American Insurance v. El Paso Pipe & Supply Co.

978 F.3d 1185
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedNovember 2, 1992
DocketNos. 91-2070, 91-2072
StatusPublished

This text of 978 F.3d 1185 (American Insurance v. El Paso Pipe & Supply Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Insurance v. El Paso Pipe & Supply Co., 978 F.3d 1185 (10th Cir. 1992).

Opinion

H. DALE COOK, Senior District Judge.

This action arose out of the construction of the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Brown-Olds Corporation (Brown-Olds) was the subcontractor responsible for providing all labor and material for the construction of the mechanical and electrical segments of the project. General Electric (GE) and its distributor El Paso Pipe and Supply Company (EPPSCO) were the successful bidders to supply the electrical equipment to Brown-Olds.

During the course of negotiations between GE and Brown-Olds for the contract to supply the equipment for the project, GE made oral and written representations concerning service, equipment, delivery schedules, and price. On June 9, 1983 GE sent a 19-page list of materials to Brown-Olds. This written quotation had the following provision:

“Sale of any products or services covered by this quotation is conditioned upon the terms contained herein (including those on back of this letter). Any additional or different terms proposed by Buyer are objected to and will not be binding upon Seller unless specifically assented to in writing by Seller’s authorized representative.”

GE’s quotation also provided, “unless otherwise stated, this quotation ... expires 15 days from its date and may be modified or withdrawn by Seller prior to any acceptance ____”

This 15-day limit was never officially extended. However, GE and Brown-Olds continued to negotiate the bid. On October 3,1983 Brown-Olds sent its purchase order to GE in care of EPPSCO. The purchase order enumerated materials, price, shipping schedules, and specifications to be observed.

The back of the purchase order had several boiler-plate terms and conditions. Paragraph 15(b) of the purchase order was an integration clause stating that the purchase order and any written attachments constituted the entire agreement of the parties and all prior oral and written communications were withdrawn. Paragraph 15(d) provided:

“In the event there should be legal action in connection with this Purchase Order, then if the Seller is not the prevailing party in such action, Seller agrees to pay the reasonable legal fees and other costs incurred in such legal action by the Purchaser.”

During the course of the project Brown-Olds became bankrupt and its bonding company, American Insurance Company (American), assumed responsibility for completion of the construction. American, as Brown-Old’s successor-in-interest, initiated this diversity action in federal court on August 7, 1989 against GE and EPPS-CO. It alleged breach of contract, breach of warranty, and negligence in furnishing electrical equipment to the construction project.

The case was tried before a jury on October 11-19, 1989. The jury determined that a contract existed between Brown-Olds and both GE and EPPSCO. The jury also determined that both GE and- EPPSCO breached the contract and warranties. However, the jury found that American’s damages of $34,114.14 resulted from GE’s breach of contract alone. Therefore, EPPSCO was not found liable for any of American’s damages.

Following the trial, American moved for an award of attorney fees and costs based on the contractual provision located on the back of the purchase order. Although the jury determined that a contract existed between Brown-Olds and both GE and EPPS-CO, it was never asked to determine if the purchase order was the operative agreement between the parties. It, therefore, was also not asked to determine whether the attorney fee provision was a term of the contract. Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 49(a) the trial court found that GE and [1188]*1188EPPSCO waived their right to have the jury decide these issues.1 Therefore, the court made the determinations itself and granted American’s motion. It awarded American $158,355.70 in attorney fees and $17,909.06 in costs.

The court first stated that the substantive law of New Mexico would be applied in this diversity action. It then noted that under the law of New Mexico recovery of attorney fees is permitted if their recovery is provided for in a contract, citing Hickey v. Griggs, 106 N.M. 27, 738 P.2d 899 (1987). It determined that the .primary purpose of the contract in question was the sale of goods and, therefore, the provisions of .the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) controlled. N.M.Stat.Ann. Sec. 55-1-101 et seq. (1978); State v. Kent Nowlin Constr., Inc., 106 N.M. 539, 746 P.2d 645 (1987). The court then referred to UCC section 2-207(1) which provides:

“A definite and seasonable expression of acceptance ■ or a written confirmation which is sent within a reasonable time operates as an acceptance even though it states terms additional to or different from those offered or agreed upon, unless acceptance is expressly made conditional on assent to the additional or different terms.”

N:M.Stat.Ann. 55-2-207(1) (1978). It found that the Brown-Olds purchase order was a written confirmation of the parties’ agreement as envisioned by this statute.

Next the court referred to UCC section 2-207(2) which states:

“The additional terms are to be construed as proposals for addition to the contract. Between ' merchants, such terms become part of the contract unless: (a) the offer expressly limits acceptance to the terms of the offer; (b) they materially alter it; or (c) notification of objection to them has already been given or is given within a reasonable time after notice of them is received.”

N.M.Stat.Ann. Sec. 55-2-207(2) (1978). The court determined that GE, EPPSCO, and Brown-Olds were all merchants for purposes of this discussion, citing Cement Asbestos Products v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co., 592 F.2d 1144 (10th Cir. 1979). It therefore concluded that the additional terms in thé Brown-Olds purchase order were terms of the agreement unless they fell into one of the section 2-207(2) exceptions.

The court rejected the argument that the June 9, 1983 GE quotation was an offer that expressly limited the acceptance to the terms of the offer under exception (a).2 The court then rejected the argument that the GE quotation operated as notice of objection to the attorney fees provision in the purchase order under exception (c).3 [1189]*1189None of the above conclusions are at issue on appeal.4

GE and EPPSCO appeal the award of attorney fees and costs to American.5 They challenge the court’s finding that the attorney fees provision in the Brown-Olds purchase order does not constitute a material alteration to the parties’ agreement. Appellants also assert that the court erred in its conclusions regarding prevailing party status in the case and the reasonableness of the fee award.

A. Material Alteration

In reviewing the district court’s decision concerning whether the attorney fees provision materially altered the agreement between the parties we apply the clearly erroneous standard. Transamerica Oil Corp. v.

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Bluebook (online)
978 F.3d 1185, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-insurance-v-el-paso-pipe-supply-co-ca10-1992.