Kennedy v. Cornhusker Hybrid Co.

19 N.W.2d 51, 146 Neb. 230, 160 A.L.R. 351, 1945 Neb. LEXIS 77
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJune 8, 1945
DocketNo. 31926
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 19 N.W.2d 51 (Kennedy v. Cornhusker Hybrid Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kennedy v. Cornhusker Hybrid Co., 19 N.W.2d 51, 146 Neb. 230, 160 A.L.R. 351, 1945 Neb. LEXIS 77 (Neb. 1945).

Opinion

Chappell, J.

Plaintiff brought this action in the district court for Buffalo County, Nebraska, alleging substantially in his petition that on or about May 8, 1943, he purchased from defendant a bushel of hybrid seed corn, No. 5892, 20 flat, relying upon defendant’s newspaper and radio advertisements, and the representations of defendant’s agent that the seed would be hybrid seed corn of that grade and if planted would return a much increased yield over ordinary seed corn. He alleged ■that relying on such representations, he planted the seed but it did not germinate or yield a crop in conformity with the representations made, because it was in fact inbred seed, not hybrid seed of the quality purchased, as a result of which he suffered damages.

Defendant for answer admitted that plaintiff purchased from defendant one bushel of hybrid seed corn, No. 5892, 20 flat, on or about May 8, 1943; denied generally all other allegations of plaintiff’s petition, and alleged in substance that the seed was purchased by plaintiff from defendant upon express terms and conditions that defendant did not give any warranty, express or implied, as to the productiveness, yield, or quality of the crop produced therefrom. Defendant alleged that at the time of the sale and delivery of the seed, there was delivered to and accepted by plaintiff a dated written instrument describing the seed, together with the price, and that plainly printed on the face thereof were the following terms and conditions: “NOTICE: We give no warranty, express or implied, as to the productiveness of the seed used to supply this order and we assume no responsibility for the yield or quality of the crop produced by use thereof.” -Defendant alleged also that there was attached to the bag containing the seed a tag upon which was plainly printed: “NOTICE, NON-WARRANTY — We give no warranty, express or implied, as to the productiveness of any seeds or corn we sell and we will not be in any way responsible for the crop.”

[232]*232Plaintiff for reply denied generally the allegations of defendant’s answer and denied specifically that at the time of the sale and delivery of the seed to plaintiff there was delivered to and accepted by him a written instrument, or that there was any tag attached to the bag, as alleged in defendant’s answer.

Upon trial to a jury, each of the parties moved for a directed verdict at the conclusion of all the evidence. Thereupon the trial court found that plaintiff was entitled to recover from defendant, and by its instructions submitted to the jury only the question of the amount of damages recoverable. The jury returned a verdict for plaintiff in the amount of $360, upon which judgment was entered. Motion for new trial was overruled and defendant appealed, assigning as sole error the finding of the trial court that the disclaimer of warranty was not a sufficient and complete defense. We find that the assignment should be sustained.

There is no dispute in the evidence upon the salient facts. We first call attention to the fact that there is no evidence whatever in the record that defendant’s agent made any representations as alleged by plaintiff at the time of the purchase of the seed, or at any other time. Likewise, there is no competent evidence that any express representations were ever made by defendant or its agents in the newspapers or over the radio. With reference to the alleged representations made by defendant’s agent, plaintiff testified: “Well, he didn’t say anything. I just paid him and took it.” Further plaintiff testified: “ * * * I never have had much to do with hybrid corn, so I just took this neighbor’s word that he had been raising this corn and it was so good, and I thought I would just try a bushel of it.” Referring to defendant’s alleged radio advertising, plaintiff testified: “They guaranteed it to be fine corn and everything, — and they do yet.” And as to newspaper advertisements, plaintiff testified : “Well, it was all supposed to be fancy, good com.” It will be observed at once that this is a case wherein no express representations as to productiveness or yield of crop were made upon which plaintiff could predicate a cause of action.

[233]*233The other material evidence is in substance that the plates on plaintiff’s com lister were worn, and for that reason he needed large kernel seed com, or his lister would plant the crop too thick. One of his good farmer friends told him about this seed and gave him the number, 5892, 20-flat. The number 20 flat represents the size of the seed. The plaintiff went to defendant’s seed store about 10:00 p. m. on Saturday night and asked the agent if he had it in stock. The agent said that he did. At plaintiff’s request the agent then opened the bag and plaintiff saw that it was nice looking, large, flat kernel corn. He thereupon purchased it and gave his check for it.

Plaintiff testified that the agent showed him the bag; and that he did not pay any attention to whether the bag had a tag on it, but he supposed it did. The agent did not specifically call his attention to the tag. The agent, however, testified that the tag was sewed on the bag; and that he had to look at the tag to get the number of the seed purchased by plaintiff. After paying for the seed, the agent asked plaintiff to sign a sales slip to show the company that he had sold the seed to plaintiff. The agent did not read the instrument to him. However, plaintiff says that he signed without reading it because he did not have his glasses with him. The agent testified that he gave a copy of the instrument to plaintiff, but plaintiff cannot remember whether he did or not.

It is interesting to note that the disclaimer of warranty appeared on this instrument immediately above the signature of plaintiff, preceding which were the printed words, “Accepted By” in comparatively large type. The word “NOTICE” appeared at the head of the disclaimer in capital type. The rest of the disclaimer was printed in smaller but plainly visible and readable type. Sewed upon the bag was an attractive red, yellow and green tag, size three by six inches, upon one side of which there was printed in capital type the words, “NOTICE-NON-WARRANTY.” The second disclaimer immediately followed in smaller but plainly visible and readable type.

[234]*234Plaintiff took the bag of seed home and put it in his garage until planting time. Thereafter he opened the bag and planted the seed in a separate tract beside other segregated kinds of hybrid seed corn purchased elsewhere, all of which plaintiff testified produced abundantly while the seed purchased from defendant, although planted upon soil of like fertility and given the same care, did not produce a comparable yield.

Plaintiff first contends that the disclaimer of warranty has no application because his action is for breach of contract for failure to deliver the variety of seed purchased, and not for breach of warranty. This is not based upon the premise that he did not get the specific number which he asked for at the time of purchase, but that he purchased hybrid seed corn and was delivered inbred seed corn. This contention cannot be sustained because the fundamental difference between the hybrid seed corn purchased and the inbred seed corn delivered was the quality of its productiveness and not in kind or variety. Plaintiff received the kind and variety purchased by him. He purchased seed of a certain number and he was delivered seed of that number. He.

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Bluebook (online)
19 N.W.2d 51, 146 Neb. 230, 160 A.L.R. 351, 1945 Neb. LEXIS 77, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kennedy-v-cornhusker-hybrid-co-neb-1945.