, sen­tence or decree of the appellate court "and pay all such damages as said court may award against him." The intent is that, pending the appeal, the supersedeas bond shall always be in an amount and with sufficient sureties to enable the appellee to collect the judgment against the appel­lant and his sureties if it is affirmed. The bond should, therefore, be "in a sum at least the amount of the judgment" plus an estimated amount of interest, which will probably accrue during the appeal at the rate prescribed in the judgment, plus the estimated amount of the costs. Rules 365 and 366 prescribe an adequate remedy to the appellee if the bond in the first instance is not adequate, or, if pending the appeal, becomes insufficient either as to amount or as to the sureties.

5 Tex. B.J. 321 (1942) reprinted in 8 Tex. B.J. 21 (1945).