Dallas Farm MacHinery Company v. Reaves
Dallas Farm MacHinery Company v. Reaves
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Writ of error was granted in this case on two of thirty points of error contained in petitioner’s application. The two points pose the question of whether parol evidence is admissible, in the face of a “merger” clause in a written contract, to establish that the contract was induced by fraud. We hold it is.
Petitioner, a partnership, as plaintiff, sought a recovery from respondent, as defendant, of the balance due on a written contract of purchase of an Oliver OC-3 crawler tractor and an Oliver-Ware 3W-I loader. By way of cross-action respondent sought a rescission of the contract and a recovery of the value of a Ford tractor and equipment he had delivered to petitioner as a part of the purchase price of the Oliver tractor and loader.
In a non-jury trial judgment was entered denying petitioner a recovery and awarding the respondent the relief sought. Findings of fact and conclusions of law in support of the judgment
A completed printed “CUSTOMER’S ORDER FOR OLIVER EQUIPMENT” form constitutes the written contract between the parties. It contains the following provision: “I have read the matter on the back hereof and agree to it as a part of this order as if it were printed above my signature. I also acknowledge receipt of a copy of this order which is understood to be the entire contract relating to the sale and warranty of the above described equipment excepting as to any notes, conditional sales contracts or chattels mortgages entered into as above specified.” On the reverse side of the order and under a heading “WARRANTY AND AGREEMENT” is the following applicable language: “Seller warrants that new OLIVER goods herein described are well made and of good material, and agrees to replace, F.O.B. sellers place of business, for a period of six months after delivery of such goods to Buyer by Seller, such parts found upon inspection to be defective in workmanship or material. * * * This warranty is made in lieu of all other warranties, express or implied, and no warranty is made or authorized to be made other than herein set forth. * *
The judgment for respondent rests upon pleading, proof and findings that respondent was induced to enter into the contract by false representations as to the work capabilities of the Oliver tractor and loader, knowingly made by one of petitioner’s partners to respondent, on which he relied, and but for which he would not have entered into the contract. Petitioner objected to the evidence offered to support respondent’s plea of fraud on the ground that it would vary the terms of the written contract. In asserting that evidence of oral representations of the work capabilities of the tractor and loader was inadmissible petitioner relies on the holdings in Avery Co. v. Harrison Co., Texas Com. App., 267 S.W. 254; Wright v. Couch, Texas Civ. App., 54 S.W. 2d 207, no writ history; Distributors Inv. Co. v. Patton, 130 Texas 449, 110 S.W. 2d 47 and Super-Cold Southwest Co. v. Elkins, 140 Texas 48, 166 S.W. 2d 97. More will be said of these cases later.
A review of the Texas cases on the question reveals conflicting decisions and indicates a resulting confusion which can hardly be resolved or explained away with nice distinctions. Some of the decisions should be noticed.
There are earlier cases dealing with the subject, but a good
“Contracts, though reduced to writing, are avoided when induced by material promises, never intended to be kept, not because one is allowed to vary his written contract, but because real assent is essential to a binding contract.
ij:
“One who is entitled to avoid an entire written contract because it lacked his assent can no longer be bound by any of its stipulations, including those relating to representations or guaranties which induced its execution.”
In the face of the holding in the Sawyers case, and taking no notice of it, Section A of the Commission of Appeals held, in J. I. Case Threshing Mach. Co. v. Manes, 254 S.W. 929, that a purchaser of an automobile could not, on the basis of fraudulent antecedent oral representations of an agent as to the performance capabilities thereof (see Texas Civ. App., 241 S.W. 757, 758), rescind and avoid the obligations of a written contract which contained a merger clause and a clause limiting the authority of the agent. The particular holding seems to rest on the fact that there was “no finding that plaintiff was induced to sign the contract by fraud or deceit.” (254 S.W. 931) .
