Rochford v. Rochford
Rochford v. Rochford
Opinion of the Court
This is a petition to enforce a mechanic’s lien for labor and materials under an entire contract. Issues were framed for a jury and the case was then sent to an auditor. After the auditor reported, the case was submitted to a jury upon the issues which had been framed. By direction of the judge the jury answered the first issue in the negative which
The respondents contend that the contract was abandoned by the petitioner. This is their only contention. If the petitioner wilfully abandoned his contract and broke it without any excuse he is not entitled to recover and cannot maintain his petition. General Fire Extinguisher Co. v. Chaplin, 183 Mass. 375. But no issue was submitted to the jury on this point and it appears that the parties agreed to the answers by the jury to all of the issues except the first and ninth and tenth. The fifth issue was, “What amount, if anything, is due the petitioner for labor performed and materials furnished on the house on said premises under said contract ?”, and the answer was $917.46. This answer was inconsistent with an abandonment of the contract. And even if the question of abandonment was properly raised and the auditor’s report contained evidence in relation to it, it cannot be said in view of the answer of the jury to the fifth issue that the decree in favor of the petitioner was unwarranted, and that the ruling
Exceptions overruled.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- James A. Rochford v. Thomas J. Rochford & others
- Status
- Published