H. J. Wood Co. v. Jevons

400 P.2d 287, 88 Idaho 377, 1965 Ida. LEXIS 422
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 17, 1965
Docket9446
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 400 P.2d 287 (H. J. Wood Co. v. Jevons) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
H. J. Wood Co. v. Jevons, 400 P.2d 287, 88 Idaho 377, 1965 Ida. LEXIS 422 (Idaho 1965).

Opinion

KNUDSON, Justice.

During March 1957 appellant, Mary A. Jevons, caused a well to be drilled upon her 40-acre tract of uncultivated desert land. On February 8, 1958 she moved a house upon the property and thereafter occupied it as her home. On March 26, 1958 she entered into a written conditional sale contract with respondent, H. J. Wood Co., Inc., for the purchase and installation of an electric water pump in the well on her property. The consideration therefor was $4,200, *380 payable $1,200 in - cash as down payment and $1,500 plus interest on or before May 1, 1959 and $1,500 plus interest on or before May 1, 1960. The pump was installed and appellant failed to make any payment after the cash down payment and respondent, as plaintiff, commenced this action January 30, 1961, to recover possession of the pump or its value, together with an additional sum of $909.75 plus interest for materials and labor furnished and a loan of $200.

Appellant, as defendant, admitted respondent’s corporate existence and execution of the contract, but denied all other allegations of the complaint. As an affirmative defense and cross-claim appellant alleged that the pump never functioned properly; that between July 1 and August 5, 1958 respondent removed the pump to make repairs and failed to provide appellant with a substitute pump during said period, resulting in a $4,000 damage to appellant’s 1958 crops; that in making repairs to said pump respondent carelessly and negligently lost the tail pipe of said pump in the well, causing an inadequate flow or supply of water during the irrigation season of 1959 and resulting in another $4,000 damage to appellant’s 1959 crops. Respondent denied all of such allegations.

A jury trial was had and when both parties had rested respondent moved for an involuntary dismissal of appellant’s cross-claim and for a directed verdict in favor of respondent. The court granted both motions and entered judgment for respondent-Appellant filed her motion for a new trial, which was denied. This appeal is from the-judgment and the order denying a new trial.

Appellant sets out numerous specifications of error, however they are all based, upon the contention that the court erred in its ruling excluding evidence offered by appellant relating to damage to and loss of crops on her property during the years 1958 and 1959. Appellant concedes that if the ruling regarding the crops is correct,, the court was probably left “in a position-, where there was not sufficient evidence to-allow the case to go to the jury.” The issue-here presented is stated by appellant as. follows:

“The principal question presented by this appeal is whether or not the trial court improperly excluded evidence on behalf of the defendant concerning damage to and loss of crops on the grounds that they were remote, speculative and conjectural and upon the grounds that they were negatived by the contract under which the pump was sold.”

It is further stated in appellant’s brief that her sole contention in this case is as follows:

“Appellant contends that the basic error of the trial court was in denying the proffered evidence of appellant concerning damage to crops; that had this. *381 evidence been admitted, there would have been sufficient evidence to allow the case to go to the jury on the questions raised by the affirmative defense and cross-complaint of the defendant.”

The record discloses that immediately following appellant’s offer of proof relative to damages allegedly resulting to appellant’s crops by reasons of respondent’s actions, respondent objected to the admission of the offered proof upon the grounds

“ * * * that the contract here involved negatives plaintiff’s liability for crop damages from water shortage and there was no guarantee of quality or quantity of water production by the pump and the damages to crops from lack of water are too remote, too speculative and not within the contemplation of the parties.”

The court sustained the objection, however the record does not disclose which of the grounds was relied upon by the trial court. The issue here presented is whether the action of the trial court in sustaining such objection constituted reversible error.

The first ground stated in the objection is that the contract between the parties here involved negatives liability on the part of respondent for crop damages resulting from water shortage. Said contract contains the following provision:

“Seller shall not be liable for damage or for consequential damage, particularly including loss or damage for dimunition or failure of crops, shortage of water, or inability or failure to supply same, whether due to improper installation or performance of the machinery or otherwise * * * it being understood and agreed by Buyer that this work is uncertain and precarious in its nature.”

The foregoing quoted portion of the contract is unambiguous and clearly exempts respondent from liability for- crop damage. It also sustains the contention that such damages were not within the contemplation of the parties. There is no evidence that respondent made any statement to or had any agreement with appellant regarding the quantity or quality of water production from the well involved.

The objection contained the additional ground that damages to crops, from lack of water, were too remote and speculative. This ground of objection is supported by the decision of this court in C. R. Crowley, Inc. v. Soelberg, 81 Idaho 480, 346 P.2d 1063, wherein a well drilling contract was involved and defendant sought recovery under his cross-complaint for crop damages resulting from plaintiff’s failure to drill the well deep enough to furnish sufficient water for irrigation. The court stated:

“The trial court did not err in its refusal to admit evidence of damage to the defendant’s crops. Prospective profits contemplated to be derived from *382 a business which, is not yet established, but one merely in contemplation, are too uncertain and speculative to form a basis for recovery. Head v. Crone, 76 Idaho 196, 279 P.2d 1064. See also Faria v. Southwick, 81 Idaho 68, 337 P.2d 374.”

Appellant contends that her crop damage in 1958 resulted when respondent removed the pump for repair during July 1958 and failed to provide her with a substitute' pump. She did'not allege or in any respect prove that respondent was obligated to provide a substitute pump nor did she allege or prove that respondent retained the pump longer than was reasonably necessary to make needed repairs. Appellant did testify that while the pump was being repaired she talked by telephone to the president of the pump manufacturing company in California and that she was advised by him that if she had called them they could have had a motor there in twelve hours. She did not submit any explanation regarding the expense involved in having them furnish such a motor or why she did not request that they provide such motor.

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Bluebook (online)
400 P.2d 287, 88 Idaho 377, 1965 Ida. LEXIS 422, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/h-j-wood-co-v-jevons-idaho-1965.