The holding in the Manes case was then made the foundation of the holding, by the same court, in Avery Co. v. Harrison Co., Texas Com. App., 267 S.W. 254, relied on here by petitioner, which in turn, was quoted with approval by this court as decisive in Distributors Inv. Co. v. Patton, 130 Texas 449, 110
In Avery Co. v. Harrison Co., supra, plaintiff’s suit was for damages growing out of the purchase of a tractor and some plows. The contract for the sale of the machinery contained a merger clause. The Court of Civil Appeals affirmed a recovery by the plaintiff on the ground that the plaintiff had pleaded and proved that he had been induced to enter into the contract by fraudulent representations made by agents of the work capabilities of the machinery. Avery Co. v. Harrison Co., 254 S.W. 1015. The Commission of Appeals’ recommendation that the judgments of the trial court and the Court of Civil Appeals be reversed and that judgment be rendered for the defendant was adopted by this court. In its opinion the Commission of Appeals took notice of the Sawyers case (267 S.W. 257) but said that if the suit before it could be treated as one “for damages on the ground that plaintiffs were induced by fraud to enter into the contract the pleadings were insufficient to sustain such action. In the course of the opinion, however, the court announced the rule that in the absence of allegations and proof that by reason of fraud, accident or mistake the written contract contained something not agreed to by the parties, or by reason thereof omitted some promise, representation or warranty, or that by reason of some fraudulent representation, artifice, or conduct the parties were induced to sign the contract, or that Avhen it was signed the parties did not know or were prevented from knowing what it contained, it would be conclusively presumed that the written contract contained the whole agreement of the parties and parol evidence of representations, statements or warranties not disclosed by the contract would not be admissible. (267 S.W. 256). The rule announced precludes a showing of fraud in the inducement of a contract as distinguished from fraud in the execution thereof. The rule thus announced in Avery Co. v. Harrison Co. became the rule of decision in Distributors Inv. Co. v. Patton, supra.
The Patton case involved a cross-action to rescind a written contract of purchase of a tractor and a wagon because of fraudu
“These representations were specifically negatived by the writing, and, if by denominating them fraud the written contract may be set aside, then a written contract is of no higher dignity than an oral one. The rule forbidding the varying of a written contract by parol would become a dead letter if prior oral agreements were permitted to govern the parties rather than subseauent written agreements on the same subject matter. Attaching the label of fraud to the oral representations does not change their character.”
The court also quoted with approval from Wright v. Couch as follows (110 S.W. 2d 49) :
“False representations, whether regarding matters of present or past existence, or whether, (in the nature of promises) of future existence, do not constitute actionable fraud if the contract which it is claimed they induced specifically provides to the contrary of such representations and no claim is made that the contract does not express the true agreement.”
The opinion took no notice of Thompson Co. v. Sawyers or of the other authorities cited and relied on by the Court of Civil Appeals.
The rule of the Patton case, as drawn from Avery Co. v. Harrison Co. and Wright v. Couch, was again approved by this court in Super-Cold Southwest Co. v. Elkins, 140 Texas 48, 166 S.W. 2d 97, in which will be found the latest expression of this
With the series of cases here analyzed (other than the Elkins case) before it, this court nevertheless held, in Texas & P. Ry. Co. v. Presley, 137 Texas 232, 152 S.W. 2d 1105, that fraudulent representations as to the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries and fraudulent promises of permanent employment, of agents, all made to induce a contract of release of liability for damages, rendered the release voidable and could be established by parol evidence. The holding was made in the face of recitals in the written instrument that the plaintiff relied upon his own judgment as to the nature, extent and duration of his injuries and that no promise of employment or other agreement not mentioned in the release had been made. The defendant contended that inasmuch as the release contained the above recitals it could be avoided only by proof of fraud in its execution, but the court said: “We cannot assent to this contention, for the reason that if the release is voidable on account of fraud in its inception, then each and every portion and clause thereto (sic) is unenforceable and without binding effect on the plaintiff.” 152 S.W. 2d 1107.
The holding in the Presley case is doubly significant because of its procedural background. The opinion reflects that on original submission the Eastland Court of Civil Appeals, relying on the Patton case and the other cases cited therein, reversed the trial court’s judgment for the plaintiff and rendered judgment for the defendant, but on motion for rehearing, relying on Texas & N. O. Ry. Co. v. Thompson, Texas Com. App., 12 S.W. 2d 963 and Thompson Co. v. Sawyers, supra, and cases therein cited, withdrew its first opinion and judgment and entered judgment affirming the trial court’s judgment. The opinion on rehearing was adopted without qualification by this court.
By our decision in the Presley case this court quite obviously reverted to the rule of the Sawyers case and it found strong support in the Commission of Appeals’ opinion in Texas & N. O. Ry. Co. v. Thompson, 12 S.W. 2d 963, which intervened between the Avery and Patton cases. In that case the plaintiff sought to set aside a written release and to recover damages for personal injuries. His right to set aside the release was predicated on fraud in its inducement by way of a promise of an agent of employment by the principal. The release recited that no
“We are of the opinion that in so far as the jury finding is concerned, it is absolutely immaterial to any issue of this case whether plaintiff knew the terms and conditions of the release in question at the time he delivered same to the claim agent of the defendant, for the reason that, if fraud induced the execution and delivery thereof, under the settled law of this state the release was voidable and subject to be set aside for fraud.” (12 S.W. 2d 964).
