Joint Board of Supervisors v. Title Guaranty & Surety Co.

198 Iowa 1382
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJanuary 8, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 198 Iowa 1382 (Joint Board of Supervisors v. Title Guaranty & Surety Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Joint Board of Supervisors v. Title Guaranty & Surety Co., 198 Iowa 1382 (iowa 1924).

Opinion

Preston, J.

— A rehearing was granted in this case. The opinion on the first submission affirmed the judgment against defendant, on the assumption that Section 1989-a57, Code Supplement, 1913, was in force at the time the bond sued on was executed. The bond was executed May 31, 1912, and Sections 1989-a57 and 1989-a60 were passed by the thirty-fifth' general assembly [1383]*1383(Chapter 155), and took effect July '4, 1913, more than a year after the bond was executed. This fact was overlooked, due partly to the fact, perhaps, that the work was done after the statute took effect. It is conceded by appellant, in its petition for rehearing and argument, that the court’s attention was not called to the matter. Doubtless the same situation obtained in the district court. The former opinion was annulled by granting the rehearing; but we do not understand appellant, or either side, to complain of the opinion in its statement of the issues and facts. This being so, we shall now practically adopt the former opinion, down to the point where it becomes necessary to discuss the case under the law as it was prior to the later enactment of the statutes before referred to, and, so far as necessary, the effect, if any, of the passage of Sections 1989-a57 and 1989-a60, as applied to the facts in this case. The facts are practically undisputed.

The Issues:- The plaintiff drainage district in its petition alleges that the district, acting jointly by and through the boards of supervisors of Dickinson and Osceola Counties, entered into a contract with A. W. Schweppe for the excavation for all tile in Joint Drainage District No. 1, and to properly lay all tile, fill all ditches therein according to certain plans and specifications, and to furnish all labor, tools, and machinery required in the completion of the improvement, and to receive therefor in full of all services the sum of $28,222. It is further alleged that the work was to be performed under the direction and supervision of the engineer having charge of the work, and that said engineer was to furnish to the county auditor of each county, monthly estimates of the amount of work done by the contractor and the amount earned by him; that, upon the filing of such estimates, warrants should be drawn in his favor for 80 per cent of the amount earned during the preceding month; and that, upon the completion of the improvement, certification by the engineer, and the approval of the work by the boards of supervisors, warrants should issue in payment of the entire balance due the contractor. The contract further provided that, if the contractor failed to prosecute the work according to contract and the plans and specifications, and damage to the ditch or district resulted therefrom, on account of such delay, second [1384]*1384party should be liable therefor, and the district might recover such damage by an action upon the contractor’s bond, or might retain from the amount otherwise due said contractor such sum as would reimburse the drainage district for such damage.

The defendant surety company, in connection with said contract, and as security for the faithful performance thereof, executed its written obligation, by the terms of which the company became bound to the said drainage district in the sum of $7,000. It is further alleged that the plaintiffs have performed each and every condition of the terms and provisions of the contract, but that the contractor failed to perform, and that, because of said failure and his abandonment of the work, plaintiffs were obliged to and did complete the performance of said contract, at a cost to the district in excess of .the contract price. Judgment is prayed in the sum of $7,000, against the surety.

For answer, the defendant surety company filed its general denial, but admits the execution of the contract and the bond pleaded and attached to plaintiffs’ petition. It is further pleaded in answer that the action under the said bond is barred by limitation, under the terms and conditions of the bond, in that more than six months had expired from the date stipulated in the contract for the completion of the work, before this suit was commenced, and that all of plaintiffs’ alleged damages have been paid, satisfied, and discharged, according to the terms and conditions of the contract.

In reply thereto, plaintiffs state that the surety company had full knowledge and notice of the delinquencies alleged in their petition, and that the company accepted premiums thereafter matured, and, having so accepted said premiums, is estopped from making and maintaining its defense, predicated on the specific limitation recited in said bond.

The Facts: The contract with plaintiffs obligated the contractor to excavate for tile, properly lay same, fill the ditches, construct certain bulkheads according to specifications, and to furnish all labor, tools, and machinery required for that purpose. The surety company gave its written bond to “truly indemnify and save harmless” the drainage_district from any “loss resulting from the breach of any of the terms, covenants and conditions of” plaintiffs’ contract with Schweppe. The [1385]*1385latter partially performed, and defaulted. Plaintiffs were obliged to complete the contract, and are now suing to recover the costs incidental thereto,, which include labor claim's.

The question involved is whether, under the statute, the contract, and the contractor’s bond, the defendant, surety on such bond, is liable for labor claims and claims of materialmen. And this is so even though deductions from retained percentages are so figured as to pay claims other than the labor and materialmen’s claims, and leave the last named unpaid. In this case, Schweppe completed or performed the contract to the amount of $25,122. He failed to pay all laborers and materialmen; and when he abandoned the contract, he owed considerable sums, which were later represented by claims filed with the county auditors. The trial court determined the cost of completing the contract after its abandonment by Schweppe to be $7,994.06, and ascertained the credit allowable because of such completion to be the sum of $3,100, or the difference between the amount earned by Schweppe ($25,122) and the contract price ($28,222). The court further determined the percentage amount withheld by the district, under the law and the terms of the contract, to be $5,047.70, and ascertained the amount to be deducted from the retained percentage by reason of the claims filed and proved, to be $2,077.72. This left a balance in the percentage fund to the credit of appellant, $2,969.98. A judgment was entered against defendant for the net balance in the sum of $1,924.08.

The statute in force at the time defendant became surety, provides:

“The successful bidder shall be required to execute a bond with sufficient sureties in favor of the county for the use and benefit of the levee or drainage district in an amount equal to twenty-five per centum of the estimated cost of the work so let, * * * as security for the performance of his contract. * * * ’ ’ Section 1989-a8,1913 Supplement.

That statute does not require the giving of a bond by the contractor, conditioned that he will pay labor claims and claims of materialmen. Neither does the contract itself cover such claims. The contract provides:

“ (10) To secure faithful performance of the terms of this contract and the full and proper, completion of said work, the [1386]

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198 Iowa 1382, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/joint-board-of-supervisors-v-title-guaranty-surety-co-iowa-1924.