Foster v. Dwire

199 N.W. 1017, 51 N.D. 581, 51 A.L.R. 21, 1924 N.D. LEXIS 49
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 25, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 199 N.W. 1017 (Foster v. Dwire) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Foster v. Dwire, 199 N.W. 1017, 51 N.D. 581, 51 A.L.R. 21, 1924 N.D. LEXIS 49 (N.D. 1924).

Opinion

*586 Johnson, J.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the District Court of Ward County, entered upon two verdicts, one dismissing the plaintiffs’ action and the other dismissing defendant’s counterclaims. This case was here on a former appeal. See 42 N. D. 319, 172 N. W. 782.

The plaintiffs are partners and were, at the time the facts constituting the cause of action arose, engaged in the business of plumbing and heating contractors in the city of Minot. The complaint alleges that between the 15th day of October, 1916, and the 5th day of October, 1917, the plaintiffs, at the special instance and request of the defendant and pursuant to a contract therefor, performed labor and furnished materials in and about the construction and installation of a heating and plumbing system in a certain building belonging to the defendant and that the reasonable value of the materials furnished and the services rendered was $8607.85; that no part of this has been paid except the sum of $0613.95, and that on or about the 23rd day of January, 1918, the plaintiffs and defendant agreed upon a stated account of the balance due in the sum of $2068.73; that there is due and owing thereon to the plaintiffs the sum of $2068.73 with interest from the 23rd day of January, 1918. Judgment is demanded for this amount.

The defendant answered, admitting the rendition of an account on the 23rd day of January, 1918, and that the defendant agreed to the correctness of the same and promised to pay it, and did, in fact, pay thereon the sum of $260.00. The defendant then alleges that at the time the parties agreed upon the balance, as aforesaid, and as a part of the same transaction, the plaintiffs agreed to remedy defects alleged to exist in the heating and plumbing installed by the plaintiffs and to mglce the same satisfactory to the defendant; that the plaintiffs knew that such system was unsatisfactory, improper and inefficient and promised to remedy the same so that the system would properly and adequately heat the building under all weather conditions and furnish a' complete supply of hot water at all times to the apartments therein ; that the plaintiffs admitted that the equipment was insufficient and did not operate successfully and that plaintiffs did “state and represent *587 that if the defendant would approve a settlement of their mutual accounts in the sum of $2068.73, that the plaintiffs would remedy any and all deficiencies aforesaid in said heating system and in the plumbing system they had installed in the said apartment building;” it is then alleged that the defendant agreed to the account stated in good faith, because of the statements, representations and promises made by the plaintiffs, as alleged. Defendant further alleges that she was ignorant of the real cause of the deficiency in the heating system and did not discover the cause until afterwards; that the plaintiffs failed, neglected and refused to remedy the deficiencies and to perform according to their promises and representations; that the representations made on and prior to January 23, 1918, by plaintiffs to defendant were fraudulently made, without intention to perform the same, but were made for the sole purpose of deceiving the defendant and inducing her to settle an account and promise to pay the account thus stated.

As a second defense the defendant alleges: That the plaintiffs performed work and labor and furnished materials between August 15, 1916, and October 5, 1917, upon the building aforesaid, under a contract therefor; that on or about September 1, 1916, defendant had drawings and specifications prepared, specifying therein, upon the advice of her, architect, a boiler for such building of the capacity of 6500 square feet of radiation as necessary to adequately heat such faiilding and a third story to be added later, and the installation of a necessary hot water system, together with such plumbing as was specified; that such heating system and plumbing were to be installed pursuant to plans and specifications and that plaintiffs furnished bids for the work pursuant to an advertisement for such bids; that thereafter and prior to October 13, 1916, the plaintiffs, for the purpose of inducing defendant to modify such plans and specifications, falsely and fraudulently represented to defendant that her architect was in-' experienced and ignorant and that many details called for in the specifications were unnecessary and that the boiler capacity was excessive and greater than necessary to heat the building; that it was not necessary to provide for a separate hot water heating plant and that many other details were useless and unnecessary and that a smaller boiler, to-wit, of the capacity of 3800 square feet of radiation would *588 be ample; tbat plaintiffs falsely stated to defendant that if she would •overrule her architect in these particulars and alter the original plans and permit plaintiffs to install the smaller boiler, that the smaller boiler would be adequate under all weather conditions to heat the building; that plaintiffs did represent that because of long experience in the work they knew the needs and requirements of such a building better than her architect and persuaded defendant to rely on their judgment, and that the defendant, persuaded by the plaintiffs as aforesaid, modified the original plans accordingly, in reliance upon the statements and representations of the plaintiffs. It is then alleged that the plant installed was wholly inadequate and did not work, that the Apartments were cold and that the defendant was forced to incur considerable expense, which is alleged in some detail in the answer, because of the insufficiency and inefficiency of the system installed by the plaintiffs. It is then alleged that because of the defects and deficiencies alleged in the second defense, the plant is useless and worthless and that the defendant has been damaged in the sum of $3000.00.

As and for a third defense the defendant re-alleges most of the allegations of the second defense, supra, and some other matters not :substantially different from those alleged in the second defense, claiming damages under this defense in the sum of $3319.00.

Defendant then sets up three counterclaims, based upon the allegations of the defenses heretofore summarized and the expenses incurred by the defendant in remedying the defects and in installing wholly or in part a new system in lieu of that installed by the plaintiffs. The third counterclaim was withdrawn by defendant at the conclusion of the trial. The plaintiffs replied, interposing a general denial to the counterclaims.

The testimony of the defendant tended to support the allegations of her answer that the plans and specifications were modified largely upon and in conformity with the suggestions of the plaintiffs.

The jury returned two verdicts, one for a dismissal of plaintiffs’ action and the other for a dismissal of the two counterclaims. Before the ease was submitted, the plaintiffs asked the court to direct a verdict, but the motion, having been resisted, was denied under the statute. After the verdicts were returned, plaintiffs moved for judgment non obstante, which motion was denied. A judgment of dismissal *589 was entered upon the verdict and the appeal is taken from the judgment.

The appellants specify numerous errors.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
199 N.W. 1017, 51 N.D. 581, 51 A.L.R. 21, 1924 N.D. LEXIS 49, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/foster-v-dwire-nd-1924.