The court thus by implication rejected the idea that only fraud in the execution of the release would avoid it and as authority for its holding- cited the Sawyers case. It took no notice of Avery Co. v. Harrison Co. But the court was not satisfied to reject the idea by implication; it rejected it expressly in the following language:
“It is the contention of the defendants that, since the release itself contains the above-quoted provisions [no promise of employment * * * has been made” etc.] before plaintiff can set aside the release or contradict the terms thereof by oral evidence of fraud, the proof must show that fraud [was] committed in the preparation of the release, or that the claim agent by some fraudulent act had prevented the plaintiff from ascertaining the true terms and conditions of said release. We cannot assent to this contention, for the reason that if the release is voidable on account of fraud in its inception, then each and every portion and clause thereto (sic) is unenforceable and without binding effect on the plaintiff. (12 S.W. 2d 964).
“It therefore follows, from the above authorities, and many others, that even though the plantiff may have read over the release, and may have known its contents at the time he signed*9 and delivered same to the claim agent of the defendant companis, such fact, could not, in law, constitute such release a contract, binding on the plaintiff if it was procured by fraud. * * *.” (12 S.W. 2d 966).
There were a number of other Texas decisions, antedating the Patton case, which held that parol evidence was admissible to prove that a written contract containing a merger clause or a clause disclaiming responsibility for representations of agents was induced by fraud. See United States Gypsum Co. v. Shields, Texas Civ. App., 106 S.W. 724, 726, affirmed 101 Texas 473, 108 S.W. 1165 (Representations by an agent; Action for rescission) ; Kirby v. Thurmond, Texas Civ. App., 152 S.W. 1099, 1102, no writ history (Representations by principal to an “as is” contract; suit for rescission and damages) ; Atchison T. & S.F. Ry. Co. v. Skeen, Texas Civ. App., 174 S.W. 655, writ refused (Representations by agent; rescission) ; J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co. v. Webb, Texas Civ. App., 181 S.W. 853, writ refused (Representations by agent; rescission) ; Hackney Mfg. Co. v. Celum, Texas Civ. App., 189 S.W. 988, affirmed 221 S.W. 577 (Texas Com. App.,) (Representations by agent; rescission an dincidental damages) ; Bankers Trust Co. v. Calhoun, Texas Civ. App., 209 S.W. 826, writ refused (Representations of agent; rescission) ; Landfried v. Milam, Texas Civ. App., 214 S.W. 847, no writ history (Representations by agent; rescission or damages) ; Detroit Automatic Scale Co. v. G.B.R. Smith Milling Co., Texas Civ. App., 217 S.W. 198, no writ history (Representations of agent; rescission) ; American Law Book Co. v. Fulwiler, Texas Civ. App., 219 S.W. 881, no writ history (Representations of agent; rescission) ; George v. Birchfield, Texas Civ. App., 264 S.W. 632, no writ history (Representations by principal; rescission) ; Advance-Rumely Thresher Co. v. Higgins, Texas Civ. App., 279 S.W. 531, 534-535, writ dismissed (Representations by agent; suit for damages against principal) ; J. B. Colt Co. v. Wheeler, Texas Civ. App., 12 S.W. 2d 1102, writ dismissed, 23 S.W. 2d 299 (Texas Com. App.) (Representations by agent; suit for damages against principal) ; Scruggs v. Dean, Texas Civ. App., 47 S.W. 2d 378, writ dismissed (Representations by principal to “as is” contract; suit for damages); Norm Co. v. City Drug Stores, Texas Civ. App., 59 S.W. 2d 270, no writ history (Representations by principal; rescission); Free Sewing Machine Co. v. S. T. Atkin Furn. Co., 71 S.W. 2d 604, no writ history (Representations by Agent; rescission and incidental damages). No effort has been made to exhaust the list of such cases.
