L.D.A., Inc. v. Cross

279 S.E.2d 409, 167 W. Va. 215, 1981 W. Va. LEXIS 634
CourtWest Virginia Supreme Court
DecidedJune 23, 1981
DocketNo. 14234
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 279 S.E.2d 409 (L.D.A., Inc. v. Cross) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
L.D.A., Inc. v. Cross, 279 S.E.2d 409, 167 W. Va. 215, 1981 W. Va. LEXIS 634 (W. Va. 1981).

Opinion

McHugh, Justice:

This action is before this Court upon the petition of L.D.A., Inc. for a writ of error and supersedeas from a final order of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, West Virginia, upon all pleadings, exhibits and other matters of record and upon the memoranda of law filed by counsel.

L.D.A., Inc. (hereinafter “appellant”) seeks review of the dismissal of its cause of action by the Circuit Court of Jefferson County. In that action, the appellant sought damages for the total loss by fire of a modular home it was building pursuant to a construction contract.

Joseph F. Cross (hereinafter “appellee”) obtained a loan in the amount of $21,500 from the Farmers Home Administration of the United States Department of Agriculture to finance the purchase of a lot from the appellant and to have the appellant construct a home upon the lot pursuant to plans and specifications filed with the Farmers Home Administration by the appellant. The appellant, a building contractor, is a corporation authorized and qualified to do business in West Virginia.

Thereafter, on November 21,1974, a closing transaction was held in the office of Douglas Rockwell, an attorney designated by the Farmers Home Administration. At this closing, the appellant sold a lot to the appellee and his wife. A promissory note and deed of trust were executed by the appellee and his wife securing the Farmers Home Administration in the amount of $21,500. Furthermore, at this closing the appellee entered into a written construc[217]*217tion contract wherein the appellant agreed to construct a home upon the lot for the sum of $18,500 to be paid by the appellee.

As indicated in the petition, at the time of the closing transaction, the appellee produced a fire insurance policy, with a receipted premium payment, covering improvements to the lot and designating the Farmers Home Administration as the payee beneficiary of the policy. As the petition and final order of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County indicate, this fire insurance policy was required by the Farmers Home Administration as a condition for the $21,500 loan.

The appellant was paid for the lot and $18,500 for the construction of the home was placed in escrow.

On or before December 7, 1974, the two halves of the modular home were delivered to the appellee’s lot for assembly. The appellant employed Besser Construction Company, Inc. as a subcontractor to assist the appellant in the construction of the home. On December 7, 1974, the home was destroyed by fire without fault on the part of the appellant or the appellee.

The appellant asserts that it provided labor and materials pursuant to the construction contract in the amount of $18,500 less $715 or $17,785. Upon the appellant’s demand, however, the appellee refused to pay the contract price.

Consequently, on May 17, 1975, the appellant instituted a contract action against the appellee in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County. On March 22, 1976, the circuit court received evidence at a non-jury hearing. By final order entered July 11, 1977, the circuit court dismissed the appellant’s action.

Essentially, the circuit court dismissed the appellant’s action because the court determined that the construction contract was an entire contract rather than a severable contract, and, accordingly, inasmuch as the home was not completely finished prior to the fire, the appellant should bear the loss. Furthermore, the circuit court determined [218]*218that the appellee’s fire insurance policy was for the benefit of the Farmers Home Administration only and not related to the claim of the appellant.

It is from the July 11, 1977, order of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County that the appellant appeals to this Court.

The appellant contends that the construction contract was severable or apportionable rather than entire, and therefore the appellant has a right to recover from the appellee its loss caused by the December 7, 1974, fire. The appellant further contends that the appellee assumed the risk of loss arising under the contract as indicated by the fact that the appellee was required to obtain insurance upon the premises prior to the completion of the home.

On the other hand, the appellee contends that the construction contract was an entire contract and that, inasmuch as the home was not completed prior to the fire, the appellant cannot recover. The appellee further contends that even if the contract were severable or apportionable, the appellant had not, at the time of the fire, satisfied the provisions in the construction contract relating to partial payment. Finally, the appellee contends, as the circuit court concluded, that the appellee’s fire insurance policy was for the benefit of the Farmers Home Administration and not related to the claim of the appellant.

Two provisions of the November 24, 1974, construction contract appear to relate to whether the contract was entire or severable. Page one of the contract provides as follows:

Partial payments not to exceed 60 percent of the value of the work in place (less the aggregate of previous payments) will be made at intervals of construction. The value of work in place shall be as estimated by the contractor and approved by the Farmers Home Administration. Prior to receiving any partial payment, the contractor must furnish the owner with a statement showing the total amount owed to date for materials and labor procured under this contract and, if required by the owner or the Farmers Home Administration, must [219]*219also submit evidence showing that previous partial payments were properly applied and that the current payment will be properly applied. Upon completion of the whole contract and acceptance of the work as required hereunder, by the owner and the Farmers Home Administration, and compliance by the contractor with all terms and conditions of this contract, the amount due the contractor will be paid.

Page three of the contract provides as follows: “VI. Notices and approval in writing. — Any notice, consent, or other act to be given or done hereunder will be valid only if in writing.”

In Quinn v. Beverages of West Virginia, 224 S.E.2d 894 (W. Va. 1976), the plaintiff filed an action in the Circuit Court of Monongalia County, West Virginia, against a corporate employer and its president to enforce the provisions of an alleged oral contract of employment. The circuit court entered summary judgment in favor of the defendants.

This Court in Quinn agreed with the circuit court that that portion of the alleged employment contract providing for the sale of securities to the plaintiff was unenforceable because it was not reduced to writing. This Court further concluded, however, that the securities purchase provision was severable from the remainder of the alleged employment contract. Accordingly, the case was remanded for trial upon the issue of whether the parties in fact entered into an employment contract. This Court held in Syl. pt. 2 as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
279 S.E.2d 409, 167 W. Va. 215, 1981 W. Va. LEXIS 634, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lda-inc-v-cross-wva-1981.