McKee v. Reed

166 S.W.2d 353
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 6, 1942
DocketNo. 2305
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 166 S.W.2d 353 (McKee v. Reed) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McKee v. Reed, 166 S.W.2d 353 (Tex. Ct. App. 1942).

Opinion

GRISSOM, Justice.

L. P. Reed obtained judgment against Robert E. McKee for the amount of two repair bills on Caterpillar Tractors leased by Reed to McKee. McKee has appealed. McKee was the general contractor engaged in building an army camp at Brownwood for the United States government. The contract between McKee and the government is not in the record. McKee leased four Caterpillar Tractors and other equipment from Reed in October, 1940. About three weeks later the tractors were repaired at a cost of $5,434.19. Upon completion of the work Reed sought the return of his equipment. One of the tractors was “captured” by the Government, and the others were returned. Immediately prior to their return four instruments were executed by Mosley for Reed. These instruments will be hereinafter discussed. When the three tractors were returned to Reed in May, 1941, he contended they were then again in need of repairs. That, in order to place the equipment in as good condition as it was when it was delivered to McKee, reasonable wear and tear excepted, repairs requiring the expenditure of $4,299.15 were required. Recovery of the amount of these two repair bills was sought by plaintiff and judgment therefor, aggregating $9,733.34, was obtained.

Plaintiff alleged the leasing of said machinery to defendant; that defendant was engaged in the construction of said army camp and leased plaintiff’s equipment for that purpose; that plaintiff and defendant entered into a written lease contract; that said contract provided tire “Equipment shall be maintained in good repair and working condition by the Lessee without cost to the Lessor. All gasoline and oil for the operation of such equipment will be furnished by the Lessee.” Plaintiff alleged, with reference to the first repairs, that immediately after delivery of said equipment to defendant, his machinery was put to work; that after about three weeks plaintiff came to defendant, in response to defendant’s request and for defendant’s . accommodation, to ascertain the nature of repairs defendant contended were needed; that by reason of the hard and unusual use of the machinery by defendant and defendant’s failure to keep it properly repaired and lubricated the tractors were in bad condition; that at the instance and request of defendant, plaintiff purchased spare parts and secured the labor and repaired said machinery for defendant and thereby incurred expenses in the sum of $5,434.19; that defendant refused to pay for these repairs and plaintiff was compelled to pay therefor to protect his credit.

Plaintiff alleged, with reference to the second repairs, that his equipment was thereafter used until May 1, 1941, when the machinery (except one tractor “captured” by the government) was returned [355]*355to plaintiff; that in violation of the contract defendant failed to keep the machinery in good repair, but returned said equipment to plaintiff in bad condition thereby necessitating the expenditure of $4,299.15 by plaintiff to repair said machinery when returned to plaintiff, in order to place it in as good condition as it was when delivered to defendant, reasonable wear and tear excepted; that in the lease contract defendant had agreed to make all of said repairs in order to keep said machinery in proper working condition and in as good condition as he received it, ordinary wear and tear excepted, but that defendant refused to make said repairs, or pay therefor.

Defendant answered, among other things, that the equipment furnished by plaintiff to defendant when delivered was not in condition to render efficient, economical and continuous service, as provided in the contract; that by parol agreement it was understood the machinery would, because of the urgent need therefor, be put into immediate service with waiver of inspection of the tractors to determine their condition and with the understanding that “the condition and the matter of repairs thereon would be disposed of later”; that it was determined between plaintiff and defendant that the machinery needed repairs; that the first repairs, made about three weeks after the machinery had been delivered to the defendant, were made “by the Plaintiff because of the fact that such tractors and equipment at the time of delivery to Defendant were not in condition to render efficient, economical and continuous service * * * ”, and that the cost of such repairs was therefore chargeable to plaintiff and not to defendant. Defendant alleged, with reference to the first repairs, that about three weeks after the equipment was furnished to the defendant, defendant and the “Contracting Officer” determined the machinery failed to perform to their satisfaction and demanded that plaintiff place it in satisfactory condition, and plaintiff, in order to avoid the cancellation of his equipment rental agreement of October 4, 1940, made the repairs and they were properly chargeable to plaintiff.

Defendant further alleged that if plaintiff ever had any cause of action against defendant “such claim and cause of action in- favor of Plaintiff against the Defendant was by Plaintiff in writing released at the time each of said tractors * * * was redelivered to the Plaintiff * * * ”. That at the time of the redelivery of the tractors and equipment to plaintiff, plaintiff through his duly authorized agent, Mosley, did “in writing execute a written release of all damages, if any, on each of such tractors * * * ”. That by virtue of said instruments executed by Mosley, every claim and cause of action which plaintiff had because of repairs made, or needed when the equipment was returned to plaintiff, was released and defendant acquitted of any liability by reason of its alleged failure to repair the tractors. That said written releases executed by Mosley were executed for a valuable consideration and “operated to release defendant from any and every claim for damages asserted by the Plaintiff * * * because of the alleged failure of the Defendant to take care of, repair, and to oil and lubricate the said tractors * * *

By supplemental petition plaintiff denied the allegations of defendant’s answer. Plaintiff specially denied his machinery needed repairs when it was delivered to defendant, or that he undertook to have the machinery repaired for the purpose of avoiding a cancellation of his rental agreement; he alleged that because of extfemely hard use to which the tractors were put and the improper manner in which they were operated and maintained by defendant during said period -the machinery was in need of repairs about three weeks after delivery; that defendant had no competent mechanics to care for and repair the equipment; that defendant requested plaintiff to come to Brownwood and supervise the repairs because of plaintiff’s familiarity with the said machinery and as an accommodation to defendant; that it was never intimated to plaintiff that he was expected to pay for the repairs or that plaintiff’s equipment was not in good condition when it arrived on the job; that it was agreed defendant should pay for the labor and materials necessary to make the repairs.

Plaintiff denied he had released defendant from his obligation to repair the machinery or pay the repair bills or authorized Mosley to execute such a release. He alleged that before the machinery was returned to plaintiff a controversy had arisen between plaintiff and defendant over the failure of defendant to pay for the repairs made in- November, 1940, three or [356]

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Bluebook (online)
166 S.W.2d 353, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mckee-v-reed-texapp-1942.