Schell v. Knickelbein

252 N.W.2d 921, 77 Wis. 2d 344, 1977 Wisc. LEXIS 1304
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedMay 3, 1977
Docket75-396
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 252 N.W.2d 921 (Schell v. Knickelbein) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schell v. Knickelbein, 252 N.W.2d 921, 77 Wis. 2d 344, 1977 Wisc. LEXIS 1304 (Wis. 1977).

Opinion

*346 CONNOR T. HANSEN, J.

In August, 1974, Mrs. Elizabeth Schell commenced an action against Mark and Barbara Knickelbein because of the death of her husband who, she alleged, died as a result of injuries he received on June 17, 1974, when he was attacked by the Knickel-beins’ dog. In the complaint, Elizabeth Schell alleged that the Knickelbeins had been negligent in their care and treatment of the dog.

Elizabeth Schell later served an amended complaint which again alleged that the Knickelbeins had been negligent in their care and treatment of the dog.

The Knickelbeins answered and denied that they were negligent. The Knickelbeins also served a third party complaint on Security Savings & Loan Association. The Knickelbeins alleged that in their mortgage payments to Security they included monthly payments to cover a homeowners policy of insurance; that in December, 1971, Security failed to use the funds to procure the homeowners policy of insurance; and that they would be damaged in the event they were found liable to Elizabeth Schell. The Knickelbeins requested contribution from Security in the event either or both of them were found liable to Elizabeth Schell.

Subsequently, Elizabeth Schell served a second amended complaint. She incorporated all of the paragraphs and allegations of her first amended complaint for her cause of action against the Knickelbeins. She also alleged causes of action directly against Security. She alleged that Security was liable to the Knickelbeins for Security’s failure to maintain the insurance, and that she was a third party beneficiary of the mortgage contract between the Knickelbeins and Security.

Security demurred to the second amended complaint on the grounds that it attempted to improperly unite several causes of action and that none of the alleged causes of action set forth facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action as to Security.

*347 Following a hearing, the circuit court entered the order overruling Security’s demurrer.

Security argues that none of the three alleged causes of action in the second amended complaint sets forth sufficient facts to constitute a cause of action against it. Security also argues that the second amended complaint improperly unites in one action a cause of action against the Kniekelbeins for negligence and alleged causes of action against Security for breach of contract. Security contends the joinder is improper because not all the parties are affected by both causes of action.

Schell argues that what are denominated as separate causes of action are really three alternative theories for one cause of action against Security. Schell argues that the second amended complaint is sufficient to state a cause of action against Security and that the joinder of parties and causes of action is proper because each defendant has an interest in the controversy adverse to herself.

THE THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY THEORY.

In the first cause of action against Security, Schell alleges:

—That the mortgage contract between Security and the Kniekelbeins required the Kniekelbeins to pay Security “a sum of money adequate to provide insurance” on the property at 1316 Nagawicka, Delafield, Wisconsin;
—That in December, 1968, a policy of homeowners insurance was obtained for the premises and that the insurer on the policy agreed to pay damages for the type of negligence Schell alleged against the Kniekelbeins;
—That the Kniekelbeins paid Security sufficient money to keep the policy in force, but that in December, 1971, Security failed to make the required premium.payment ; and as a result, the insurance coverage was terminated;
*348 —**. . . that the contract requirement of insurance and the monthly payment of sums to continue that insurance was for the benefit of all parties in the class occupied by the plaintiff, to-wit persons suffering loss or damage due to the occupation or use of or destruction of the premises covered by said insurance
—“. . . that the third-party defendant’s [Security’s] failure to make the premium payment as required was a breach of this contract and that if the defendants-third-party plaintiffs [the Knickelbeins] are not able to satisfy a judgment entered against them in this matter the plaintiff will be damaged in the amount which would have been paid by the insurer in excess of the defendants-third-party plaintiffs’ payment.”

In short, Schell alleged that because Security breached its agreement to procure insurance, it is liable to the Knickelbeins for any damages they have to pay Schell up to the amount the insurer would have had to pay. According to Schell, she can maintain an action directly against Security on the theory that she is a third party beneficiary of the contract between Security and the Knickelbeins, which required Security to maintain the insurance with money supplied by the Knickelbeins.

Security contends that Schell cannot maintain a direct action against it on a third party beneficiary theory because the second amended complaint does not allege enough of the mortgage contract to show that Security and the Knickelbeins entered the agreement directly or primarily for Schell’s benefit.

To maintain an action as a third party beneficiary, a plaintiff must show that the parties to the contract intentionally entered their agreement “' “directly and primarily for his benefit.” ’ ” Ampex Corp. v. Sound Institute, Inc., 44 Wis.2d 674, 683, 172 N.W.2d 170 (1969). Saying the same thing in a different way, the *349 Court said in Winnebago Homes, Inc. v. Sheldon, 29 Wis.2d 692, 699, 139 N.W.2d 606 (1966): “In order to entitle a stranger to a contract to recover thereon, the contract must indicate an intention to secure some benefit to such third party.”

A third party cannot maintain an action as a third party beneficiary if under the contract his was only an “indirect benefit, merely incidental to the contract between the parties.” Ampex, supra, at 683.

The third party’s complaint must allege facts to show that the agreement was entered primarily and directly for his benefit. Ampex, supra, at 684.

In an action for breach of contract, the complaint must set forth the substance of the agreement or have attached a copy of the agreement. Galena Towing, Inc. v. North Milwaukee St. Bank, 68 Wis.2d 34, 35, 227 N.W.2d 672 (1975).

In the instant case, the only contract provisions alleged in the second amended complaint are the Knickelbeins’ agreement to pay Security money adequate to provide insurance and Security’s responsibility to pay the insurance company the premium.

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Bluebook (online)
252 N.W.2d 921, 77 Wis. 2d 344, 1977 Wisc. LEXIS 1304, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schell-v-knickelbein-wis-1977.