Don's Marine, Inc. v. Haldeman

557 S.W.2d 826, 23 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 78, 1977 Tex. App. LEXIS 3631
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 27, 1977
Docket1198
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 557 S.W.2d 826 (Don's Marine, Inc. v. Haldeman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Don's Marine, Inc. v. Haldeman, 557 S.W.2d 826, 23 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 78, 1977 Tex. App. LEXIS 3631 (Tex. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

OPINION

NYE, Chief Justice.

This is a commercial law case. Don’s Marine brought suit against Jerry Halde-man to collect $25,000.00 allegedly constituting the sum still due and owing on a 30 foot Sea Ray boat purchased by defendant Haldeman. Don’s Marine also sought to recover some $5,439.18 for additional items added to the boat after the alleged purchase by Haldeman. Haldeman counterclaimed to recover his $10,000.00 down payment on the boat. Trial was to the court without a jury. The court ruled in Halde-man’s favor; entered a take nothing judgment against Don’s Marine; and awarded Haldeman his down payment plus attorney’s fees. Don’s Marine has perfected its appeal to this Court.

On April 23,1975, Haldeman and his wife went to Don’s Marine to look for a fishing boat that could be used for fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Their attention was directed to a 30 foot Sea Ray. Haldeman returned the next day evidently having decided to purchase the boat if Don’s Marine would meet his demands. The price was negotiated to be $35,000.00 with Haldeman giving Don’s Marine a $5,000.00 cash down payment, plus trading in another boat owned by him for $5,000.00, and executing a draft for $25,000.00 on the First State Bank of Aransas Pass. The sales invoice on the boat was prepared by A1 Bauman, the sales manager for Don’s Marine. The invoice stated: “Boat to handle and perform to customer satisfaction otherwise sale void.” Haldeman, Bauman and one of Don’s Marine’s mechanics then took the boat from Corpus Christi to Haldeman’s dock at “City by the Sea” near Aransas Pass, a distance of approximately 20 miles, where they left the boat. On April 29, 1975, Don’s Marine deposited Haldeman’s draft in its account at Corpus Christi Bank and Trust.

On May 1, 1975, the draft was presented for payment to First State Bank of Aransas Pass. However, Haldeman had left instructions with the Executive Vice President of the bank that the draft was not to be paid until he gave his approval. At the time of presentment no approval had been given by Haldeman. On May 7, 1975, the draft was returned to the Corpus Christi bank. On May 12,1975, the Corpus Christi bank again presented the draft for payment. Again the draft was returned by the Aransas Pass bank. The Corpus Christi bank then returned it to Don’s Marine marked: “dishonored.” During this period the boat had remained in Haldeman’s possession. The certificate of title to the boat was placed in Haldeman’s name by Don’s Marine. However, during this entire period Haldeman testified he was dissatisfied with the boat’s handling and performance. In the meantime, Don’s Marine made at least two attempts to satisfy Haldeman’s complaints.

On May 23, 1975, Haldeman had his attorney contact Don’s Marine’s general manager about returning the boat for his $5,000.00 in cash and his trade-in boat. Haldeman and his attorney both testified that Don’s Marine agreed to the return. On May 27, 1975, Haldeman and his attorney were then informed by Don’s Marine that they would not accept the return of the boat. Haldeman retained possession of the boat and Don’s Marine promised Halde-man that the defects would be repaired and that the boat would be made to meet his specifications. During this period many extras and modifications were added to the boat at the instance of Haldeman. Finally, in early September 1975 Haldeman abandoned attempts to fix the boat after repeated failures by Don’s Marine to correct the problems to his satisfaction. Haldeman *828 simply chained the boat to his pier and took the necessary steps to protect the boat from further deterioration. In early October 1975 Haldeman again tendered the boat to Don’s Marine. It was refused.

On October 14, 1975, Don’s Marine brought suit to recover the balance owed of $25,000.00 plus some $5,434.18 in additional items added to the boat. Haldeman answered and counterclaimed for his down payment and trade-in. In July of 1976, by agreement of the attorneys and without prejudice to anyone’s claims, the boat was returned to Don’s Marine for resale to avoid further waste and depreciation.

Appellant’s only point of error is that the trial court erred in not holding that Haldeman had accepted the boat in question thereby consummating the contract of sale. In appellant’s arguments under its point of error, it is contended that Haldeman failed to properly reject the boat under § 2.601 or § 2.604 of the Tex.Bus. & Comm. Code Ann. (1968) and that the trial court’s judgment to the contrary is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. At this point it should be noted that Don’s Marine did not request any findings of fact and conclusions of law and none were filed by the trial court. In this situation this Court must presume that the trial court’s judgment implies all necessary fact findings to support it. Seaman v. Seaman, 425 S.W.2d 339 (Tex.Sup.1968). It is presumed upon appeal that the trial court found every issue of fact necessary to sustain the judgment when such fact issue is raised by the pleadings and finds support in the evidence. We must affirm the judgment of the trial court unless the appellant (Don’s Marine) can affirmatively show that the undisputed evidence negatives at least one essential element necessary to support the judgment or can show that such findings are against the overwhelming preponderance of the evidence. Johnson v. Buck, 540 S.W.2d 393 (Tex.Civ.App.—Corpus Christi 1976, writ ref’d n. r. e.); City of Center v. Roberts, 469 S.W.2d 27 (Tex.Civ. App.—Tyler 1971, writ ref’d n. r. e.); Giles v. Wiggins, 442 S.W.2d 839 (Tex.Civ.App.—Forth Worth 1969, writ ref’d n. r. e.).

The sections of the Business & Commerce Code involved in this appeal are: Sec. 2.601; Sec. 2.602; Sec. 2.606 and Sec. 2.608. Under these sections of the Business & Commerce Code there are two theories of law that are supported by the evidence and which would sustain the trial court’s judgment. The first theory is that Haldeman never accepted the goods under §§ 2.601, 2.602 and 2.606. 1 Haldeman testified re *829 peatedly that he was never satisfied with the boat and it never met his standards of providing a smooth dry ride. He testified that he had only retained possession of the boat for Don’s Marine and had not accepted it under the contract.

Under § 2.601 Haldeman had the right, upon tender of the boat to reject it for failure to conform to the contract, i. e., to perform to his “satisfaction.” However, this right to reject must have been made within a reasonable time after it had been tendered or delivered to him under § 2.602. Both Haldeman and his attorney testified that the boat was rejected and that they tendered the boat back to Don’s Marine in slightly less than a month after he had taken possession of the boat. The determination under §§ 2.602 and 2.606 of whether or not a buyer has accepted or rejected goods is a fact question. Pacific Products v. Great Western Plywood, 528 S.W.2d 286

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
557 S.W.2d 826, 23 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 78, 1977 Tex. App. LEXIS 3631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dons-marine-inc-v-haldeman-texapp-1977.