Permalum Window & Awning Mfg. Co. v. Permalum Window Mfg. Corp.

412 S.W.2d 863, 4 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 194, 1967 Ky. LEXIS 440
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976)
DecidedMarch 17, 1967
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 412 S.W.2d 863 (Permalum Window & Awning Mfg. Co. v. Permalum Window Mfg. Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976) primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Permalum Window & Awning Mfg. Co. v. Permalum Window Mfg. Corp., 412 S.W.2d 863, 4 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 194, 1967 Ky. LEXIS 440 (Ky. 1967).

Opinion

WILLIAMS, Chief Justice.

Appellee Permalum Window Mfg. Corporation of New York (hereinafter referred to as New York) sued appellant Per-malum Window and Awning Manufacturing Company of Louisville (hereinafter referred to as Louisville) for $8,541.23 due on account. Louisville counterclaimed for $564.88 overpayment and for $10,000 damages for New York’s breach of contract.

In January 1961 New York’s factory was gutted by fire. They had orders that should be filled. Steinek, owner of 50 per cent of the stock, and secretary of the corporation, came to Kentucky and made an oral contract with Louisville whereby New York would furnish the raw materials and Louisville would produce storm windows to fill New York’s orders. Under the arrangement, at the end of a month the cost of the raw materials was to be balanced against the cost of the finished product to determine who owed any money on the mutual account. As an incentive New York was to give Louisville a 15 per cent *865 discount on all extrusions used in the manufacture of New York’s orders. The cost of accessories was to be the base cost. Louisville was to pay common carrier charges F. O. B. New York and New York was to pay freight F. O. B. Louisville.

This business relationship continued until Louisville wrote New York that prices on the finished product must be raised in order for it to continue production. New York immediately discontinued relations for production purposes as of June 2, 1961.

As heretofore pointed out, New York sued for $8,541.23. At the trial both parties’ motions for directed verdicts were overruled. The trial court refused tendered instructions. Louisville objected. No instruction was given on Louisville’s counterclaim for $10,000 damages. The court instructed the jury to find for New York and credit Louisville as much as $4,271.56. The jury credited Louisville $3,041.23 and awarded New York $5,500.00. Louisville appeals.

The first issue before this court is whether the trial court properly directed a verdict for New York on the amount due. There are conflicts in evidence pertaining to amounts owed and credited each party. It appears before corrections were attempted that about $51,000 worth of material was used to produce $47,000 worth of windows.

One conflict is whether Louisville was to pay all freight charges F. O. B. New York at common carrier rate or only the freight charges for material sent by common carrier. New York shipped most materials to Louisville on its own truck. A second conflict is whether a New York employee who was sent to Louisville as a supervisor at a salary of $110 per week was to be paid by New York or Louisville. A third conflict is whether a $6,000 check paid to Louisville was persuasive compensation to continue production or a loan to finance the continuance of production debited against Louisville’s account. A fourth conflict is whether the numerous two to three-day delays in receipt of raw materials caused a reduced work schedule, stoppage and/or the necessity for overtime work.

New York contends that all freight charges F. O. B. New York were to be paid by Louisville at common carrier rate. Louisville contends that only common carrier charges were to be paid by Louisville. New York used a private truck to bring most of the raw materials to Louisville and on return trips the truck took finished windows to New York. Louisville did not consider this common carrier freight.

Zecca, an employee of New York before the fire, was sent to help Louisville in production techniques. New York charged Louisville’s account with Zecca’s salary for the nine weeks Zecca worked in Louisville —$990, or $110 per week. Zecca was paid by New York. New York only charged Louisville for the straight salary. New York paid the workmen’s compensation and other benefits. Louisville contended that New York was to pay Zecca and that it was not to be charged for Zecca’s salary.

The alleged loan of $6,000 that New York charged to Louisville’s account was made by check from New York. Louisville understood the check to be for Louisville’s agreement to continue production because otherwise New York would be in a bad position with its customers. Louisville contends this $6,000 should not be charged against its account. The only writings on the subject are the check (“on account”) and a note on New York’s book designating the check as a loan.

Louisville alleged that it couldn’t clear any profit if its employees had to' work overtime to make up for delays. On cross-examination Mr. Owsley, of Louisville, mentioned delay was also due to lack of glass. Zecca testified three or four delays were caused by lack of glass. Glass was an item Louisville was to supply. Furthermore, materials delivered from New York were not ordered by Louisville. New York merely anticipated Louisville’s needs.

*866 New York corrected charges against and favoring both parties for raw materials.

Masonic Widows and Orphans Home v. City of Louisville, 309 Ky. 532, 217 S.W.2d 815 (1948), discusses a directed verdict as follows:

“ * * * (I)t is the essence of judicial power to determine whether or not a party has produced evidence which is sufficient in law to sustain judgment in his favor and to exercise that inherent power by directing a verdict where there is lack of proof supporting the material elements of the cause of action asserted. The proper exercise of that power does not impair or defeat the constitutional right to trial by jury. Slocum v. New York Life Ins. Co., 228 U.S. 364, 33 S.Ct. 523, 57 L.Ed. 879, Ann.Cas,1914D, 1029; Lyon v. Mutual Ben. Health & Accident Ass’n, 305 U.S. 484, 59 S.Ct. 297, 83 L.Ed. 303, rehearing denied in 306 U.S. 667, 59 S.Ct. 459, 83 L.Ed. 1062.”

The facts in the instant case are disputed. The balance due according to New York is not the same as Louisville’s balance. New York’s records were complete. Louisville never proved a balance due. The instructions directed a verdict for the amount of New York’s balance and limited jury consideration of factual conflicts to a determination of credits due Louisville up to $4,271.56. Under the circumstances that instruction was not erroneous.

A second contention is that New York failed to establish a prima facie case for debt by evidence showing sale and delivery of goods.

Louisville’s invoices represent the sale of the goods to it. The invoices were made in the ordinary course of business and were identified by the secretary of New York. The bulk goods were not returned but the finished product was sent to New York.

Under the facts this is a mutual account. It is not self-proving. Testimony is required to prove its correctness and that it is due and owing. 1 Am.Jur.2d, Accounts and Accounting, pp. 391-392. 1 Am.Jur.2d, at page 393, states how an account is proved:

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Bluebook (online)
412 S.W.2d 863, 4 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 194, 1967 Ky. LEXIS 440, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/permalum-window-awning-mfg-co-v-permalum-window-mfg-corp-kyctapphigh-1967.