Fanning v. College of Steubenville

197 N.E.2d 422, 94 Ohio Law. Abs. 145, 31 Ohio Op. 2d 495, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 237
CourtJefferson County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedApril 27, 1961
DocketNo. 48328
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 197 N.E.2d 422 (Fanning v. College of Steubenville) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fanning v. College of Steubenville, 197 N.E.2d 422, 94 Ohio Law. Abs. 145, 31 Ohio Op. 2d 495, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 237 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1961).

Opinion

Griesinger, J.

This matter is before the Court on the demurrer of the defendant to the plaintiff’s amended petition. The plaintiff in his amended petition sets forth that he is an engineer; that he entered into a written contract for professional services with the defendant, the College of Steubenville. A copy of the contract was attached to the petition and made a part thereof. The professional services to be rendered by the plaintiff and the fees to be paid therefor were fully set forth in said contract.

The contract sets forth that the defendant intended to build certain college and associated buildings, including, but not necessarily limited to, the following types of facilities:

(1) College Lecture Facilities.

(2) Science Facilities.

(3) College Library Facilities.

(4) College Administration Facilities.

(5) Monastery and Chapel.

(6) Student Activity Facilities. To be located on the site now owned by the College of Steubenville, lying north of State Highway 22.

[147]*147The contract was entitled “Agreement between owner and engineer.” Among the professional services to be performed by the plaintiff were:

1 — The Engineer’s Services:

(a) The Engineer’s professional services consist of the necessary conferences, the preparation of preliminary studies, working drawings, specifications, large scale and full size detail drawings, for architectural, structural, plumbing, heating, electrical and other mechanical work;

(b) Assistance in the drafting of forms of proposals and contracts; the issuance of certificates of payment; the keeping of accounts; the general administration of the business and supervision of the work.

Plaintiff says that the defendant breached said contract and prays that under the authority of Section 2711.01, Revised Code, for the Court to designate and appoint an arbitrator to act under the Arbitration Agreement provided for in said contract.

The defendant, the College of Steubenville, filed a demurrer to the plaintiffs’ amended petition on the ground that the amended petition does not state a good cause of action. The defendant contends that the contract calls for the services of an architect; that the plaintiff is not an architect; therefore, not permitted to contract to perform such services, and that the contract is void and unenforceable. The plaintiff claims that he is an engineer and as such is permitted to enter into a contract to render the services of an architect as provided for under the terms of said contract.

In the chapter of the Revised Code providing for the establishment of the profession of architecture and the licensing of architects under Section 4703.18, Revised Code, it is provided in part as follows:

“No person shall enter upon the practice of architecture, or hold himself forth as an architect or registered architect, unless he has complied with Sections 4703.01 to 4703.19, inclusive, Revised Code, and is the holder of a certificate of qualification to practice architecture issued or renewed and registered under such sections.”
“Sections 4703.01 to 4703.19, inclusive, Revised Code, shall not prevent persons other than architects from filing applica[148]*148tion for building permits or obtaining such permits, providing the drawings for such buildings are signed by the authors with their true appellation as engineer, contractor, carpenter, or other appellation, but without the use of any form of the title architect, nor shall it prevent such persons from designing buildings and supervising the construction thereof for their own use. ’ ’
“Such sections shall not exclude a qualified or registered professional engineer from such architectural practice as may be incident to the practice of his engineering profession; or exclude a registered architect from such engineering practice as may be incident to the practice of architecture.” (Emphasis added.)

It will be noted that such section does not preclude an engineer from “such architectural practice as may be incident to the practice of his engineering profession, or exclude a registered architect from such engineering practice as may be incident to the practice of architecture.”

The chapter establishing and providing for the licensing of professional engineers also has a provision prohibiting persons from practicing professional engineering without being registered or exempted in accordance with the provisions of said chapter, Section 4733.22, Revised Code.

Section 4733.17, Revised Code, in part reads as follows:

“Sections 4733.01 to 4733.23, inclusive, Revised Code, do not exclude a qualified or registered architect from such engineering practice as may be incident to the practice of his profession; or do not exclude a professional engineer from such architectural practice as may be incident to the practice of professional engineering.”

This is a reciprocal section permitting an architect to perform engineering work which is incidental to the practice of his profession.

It is pointed out by the plaintiff in his brief that Section 4733.01, Revised Code, defines the practice of engineering, which in part reads as follows:

“The practice of engineering includes any professional service, such as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design or responsible supervision of construction or operation, in connection with any public or privately owned public [149]*149utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, works or projects in the proper rendering of which the qualifications of Section 4733.11, Revised Code are required to protect public health, safety, and property.” (Emphasis added.)

The plaintiff bases his right to enter into a contract, which primarily calls for the services of an architect, by reason of this definition of engineering. It should be observed that this definition of the practice of engineering limits the practice to such functions of which the education qualifications are required “to protect the public health, safety, and property.” It does not, and was not intended to, broaden the scope of such services to include the services flowing primarily from the practice of architecture.

The practice of architecture was defined in the case of McGill v. Carlos, 52 Ohio Law Abs., 28, 81 N. E. (2d), 726 (C. P., 1947), as follows:

“The word ‘practice’ as used in Section 1334-17, General Code, means the exercise of a profession, and ‘to enter upon the ppractice of architecture,’ means to exercise the profession of an architect. Primarily, an architect is a person who plans, sketches and presents the complete details for the erection, enlargement, or alteration of a building or other structure for the use of the contractor or builder when expert knowledge and skill are required in such preparation. The practice of architecture may also include supervision of construction under such plans and specifications. See Webster’s New International Dictionary; The New Century Dictionary; 3 Ohio Jur., Sec. 1, page 115; Kansas City Southern R. Co. v. Wallace, 38 Okl., 233, 132 P., 908, 46 L. R. A. N., N.

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Bluebook (online)
197 N.E.2d 422, 94 Ohio Law. Abs. 145, 31 Ohio Op. 2d 495, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 237, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fanning-v-college-of-steubenville-ohctcompljeffer-1961.