Lichter v. John A. Johnson & Sons, Inc.
Lichter v. John A. Johnson & Sons, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
This was an action for damages for breach of contract. The defendant appeals, specifying as error the trial court’s rulings denying its motion for judgment on the answers of the juiy to special questions and denying its motion for a new trial.
The pleadings may be summarized. In their petition plaintiffs alleged that they were residents of Ohio; that defendant, a New York corporation, entered into a contract with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of Kansas, for the construction of a plant at Topeka, and requested plaintiffs to submit proposals as subcontractors to furnish materials- and labor on masonry work, and that on Sep
The answer of the defendant, which was not verified, consisted of a general denial, admission of the names and status of the parties, and contained allegations that the transactions between the parties were for the sole purpose of negotiating the terms, provisions and conditions of a written contract; that the parties intended to be bound only by such written contract, and that such a contract was never consummated for the reason they were unable to agree upon the terms, conditions and provisions of a written contract and there was no meeting of the minds of the parties; that plaintiffs well knew it was contemplated their negotiations were preliminary only and
Plaintiffs’ reply may be designated as a denial of the allegations of defendant’s answer.
As a result of a trial the jury returned a general verdict in favor of the plaintiffs and answered special questions submitted, as follows:
“1. Did plaintiff on September 14, 1944, submit to defendant its proposal of September 14, 1944 (Plaintiff’s Exhibit No. 1) as set out in plaintiffs’ petition as (Exhibit A) ? A. Yes.
“2. Did John A. F. Johnson on September 14, 1944, accept the proposal of plaintiff (designated as Exhibit A in plaintiff’s petition and as plaintiff’s Exhibit No. 1 in evdence) in a conversation with Jacob Lichter on the telephone on September 14, 1944? A. Yes, in accordance with evidence produced.
“3. Was there a time during the negotiations between the parties to this suit when plaintiff and defendant had agreed on all material matters and details pertaining to the work and material to be done and furnished by plaintiff for defendant? A. Yes.
“4. If the above question is answered in the affirmative, then state when, and between what parties such complete agreement was reached. A. Yes, prior to plaintiff Exhibit 29 and between Lichter and John A. Johnson & Son, Inc.
“5. If you find there was a complete agreement between the parties then state:
“(a). What part of said agreement if any, was in writing and designate and identify the writing. A. Yes, plaintiff Exhibit One.
“(b). Was any portion of the agreement oral, and if so, what was the oral portion and between what parties was the oral portion agreed to and on what date? A. Yes, acceptance of proposal was oral. Between Lichter and John A. Johnson & Son, Inc.
“6. If you find the plaintiff and defendant had a mutual contract what do you find would have been the reasonable total cost of performing it? A. $117,000.
“7. Was Jacob Lichter during the time of the negotiations between the parties concerning the subject of this lawsuit told that the home office of defendant in Brooklyn had the final authority to determine the details of any contract which might be made between plaintiff and defendant and did he so understand? A. Yes.”
Defendant’s motions for judgment on the answers to special questions and for a new trial were denied, and judgment was rendered in favor of plaintiffs and against defendant.
Appellees challenge the right of appellant to be heard for the reason that appellant, in its abstract, has not included any part of the evidence received at the trial and that the inclusion only of the pleadings, the special questions submitted to the jury and the answers thereto, the post trial motions and the journal entry of judgment presents a record so incomplete that the court cannot intelligently pass on the errors specified. The challenge would be good as to the error specified on the denial of the motion for a new trial, but appellant presents no argument thereon, and we shall treat it as abandoned. No abstract of evidence is necessary to enable us to pass on the motion for judgment on the jury’s answers to special questions, the adverse ruling on which constitutes the only other error specified.
Appellant presents its argument under two headings. It first contends that where the pleadings allege a written offer and an oral acceptance by an agent on a certain date and the jury finds the agent had no authority to enter into a binding contract and such want of authority was known by the offeror, the offeror cannot recover against the principal since no contract actually exists. It states that appellees submitted their offer on September 14, 1944 (Ans. No. 1), and that Johnson accepted it on the same day in a conversation with one of the plaintiffs (Ans. No. 2). It argues that the jury found there was at one time a complete agreement between appellees and appellant but that they did not find this agreement was reached on September 14, 1944, but prior to plaintiffs’ Exhibit 29 (Ans. No. 4). The evidence not being abstracted, Exhibit 29 is not before us and we can indulge no presumptions in appellant’s favor with respect to it. Appellant’s motion for judgment on the answers to special questions concedes they are supported by evidence, and under well settled law we are to construe such answers as consistent and not inconsistent with the general verdict, if that may be done. There is nothing in answer No. 4 nor any other answer which compels any conclusion a complete agreement was not reached between the parties on September 14, 1944. Neither can there be any question about Johnson’s authority to make the contract. It was alleged in the petition he had such authority and was not denied under oath in the answer. Under the pleadings there was no issue, and if notwithstanding there was evidence, that evidence is not before us. Certainly there is nothing in any answer
Appellant next argues that the pleadings allege a written offer and an oral acceptance, and that the pleadings show and the jury found that the parties did not intend to be bound by an oral contract but only by a written contract, and such a finding precludes appellees from recovery. The premise for the above argument is contrary to the record. The offer of appellees did not make execution of a written contract a condition to a binding contract — it merely recognized that the appellant “will desire us to execute Standard D. P. C. form of contract incorporating the above provision.” The pleadings disclose that the appellant accepted the proposal and without awaiting execution of the prescribed “standard D. P. C. form of contract” gave the appellees certain orders for materials and labor mentioned in the proposal, and put the contract into execution, and, as pleaded, because the appellees would not execute a written contract of a different form, the appellant repudiated the contract formed by the written proposal of the appellees and its oral acceptance by the appellant. True enough, the appellant raised the issue by its answer that there was to be no contract until all terms and conditions were reduced to writing and the written contract executed, and presumably evidence was intro
The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jacob Lichter and Jennie L. Lichter, Partners doing business as Southern Fireproofing Company, and v. John A. Johnson & Sons, Inc.
- Status
- Published