Ronald E. Leonard, and wife, Vickie J. Leonard v. Butler Markland, Contractor

Opinion

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE

EASTERN SECTI ON FILED July 8, 1997

Cecil Crowson, Jr. Appellate C ourt Clerk RONALD E. LEONARD a nd wi f e ) WASHI NGTON COUNTY VI CKI E J . LEONARD ) 03A01- 9611- CH- 00370 ) Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l e e s ) ) ) HON. THOMAS J . SEELEY, J R. , v. ) J UDGE ) ) BUTLER MARKLAND, Cont r a c t or ) ) De f e nda nt - Appe l l a nt ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED

M STANLEY GI VENS OF J OHNSON CI TY FOR APPELLANT .

ROBERT D. ARNOLD OF J OHNSON CI TY FOR APPELLEES

O P I N I O N

Godda r d, P. J .

Thi s c ont r ove r s y a r os e a s a r e s ul t of a c ont r a c t

e n t e r e d i nt o be t we e n Robe r t E. Le ona r d a nd hi s wi f e , Vi c ki e J .

Le o n a r d a nd But l e r M r kl a n d. a The c ont r a c t pr ovi de d t ha t M . r

M r k l a n d woul d bui l d a hou s e on a l ot owne d by t he Le ona r ds a t a a

t o t a l c os t of $96, 000. The Tr i a l Cour t f ound i n a c c or da nc e wi t h t he c ompl a i n t

t h a t t h e r e we r e nume r ous de f e c t s i n c onne c t i on wi t h t he

c o n s t r u c t i on of t he hous e a nd t ha t i t wa s not bui l t i n a

wo r k ma n l i ke ma nne r . He a c c or di ngl y e nt e r e d a j udgme nt of

$ 3 0 , 2 6 7 . 06, a f t e r gi vi ng c r e di t f or $3500, whi c h wa s t he ba l a n c e

o we d o n t he c ont r a c t a nd wa s be i ng he l d by a ba nk.

M . M r kl a nd a ppe a l s , r a i s i ng t he f ol l owi ng t wo i s s ue s : r a

W t he r t he Tr i a l Cour t e r r e d i n gr a nt i ng a he J u dgme nt f or a n e nt i r e l y ne w, a nd be t t e r a i r c o ndi t i oni ng uni t ?

W t he r t he Tr i a l Cour t e r r e d i n gr a nt i ng a he J u dgme nt t o r e pl a c e r a t he r t ha n r e pa i r ot he r i t e ms i n t h e hous e ?

Our r e a di ng of t he r e c or d a nd t he a ppe l l a t e br i e f s of

t h e p a r t i e s , pe r s ua de s us t he e vi de nc e pr e ponde r a t e s i n f a vor o f

t h e Tr i a l Cour t ' s de t e r mi n a t i on a s t o bot h i s s ue s , a nd t ha t t hi s

i s a n a ppr opr i a t e c a s e f or a f f i r ma nc e unde r Rul e 10( a ) of t hi s

Co u r t .

The Tr i a l Cour t i s a c c or di ngl y a f f i r me d a nd t he c a us e

i s r e ma nde d f or c ol l e c t i on of t he j udgme nt a nd c os t s be l ow.

Co s t s o f a ppe a l a r e a dj udge d a ga i ns t M . M r kl a nd a nd hi s s ur e t y . r a

_______________________________ Hous t on M Godda r d, P. J . .

2 CONCUR:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________________ ______ He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J .

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ________________________ Do n T. M M r a y, J . c ur