Conversion and Civil Theft Claim Under Texas Statute

TEXAS THEFT LIABILITY ACT (relies on criminal code definition of theft) CIVIL STATUTORY CAUSE OF ACTION FOR THEFT (& ATTORNEYS FEES) 

The theft liability act creates liability for damages resulting from a theft and defines a theft as "unlawfully appropriating property or unlawfully obtaining services" as described in the penal code, and specifically includes section 31.03. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §§ 134.002-.003 (West 2005); Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 31.03 (West Supp. 2009). Referring to section 31.03, section 31.02 provides:

Theft as defined in Section 31.03 constitutes a single offense superseding the separate offenses previously known as theft, theft by false pretext, conversion by a bailee, theft from the person, shoplifting, acquisition of property by threat, swindling, swindling by worthless check, embezzlement, extortion, receiving or concealing embezzled property, and receiving or concealing stolen property.

Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 31.02 (West 2003).

CONVERSION - COMMON-LAW CAUSE OF ACTION 

Conversion is [...] a cause of action similar to theft or one means by which a person "unlawfully appropriates property with intent to deprive the owner of property." See id. § 31.03. Even though Karbach did not expressly allege a violation of the theft liability act in his original petition, he did allege conversion, and the district court granted summary judgment on that claim. As Karbach's amended petitions merely asserted the same claim in a different form, the district court's judgment was effective against Karbach's later-pleaded theft liability act claim. See Wortham, 179 S.W.3d at 202; Lampasas, 988 S.W.2d at 435-37.

SOURCE: 03-06-00636-CV (3rd CoA - Austin) (Nov. 6, 2009)