Agere Tadesse v. Riaz Akhtarkhavari Appeal from County Court at Law No. 2 of Dallas County (memorandum opinion )
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Affirmed and Opinion Filed January 20, 2017 S In The Court of Appeals Fifth District of Texas at Dallas No. 05-15-01040-CV AGERE TADESSE, Appellant V. RIAZ AKHTARKHAVARI, Appellee On Appeal from the County Court at Law No. 2 Dallas County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. CC-15-03955-B MEMORANDUM OPINION Before Justices Lang, Brown, and Whitehill Opinion by Justice Whitehill Appellant is pro se before this Court, and appears to complain about a judgment entered in his landlord’s favor. We liberally construe pro se pleadings and briefs. Washington v. Bank of N.Y., 362 S.W.3d 853, 854 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2012, no pet.). However, we hold pro se litigants to the same standards as licensed attorneys and require them to comply with applicable laws and rules of procedure. Mansfield State Bank v. Cohn, 573 S.W.2d 181, 184–85 (Tex. 1978); Strange v. Continental Cas. Co., 126 S.W.3d 676, 678 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2004, pet. denied). The rules of appellate procedure require a party’s brief to contain a “clear and concise argument” for the party’s contentions and “appropriate citations to authorities and to the record.” TEX. R. APP. P. 38.1(i). A party who fails to support his or her contentions with authority or citations to the record when appropriate forfeits the issue due to inadequate briefing. See Morrill v. Cisek, 226 S.W.3d 545, 548–49 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006, no pet.) (holding party waived issues by failing to cite to record and authority); Lueg v. Lueg, 976 S.W.2d 308, 310 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 1998, pet. denied) (same). We are not required to sort through the record to find facts to support appellant’s position. Otherwise, our independent review of the record would transform the court from a neutral adjudicator to an advocate. Valdez v. Avita, 238 S.W.3d 843, 845 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2007, no pet.). Without argument concerning how the county court erred, citation to the record, or citation to authority, any error that may have occurred in the county court is forfeited. See Fredonia State Bank v. General Am. Life Ins. Co., 881 S.W.2d 279, 284 (Tex. 1994). Under these circumstances, we have no choice but to affirm the county court’s judgment. /Bill Whitehill/ BILL WHITEHILL JUSTICE 151040F.P05 –2– S Court of Appeals Fifth District of Texas at Dallas JUDGMENT AGERE TADESSE, Appellant No. 05-15-01040-CV On Appeal from the County Court at Law No. 2, Dallas County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. CC-15-03955-B. Opinion delivered by Justice Whitehill. Justices Lang and Brown participating. V. RIAZ AKHTARKHAVARI, Appellee In accordance with this Court’s opinion of this date, the judgment of the trial court is AFFIRMED. It is ORDERED that each party bear its own costs of this appeal. Judgment entered January 20, 2017. –3–
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