Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 1976

Sco-Mar, Inc. v. RHODE ISLAND TOOL COMPANY, INC.

Sco-Mar, Inc. v. RHODE ISLAND TOOL COMPANY, INC.
Supreme Court of Rhode Island · Decided January 13, 1976 · Doris, Joslin, Kelleher, Paolino, Roberts
349 A.2d 609; 115 R.I. 516 (Atlantic Reporter, Second Series)

Sco-Mar, Inc. v. RHODE ISLAND TOOL COMPANY, INC.

Opinion

Per Curiam.

In our opinion, the disputed provision of the writing in question is susceptible of more than one meaning. Evidence of prior or contemporaneous oral statements was therefore admissible to aid in its interpretation and was not barred by the parol evidence rule. Farrell v. Meadowbrook Corp., 111 R. I. 747, 749, 306 A.2d 806, 807 (1973); Hawkins v. Smith, 105 R. I. 669, 674-76, 254 A.2d 747, 751-52 (1969); Supreme Woodworking Co. v. Zuckerberg, 82 R. I. 247, 252, 107 A.2d 287, 290 (1954). Inasmuch as the explanatory evidence here admitted supports the result reached in the Superior Court, the defendant’s appeal must be denied and dismissed, and the judgment appealed from affirmed.

Mr. Chief Justice Roberts participated in the argument but not in the decision. Mr. Justice Doris did not participate.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.