John Gruss Co. v. Paragon Energy Corp. (In re John Gruss Co.)

22 B.R. 236, 34 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1192, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3663
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Kansas
DecidedJuly 23, 1982
DocketBankruptcy No. 81-20689; Adv. No. 81-0259
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 22 B.R. 236 (John Gruss Co. v. Paragon Energy Corp. (In re John Gruss Co.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
John Gruss Co. v. Paragon Energy Corp. (In re John Gruss Co.), 22 B.R. 236, 34 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1192, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3663 (Kan. 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BENJAMIN E. FRANKLIN, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter came on for trial on February 4 and 5, 1982, upon plaintiff-debtor’s complaint to recover an account receivable of $19,756.01 plus interest and costs. Defendant answered and counter-claimed for $35,948.16 in damages, plus interest and costs. Plaintiff-debtor, John Gruss Co., Inc. (Debtor) appeared by its attorney, Byron C. Loudon, of McDowell, Rice & Smith, Chartered. Defendant, Paragon Energy Corporation (Paragon) appeared by its attorneys, Jeffrey B. Rosen of Miller & Glynn, P. C. and James M. Sheeley, local counsel. Also appearing were: John Gruss, debtor’s president; and Alan Cunningham, Paragon’s president.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Upon reviewing the evidence, statements of counsel, pleadings, briefs and exhibits, and the file herein, this Court finds as follows:

1. That this Court has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter; and that venue is proper.

2. That prior to June, 1981, Debtor and Paragon had several discussions regarding Debtor entering into a sub-contract to fabricate heating and cooling ductwork for Paragon, which was general contractor on a renovation of a Veteran’s Administration hospital in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. They apparently agreed on a price. It is unclear whether they discussed or agreed to any other terms.

3. That on June 4, 1981, Paragon sent Debtor a notice of intent to issue a purchase order (Pl.Ex. ‡‡ 1) and on June 9th (Pl.Ex. # 3), Paragon sent the purchase order, quoting a price of $134,118.00. Debtor received the order on June 16th and immediately called Paragon to advise that the order was not acceptable because the quoted price was not in accordance with their previous discussions. Paragon asked Debtor to return the order, so that it could revise the price to $141,618.00, as agreed.

4. That on the same date, Debtor mailed the order back to Paragon. In an attached letter (Pl.Ex. # 4A), Debtor proposed three additional terms: (a) a $7,500.00 discount if Debtor completely delivered the order before November 25, 1981 and received full payment before December 31, 1981; (b) invoices were to be paid 2% in 10 days, 1% in 20 days, net 30 days; and (c) if an invoice remained unpaid after 30 days, Debtor could cease further fabrication.

[238]*2385. That Debtor began fabrication on June 16th, relying on the oral agreement of price and the June 9th purchase order terms. Most of the purchase order terms were in a standardized form attached to and incorporated in the order, entitled “General Conditions and Instructions”.

6. That Paragon revised the order by correcting the price and adding the $7,500.00 discount provision. Paragon did not accept the other two proposed terms.

7. That Debtor received the revised purchase order (Pl.Ex. #2) on June 26, 1981. Debtor called Paragon regarding revision of still another term, involving shop drawings. Paragon agreed to revise that term and debtor approved the revised purchase order, in its final form, on July 2, 1981.

8. That the pertinent terms of the final revised purchase order were:

(a) $141,618.00 price with the $7,500.00 discount provision;
(b) Timely delivery of the materials was of the essence, and in the event of untimely delivery, Paragon could cancel all or part of the order, without penalty;
(c) a merger clause, meaning that the order was a final and complete integration of their agreement, all prior agreement or negotiations were merged into the order, and the order could not be modified or rescinded unless in writing and signed by both parties;
(d) Debtor agreed to comply with all federal laws;
(e) Debtor “... shall furnish all necessary lien waivers, affidavits or other documents, required to keep the Owner’s premises free from liens or claims for lien, arising out of the furnishing of the material and equipment herein, as payments are made from time to time under this purchase order.”
(f) “Payment and discount periods shall commence only upon receipt of both the material and proper invoice or invoices.. ”

9. That Debtor began fabricating on June 16th and shipped the first installment of material on June 19th, with an invoice for $2,540.71 (Pl.Ex. #5). Debtor called Paragon several times after July 19th regarding payment of the invoice. Debtor finally received payment on August 3rd.

10. That Debtor shipped four other installments to Paragon, between July 7 and July 31st. Invoices (Pl.Exs. ## 6-9) on these installments totalled $19,765.01 and to date, Paragon has not paid.

11. That on July 20, 1981, Debtor filed for Chapter 11 relief herein.

12. That on August 6th, Debtor called Paragon regarding payment of the July 7th invoice. Eric Bretzel, a Paragon employee, promised to deliver payment on August 7th.

13. That Paragon refused to pay on August 7th because it was on notice of Debt- or’s bankruptcy and was concerned that Debtor had not been paying its employees and suppliers.

14. That on August 11th, Paragon’s president hand delivered to Debtor’s president, a letter (Pl.Ex. # 10) demanding affidavits from Debtor’s suppliers and employees and any other potential claimants against Paragon’s payment bond. Debtor refused to supply affidavits from employees or suppliers.

15. That on August 12th, Debtor sent Paragon a letter (Pl.Ex. #11) terminating the contract for non-payment, and advising Paragon that Debtor would pursue collection within the Chapter 11 proceeding.

16. That on August 25th, Paragon sent Debtor a letter (Pl.Ex. #12) advising that it would obtain another subcontractor and charge Debtor for all consequential damages.

17. That on August 27th, Debtor filed an application to reject the executory portion of the contract; said application was sustained on November 6, 1981.

18. That Paragon hired a new subcontractor, after a delay of 19 working days. The new subcontractor, William Sobbe, Inc., charged no more than the balance of Debt- or’s contract price.

19. That in the 19-day interim between Debtor’s termination and Sobbe’s com[239]*239mencement, Paragon had to reschedule its laborers to jobs not in the most efficient sequential order. Typically, the ductwork would have been installed first, before pipe-fitting, floors and ceilings, carpentry and painting. Paragon did not have to lay off any laborers, however. Paragon contends that the 19-day delay in ductwork fabrication cost it $35,948.16 plus interest in overhead costs, supervisory wages, and administrative costs. An independent contractor at the site testified that some of Paragon’s problems could not be attributed to Debt- or’s termination, but to other common and inherent difficulties in renovation projects of that kind.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

At the outset, it should be clarified that this is a problem of contract interpretation. There is no dispute that the parties entered into a valid written contract on July 2,1981, when Debtor accepted the final revised purchase order.

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22 B.R. 236, 34 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1192, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 3663, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/john-gruss-co-v-paragon-energy-corp-in-re-john-gruss-co-ksb-1982.