Houston v. Pollard
Houston v. Pollard
Opinion of the Court
The court are of opinion that the award is not valid and cannot be supported. The arbitrators have not found whether any thing remained to be done, towards the completion of the houses, according to the contracts which were referred to them; especially respecting the second house, which was alleged not to be finished.
We take the rule to be, that when the claims on both sides are for debts, or pecuniary claims, or for damages capable of being liquidated, ascertained, and reduced to a sum certain, if the arbitrators, professing to decide on the whole subject, find a balance due to the one from the other, such an award is final and conclusive, although the particulars, from which that balance resulted, are not stated. And in this case, had :t been left to the arbitrators, not to direct the specific performance of any acts for completing and finishing the buildings according to contract, but to assess damages for all deficiencies, we are inclined to think the award of a balance to be paid would have been good. But even if it was within their authority to find damages for the non-performance of the contract, in finishing and completing the buildings, instead of directing a specific performance of the contract, by making good the deficiencies, yet it was clearly within their authority to direct such things to be done specifically; and the parties
Plaintiff nonsuit.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- William P. Houston v. Thomas Pollard
- Status
- Published