Texas Builders v. Keller

OPINION

Respondent, a real estate broker, sued petitioner, a commercial lessor, for breach of contract and fraud after petitioner refused to pay respondent a leasing commission. After a bench trial, the trial court rendered judgment for respondent for actual and punitive damages, and the court of appeals affirmed. 888 S.W.2d 586. We hold that respondent cannot recover for breach of contract because there is no written agreement satisfying the Real Estate License Act. See Tex.Rev.Civ. Stat. art. 6573a, § 20(b). We further hold that there is no evidence that respondent suffered compensable…