National Screen Service Corp. v. Joy Theatres, Inc.

231 So. 2d 417, 1970 La. App. LEXIS 5661
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 2, 1970
DocketNo. 3810
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 231 So. 2d 417 (National Screen Service Corp. v. Joy Theatres, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Screen Service Corp. v. Joy Theatres, Inc., 231 So. 2d 417, 1970 La. App. LEXIS 5661 (La. Ct. App. 1970).

Opinion

BARNETTE, Judge.

Plaintiff instituted suit against defendants in solido for recovery of an alleged balance due of $1,046.80 for materials furnished to defendants in the operation of certain movie theatres. Plaintiff acknowledged receipt of payment of $769.68, reducing the balance alleged due to $1,046.-80. Defendants contend that the $769.68 paid was in full settlement of the amount due, invoking the principles of accord and satisfaction in support of their defense and plea of estoppel. From a judgment in favor of plaintiff in the sum of $870.93, defendants have appealed.

In his written reasons for judgment, the district court judge has very ably discussed the issues in this case and the law applicable thereto, which we quote in full below:

“National Screen Service instituted the within suit against Joy Theatres, Inc. and Tidelands Cinema, Inc., in solido, alleging that the defendants owed plaintiff a bal-anee of $1046.80 for ‘trailers and posters,’ 1 which were sold to the defendants by the plaintiff. Payment of $769.68 is acknowledged, reducing the balance due to the amount for which judgment is prayed, i. e., $1046.80.

“The testimony, and the written evidence, introduced on the trial of this cause indicates that the defendants have been doing business with plaintiff over a number of years, during which time the ‘trailers and posters’ were purchased from plaintiff, who fixed the price for such material, and the defendants paid that sum charged to them by plaintiff. The testimony also shows that the price was never definitely fixed and plaintiff has, over the years, increased the price charged until the rate finally charged for the ‘trailers’ was $25.00 per week.

“After being billed for ‘trailers and posters’ purchased during the period from June 1, 1967, to October 11, 1967, the defendants decided that the amount for which they were being charged was excessive. It is the defendants’ contention that plaintiff was able to charge the amount they were charging for the reason that plaintiff held a monopoly on this type of business or service.

“While no special defense was raised in the answer of defendants that the ‘trailers and posters’ for which defendants were billed had not been received and used by defendants, on the trial of the case defendants’ witness attempted to show that they did contend that the service was not entirely satisfactory. The Court is of the opinion that there is no merit to defendants’ contention, even though plaintiff has not been able to prove, by competent evidence, that the items for which it is billing defendants were actually delivered.

“In defendants’ letter of the 24th of October, 1967, addressed to plaintiff, Mr. [419]*419Houck, President of Tidelands Cinema, Inc., stated:

'* * * I would like to discuss these charges personally and see if we could get together, as I have told former managers I would not pay $25.00 per trailer. * * * Therefore, I am enclosing check for the trailers, except that I am not paying for 4 or 5 weeks on any one trailer, as the price is absolutely ridiculous.’

“No mention whatever was made to the effect that the ‘trailers’ were not received, or were unsatisfactory. The only complaint was as to the price charged. Similarly, it will be noted that in making out the various checks which make up the total sum of $769.68 the various ‘trailers’ are designated by name and theatre on the vouchers. This fact would certainly indicate that the defendants had received them. Obviously, the defendants would not have offered payment — of any sum — if the ‘trailers’ had not been received.

“The Court has not been referred to any authority which would deny to a conveyor or purveyor of merchandise or services the right to charge whatever such conveyor or purveyor thought his merchandise or services were worth. In the absence of any specific agreement as to price, either oral or in writing, the purchaser or receiver of such merchandise or services certainly has no right to arbitrarily determine what the price of such merchandise or services should be. If any such rule of law would prevail then every such conveyor or purvey of merchandise or services would be at the mercy of the purchaser of such merchandise or services.

“Defendants’ claim that they had the right to refuse to pay plaintiff the price charged, for the reason that plaintiff’s operation was a monopoly, is equally without merit, insofar as this forum is concerned.

“If the theatres in New Orleans choose to fix the price of admission to their movie houses at $5.00, and an individual felt that the charge was ‘absolutely ridiculous’; that the film showing was not worth the price of admission; that the producer was making too large a profit; that the only reason such an admission charge was being made was because of the monopoly enjoyed by the theatres, or because of some form of agreement between the theatre operators; could that individual tender an admission price which he felt proper and adequate and insist on being admitted into the thea-tre? The answer is obvious. Defendants’ witness admitted in such an instance the individual would not be admitted to the theatre (he might even be arrested for trying).

“The Court is of the opinion that the amount claimed by plaintiff is justly due and owing to it by the defendants. The sole question for determination by this Court is whether or not the plaintiff accepted the checks totalling $769.68 in full settlement of the amount which was due it by the defendants.

“As stated above, the letter from the defendants’ president clearly set forth the fact that he was sending checks in payment of his account on the basis of certain amounts per ‘trailer’, which he fixed, without regard to whether or not the ‘trailers’ were used for one or more weeks. No mention, whatsoever, is made of the fact that the checks are being tendered in ‘full payment’ nor do either the checks or the vouchers attached to the checks bear any notation to that effect. The testimony is to the effect that Mr. Houck told the plaintiff’s representatives that if the plaintiff wanted to recover more than the amount of the checks, plaintiff would have to file a suit therefor. This testimony of plaintiff’s representative is not, in the Court’s opinion, contradicted.

“It is so well settled, as not to require citations, that in order to maintain a plea of estoppel based on the doctrine of accord and satisfaction there must be present: (1) A disputed unliquidated claim, (2) A tender made by the debtor in full payment of [420]*420the claim, and (3) An acceptance of the tender by the creditor.

“As stated hereinabove, the checks tendered did not have any notation thereon, that they were given in full payment of the indebtedness, nor did the plaintiff ever indicate by any of its actions that it was accepting the checks in full payment of the indebtedness.

“Contrary to nearly every case wherein the doctrine of accord and satisfaction has been discussed, this is not a case wherein there was any dispute as to the amount which was due in the sense that the price of the item or articles was not as agreed between the parties, which is what generally creates the dispute. In the instant case there was never any fixed price for the ‘trailers’. Plaintiff fixed the price, and defendant paid the price, up to a given date. He (defendant) then decided that the price was ‘absolutely ridiculous’. He did not dispute the fact that plaintiff had the right to fix the price.

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Bluebook (online)
231 So. 2d 417, 1970 La. App. LEXIS 5661, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-screen-service-corp-v-joy-theatres-inc-lactapp-1970.