Opinion By Justice RICHTER.
This interlocutory appeal follows the trial court's dismissal of negligence claims brought by The Belvedere Condominiums At State Thomas, Inc., d/b/a The Belvedere Condominiums (Belvedere) against Meeks Design Group, Inc. (Meeks). Meeks moved for dismissal of the negligence claims, asserting the certificate of merit filed by Belvedere in support of its claims did not comply with the statutory requirements set forth in Chapter 150 of
On June 28, 2006, Belvedere, a condominium, filed its original petition against numerous developers, contractors, subcontractors and architects to recover damages for wrongful acts allegedly committed during construction, marketing, and administration of the condominium. In its ninth amended petition, Belvedere added claims against Meeks, an architect/landscape architect firm, for negligence and breach of warranty in its design and construction of Belvedere's courtyard area, including the drainage system from the roof and within the courtyard area. Belvedere supported its claims against Meeks with a certificate of merit from Steve Ray, a licensed professional engineer.
Meeks filed a motion to dismiss, claiming Ray's certificate of merit failed to satisfy the statutory requirements for a certificate of merit because Ray did not hold the same license as Meeks and did not practice in the same area as Meeks. After a hearing on the motion, the trial court signed an order dismissing Belvedere's negligence claims against Meeks. Belvedere then filed this interlocutory appeal.
An order granting a motion to dismiss under Chapter 150 is immediately appealable as an interlocutory order. TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM.CODE ANN. § 150.002(f) (West Supp.2010). We review an order granting a motion to dismiss under Chapter 150 under an abuse of discretion standard. Landreth v. Las Brisas Council of Co-Owners, Inc., 285 S.W.3d 492, 496 (Tex. App.-Corpus Christi 2009, no pet.); Consolidated Reinforcement, L.P. v. Carothers Executive Homes, Ltd., 271 S.W.3d 887, 891 (Tex.App.-Austin 2008, no pet.). An abuse of discretion occurs when the trial court acts in an unreasonable and arbitrary manner or without reference to any guiding rules or principles. Criterium-Farrell Engineers v. Owens, 248 S.W.3d 395, 397 (Tex.App.-Beaumont 2008, no pet.); Palladian Bldg. Co., Inc. v. Nortex Found. Designs, Inc., 165 S.W.3d 430, 433 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 2005, no pet.). Merely because a trial court may decide a matter within its discretion in a different manner than an appellate court does not demonstrate an abuse of discretion. Palladian, 165 S.W.3d at 433.
The trial court's construction and application of a statute are questions of law we review de novo. See DLB Architects, P.C. v. Weaver, 305 S.W.3d 407, 409 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2010, pet. denied); Landreth, 285 S.W.3d at 496. When construing a statute, we attempt to give effect to the legislature's intent. DLB Architects, 305 S.W.3d at 409. We look to the plain and common meaning of the words the legislature used unless a contrary intention is apparent from the context, or unless such a construction leads to absurd results. City of Rockwall v. Hughes, 246 S.W.3d 621, 625-26 (Tex.2008).
We first determine whether Ray's certificate of merit complies with section 150.002. Section 150.002 provides, in relevant part:
TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM.CODE ANN. § 150.002(a), (d).
In support of its first issue, Belvedere asserts its certificate of merit satisfies the requirements of section 150.002(a) because Ray's professional engineer license "subsumes the license and practice of landscape architecture." For purposes of our analysis, we first consider the statutory requirement that Ray practice in the same area as Meeks. Pursuant to the plain language in section 150.002(a), we examine Ray's certificate of merit, which includes his affidavit and resume, and compare his areas of practice with identifiable areas of landscape architecture practiced by Meeks. Ray's certificate of merit provides a description of his education and professional licenses and states that he has an active engineering practice in fourteen states, including Texas. Ray's resume, attached as Exhibit "A" to Ray's certificate of merit, describes many years of experience in a broad range of construction related activities for condominium projects. The certificate of merit does not identify experience or expertise in landscape architecture, or indicate that Ray's practice area includes the design and construction of drainage systems. We find no information in the certificate of merit to assist the trial court in determining whether Ray practiced in the same area as Meeks. See Landreth, 285 S.W.3d at 499 (affidavit did not meet the requirements of Chapter 150 because affiant did not state or otherwise demonstrate he practiced in the same area). Accordingly, we conclude that Ray's certificate of merit does not comply with the statutory requirement that affiant practice in the same area as the defendant. See TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM.CODE ANN. § 150.002(a).
Belvedere argues that because Ray, as a professional engineer, is authorized to practice landscape architecture without additional licenses or registrations, he is qualified to provide a certificate of merit with respect to a landscape architect. See TEX. OCC.CODE § 1052.003(a)(11)(B) (West 2004). Our conclusion that Ray's certificate of merit is not in compliance with the statutory requirement that he "practice in the same area" as Meeks is dispositive with respect to Belvedere's first issue. Therefore, we do not decide whether Ray's professional engineer license subsumes Meeks' registration as a landscape architect.
In its second issue on appeal, Belvedere argues the trial court erred in granting Meeks' motion to dismiss because a certificate of merit is not required to support claims against a landscape architect. Belvedere contends that under the 2005 version of Chapter 150, a landscape architect is not a design professional.
To preserve a complaint for appellate review, a party must make the complaint to the trial court by timely request, objection, or motion. TEX.R.APP. P. 33.1(a)(1); see Knapp v. Wilson N. Jones Memorial Hosp., 281 S.W.3d 163, 170 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2009, no pet.); In re Estate of Miller, 243 S.W.3d 831, 837 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2008, no pet.). Preservation also requires an express or implicit ruling by the trial court, or a refusal to rule by the trial court coupled with an objection to that refusal by the complaining party. TEX.R.APP. P. 33.1(a)(2); see Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. McKenzie, 997 S.W.2d 278, 280 (Tex.1999); AIS Services, LLC v. Mendez, No. 05-07-01224-CV, 2009 WL 2622391, at *1 (Tex. App.-Dallas Aug. 27, 2009, no pet.). According to the record, Belvedere did not raise this issue with the trial court. Belvedere did not file a written response to Meeks' motion to dismiss. During the hearing on Meeks' motion, Belvedere did not argue that a certificate of merit was not required. Instead, Belvedere argued that its certificate of merit complied with the statutory requirements of Chapter 150. We conclude Belvedere failed to preserve this issue for our review. See TEX.R.APP. P. 33.1(a). We overrule Belvedere's second issue.
We conclude the trial court did not err by granting Meeks' motion to dismiss Belvedere's negligence claims against Meeks. The trial court's order of dismissal is affirmed.