Koellmer v. Chrysler Motors Corp.

276 A.2d 807, 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 478, 8 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 668, 1970 Conn. Cir. LEXIS 135
CourtConnecticut Appellate Court
DecidedNovember 27, 1970
DocketFile No. CV 1-677-13757
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 276 A.2d 807 (Koellmer v. Chrysler Motors Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut Appellate Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Koellmer v. Chrysler Motors Corp., 276 A.2d 807, 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 478, 8 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 668, 1970 Conn. Cir. LEXIS 135 (Colo. Ct. App. 1970).

Opinion

Dearington, J.

The plaintiff brought an action to rescind a contract and for damages, claiming a breach of an implied warranty of merchantability arising out of a sale of a new Dodge truck purchased by him from the Norwalk Dodge Corporation, hereinafter referred to as Dodge. The plaintiff joined the Chrysler Motors Corporation, hereinafter referred to as Chrysler, as a party defendant in a second count. The plaintiff claimed that both Dodge, acting as agent for Chrysler, and Chrysler warranted that the truck would be of merchantable quality and reasonably fit for the general purposes for which it was manufactured and sold, and he claimed that on his taking possession of the truck it was found to be defective. Dodge answered by admitting the contract of sale and generally denying the remaining allegations. Chrysler’s answer amounted to a general denial. In a special defense, Chrysler claimed that Dodge was an independent contractor in its relationship with Chrysler. After each side had rested, the defendants moved for a directed verdict, the motions were granted, and the jury returned a verdict for the defendants.

In his appeal, the plaintiff has assigned error in the granting of the motions for a directed verdict [480]*480and in the denial of his motion to set the verdict aside, claiming that the verdict was not supported by the evidence on the issue of liability. Errors are also assigned in rulings on evidence.

“Directed verdicts are not favored and should be granted only when the jury could not reasonably and legally reach any other conclusion.” Console v. Nichou, 156 Conn. 268, 270. “The case should be decided by the judge as essentially a question of law, and he may direct a verdict.” Terminal Taxi Co. v. Flynn, 156 Conn. 313, 317. In reviewing the direction of a verdict for the defendants, we examine the evidence in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. Engengro v. New Haven Gas Co., 152 Conn. 513, 516.

A brief summary of the undisputed evidence would be helpful in our review of the assignments of error. On February 10, 1967, the plaintiff entered into an agreement with Dodge to purchase a new Dodge truck and in furtherance thereof executed an order form. The truck was delivered to the plaintiff around May 5, 1967. At the time of delivery, the glove compartment of the truck contained an operator’s manual. The plaintiff accepted the truck and was in the process of driving it home when the engine commenced to steam. Upon arriving home, he called Dodge and was instructed to return the following day. He returned the next morning, and after an hour or two he was told by Dodge that the truck was repaired. Again the plaintiff started home with the truck, and again he had the same experience. He immediately returned to Dodge and left the truck with it overnight to be repaired. The following day he returned and was told by Dodge that the truck was ready. Upon driving the truck, the plaintiff had the same experience and returned it to Dodge. He left the truck with Dodge, and a few days later Dodge called him and informed, him that a new engine would have to be installed. The plaintiff [481]*481called Dodge several times during the following weeks and around the first of June was told that the wrong “head” had arrived and Dodge would have to return it for a new one. At this point the plaintiff informed Dodge that he did not want the truck. At the trial it was admitted by the defendants that the engine block contained a “sand hole.”

After each side had rested, the court granted the motion of each defendant for a directed verdict. The court reasoned that an implied warranty of merchantability, as claimed by the plaintiff, had not come into operation since such a warranty had been disclaimed by a provision or clause appearing in the purchase order form. This form, executed by both Dodge and the plaintiff, contained the following clause on its face: “If this order covers a new vehicle — such vehicle is guaranteed for five years or 50,000 miles per manufacturers new vehicle warranty.” At the bottom of the form directly over the plaintiff’s signature appears the following in small print: “I have read the matter printed on the back hereof and agree to it as a part of this order the same as if it were printed above my signature.” On the back of the form, under the title “Conditions,” there appear ten paragraphs, each separately numbered. The seventh paragraph, in brief, disclaims an implied warranty of merchantability.1 At the time [482]*482of, delivery, an operator’s manual was placed in the glove compartment by Dodge. This manual contained, among other matters, various warranties as to repairing and replacing defective parts and further disclaimed a warranty of merchantability.

It is not disputed that the plaintiff accepted delivery of the new truck and, after repeated trouble arising from the malfunctioning of the engine, returned the truck and claimed to have rescinded the agreement.

In its memorandum on the plaintiff’s motion to set aside the verdict, the court stated: “The facts in this case are not seriously disputed. There was no issue for the determination of the jury. The motion to set aside is denied.” If the disclaimer clause became operative and was in compliance with statutory requirements then the ruling of the court should not be disturbed. This is so because General Statutes § 42a-l-201 (10) provides: “Whether a term or clause is ‘conspicuous’ or not is for decision by the court.” The statutory requirements relied on by the parties are set forth in 42a-l-201 (10), 42a-2-314, and 42a-2-316 of the General Statutes, in the Uniform Commercial Code.

Section 42a-2-314 (1) provides in part: “Unless excluded or modified as provided by section 42a-2-316, a warranty that the goods shall be merchantable is implied in a contract for their sale if the seller is a merchant with respect to goods of that kind.” See § 42a-2-105 for the definition of “goods.” Section 42a-2-314 (2) provides in part: “Goods to be merchantable must be at least such as ... (c) are fit for the ordinary purposes for which such goods are used . . . .” Section 42a-2-316 (2) provides in part: “Subject to subsection (3), to exclude or modify the implied warranty of merchantability or any part of it the language must mention merchantability and in [483]*483case of a writing must be conspicuous, and to exclude or modify any implied warranty of fitness the exclusion must be by a writing and conspicuous.” (Italics supplied.)

There appears to be no question that the trial court, in directing the verdict for the defendants, concluded that the terms contained in the order form met the requirements of § 42a-2-316 as it relates to exclusion of an implied warranty of merchantability. The plaintiff contended that the order form did not comply with the statute in this respect. More specifically, he claimed that “any attempted disclaimer must be conspicuous and must mention merchantability” and that the order form failed to meet these requirements.

The question here is whether as a matter of law the trial court properly concluded that the implied warranty relied on by the plaintiff was excluded by the alleged disclaimer clause appearing on the back of the order form. The commercial code is designed to protect the buyer from bearing the burden of loss where merchandise does not conform to normal commercial standards of meeting the buyer’s “ordinary purposes for which such goods are used.” $ 42a-2-314 (2) (c).

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Bluebook (online)
276 A.2d 807, 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 478, 8 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 668, 1970 Conn. Cir. LEXIS 135, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/koellmer-v-chrysler-motors-corp-connappct-1970.