The two conflicting lines of authority may not be distinguished on the ground that different remedies are sought, that is, that some are suits for damages and others are actions for rescission, for it is well settled that one who is induced by fraud to enter into a contract has his choice of remedies. “He may stand to the bargain and recover damages for the fraud, or he may rescind the contract, and return the thing bought, and receive back what he paid.” Blythe v. Speake, 23 Texas 429, (421), 437, (428) ; Russell v. Industrial Transportation Co., 113 Texas 441, 258 S.W. 462, 463, 51 A.L.R. 1. Neither may the Avery Co. and Patton cases on the one hand be distinguished from the Thompson and Presley cases on the other on the ground that the former involved contracts of purchase and the latter contracts of release of liability. Aside from the fact that the nature of the contracts affords no sound basis for a distinction in law, it will be noted that in the Thompson and Presley cases, involving releases of liability, the courts relied strongly on the Saw
Considering the state of our decisions herein reviewed and noted, we find ourselves confronted with a situation identical with that faced by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in Bates v. Southgate, 308 Mass. 170, 31 N.E. 2d 551. That case involved the same question involved in the instant case. Prior decisions of the Massachusetts courts were in the same state of conflict and confusion as are our decisions, and for the same reason. The Massachusetts courts chose to resolve the conflict by adopting the rule that a written contract containing a merger clause can be avoided for antecedent fraud or fraud in its inducement and that the parol evidence rule does not stand in the way of proof of such fraud. The court’s opinion, written by Justice Qua, predicates the decision on sound public policy, as follows (31 N.E. 2d 558) :
“As a matter of principle it is necessary to weigh the advantages of certainty in contractual relations against the harm and injustice that result from fraud. In obedience to the demands of a larger public policy the law long ago abandoned the position that a contract must be held sacred regardless of the fraud of one of the parties in procuring it. No one advocates a return to outworn conceptions. The same public policy that in general sanctions the avoidance of a promise obtained by deceit strikes down all attempts to circumvent that policy by means of contractual devices. In the realm of fact it is entirely possible for a party knowingly to agree that no representations have been made to him, while at the same time believing and relying upon representations which in fact have been made and in fact are false but for which he would not have made the agreement. To deny this possibility is to ignore the frequent instances in everyday experience where parties accept, often without critical examination, and act upon agreements containing somewhere within their four corners exculpatory clauses in one form or another, but where they do so, nevertheless, in reliance upon the honesty of supposed friends, the plausible and disarming statements of salesmen, or the customary course of business. To refuse relief would result in opening the door to a multitude of frauds and in thwarting the general policy of the law.”
We make the same choice made by the Massachusetts court, and in so doing we bring the law on the subject in this state
In the instant case the remedy sought is rescission. In an article in 27 T.L.R. 361, 369, the author suggests that an innocent principal should not be required to respond in damages for the fraud of his agent when the written contract limits the authority of the agent, and that in such situations the wronged party should be relegated to his action for rescission or a suit for damages against the agent. The suggested rule was adopted and applied in Super-Cold Southwest Co. v. Willis, Texas Civ. App., 219 S.W. 2d 144, writ refused, N.R.E., in which rescission was allowed but a recovery of damages against an innocent principal was disallowed. That question is not before us and we do not decide it.
The trial court filed detailed findings of fact fully supporting respondent’s right of rescission. Many of petitioner’s points of error attack holdings of the Court of Civil Appeals that the findings of fact have support in the evidence. We have reviewed the pertinent evidence and conclude that there is evidence of probative force supporting the findings. Accordingly, these points of error are overruled. ,
The purchase price of the Oliver tractor and loader was $4,134.50. By the terms of the contract petitioner agreed to accept in satisfaction thereof the sum of $2050.00 in cash and a “trade-in” of a Ford tractor with Wagner loader and an F. & F. Rotocycle Cutter. Respondent made advance arrangements with
Petitioner seems to contend that by the execution of the chattel mortgage respondent ratified the contract and disabled himself from rescinding the contract. The chattel mortgage was executed before respondent discovered that the machinery would not perform as represented and cannot be regarded as a ratification of the contract. Neither does the execution of the mortgage prevent a rescission of the contract. Payment on the check was stopped and the money advanced by the bank was not used. The evidence does not indicate the continued existence of the debt which the mortgage was intended to secure. There being no debt the lien of the mortgage was extinguished. Perkins v. Sterne, 23 Texas 561, 563; (548), 563, (550) ; 29 Texas Jur. 916, Mortgages, sec. 94. A somewhat similar contention was summarily disposed of by the San Antonio Court of Civil Appeals in Packard-Dallas v. Carle, 163 S.W. 2d 735, 738.
Petitioner complains of the recovery by respondent of the sum of $2094.00. One objection to the recovery is that respondent failed to prove the necessary measure of damages as set out in Morriss-Buick Co. v. Pondrom, 131 Texas 98, 113 S.W. 2d 899, to-wit: the difference between the value of what he parted with and what he received under the contract. The Pondrom case involved an affirmance of a contract procured by fraud and a suit for damages. The measure of damages there set out has no application to a suit for rescission. The money
The judgment of the Court of Civil Appeals is affirmed.
Opinion delivered November 6, 1957.
Emphasis ours.
Emphasis the authors.
Concurring Opinion
concurring.
I am not prepared to agree with the analysis of the many cases referred to in the majority opinion. However, I agree with the result reached in this case for the reason that the record shows that the entire transaction, including the statements made by Mr. Kincaid (owner) and Mr. Myers (agent), was one of continuing fraud and in my opinion the findings of the trial court are sufficient to show fraud in the inducement or procurement as well as fraud in the execution of the contract. Under the record in this case, I see no reason for going into the record of the cases such as the Patton case which involved dijerent facts and different pleadings.
It is proper to affirm the judgment of the Court of Civil Appeals.
Opinion delivered November 6, 1957.
Rehearing overruled December 18, 1957.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Dallas Farm MacHinery Company v. Ben Reaves
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- 168 cases
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- Published