Sound Doctor Recording Studio, Inc. v. Conn

391 So. 2d 520
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 12, 1980
Docket7864
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 391 So. 2d 520 (Sound Doctor Recording Studio, Inc. v. Conn) 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
Sound Doctor Recording Studio, Inc. v. Conn, 391 So. 2d 520 (La. Ct. App. 1980).

Opinion

391 So.2d 520 (1980)

SOUND DOCTOR RECORDING STUDIO, INC., Plaintiff/Defendant in Reconvention-Appellee,
v.
Steve CONN, Defendant/Plaintiff in Reconvention-Appellant.

No. 7864.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

November 12, 1980.

*521 Gravel, Robertson & Brady, James J. Brady, Alexandria, for defendant/plaintiff in reconvention-appellant.

Provosty, Sadler & deLaunay, H. Brennen Sadler, Alexandria, for plaintiff/defendant in reconvention-appellee.

Before DOMENGEAUX, GUIDRY and STOKER, JJ.

DOMENGEAUX, Judge.

Sound Doctor Recording Studio, Inc. (Sound Doctor) brought this suit on open account against Steve Conn, a musician, song writer, and singer, to recover $3,065.00 in expenses allegedly incurred by Sound Doctor on behalf of Conn. Conn reconvened against Sound Doctor alleging that Sound Doctor commercially used, without Conn's permission, certain of his copyrighted tunes, jingles, and/or songs. He further alleged that Sound Doctor ran certain ads, again without his permission, which claimed that Conn was associated with or was working with Sound Doctor at a time when no such relationship existed. Conn claimed these acts by Sound Doctor caused him financial loss, embarrassment, and humiliation, and loss of professional standing to the tune of $6,500.00.

After trial on the merits, the court opined that plaintiff, Sound Doctor, was not entitled to recover on open account since there was no agreement to pay a specific sum. It did rule, however, based on La.C.C.P. Art. 862, that "Sound Doctor Recording Studio, Inc., is entitled to market, sell and distribute the musical tunes of defendant [Steve Conn] which were recorded at plaintiff's recording studio, and to recoup therefrom its expenses and such other benefits to which it might be entitled." Judgment was *522 signed February 7, 1980, and the defendant has appealed.

The following facts were indisputably established by the testimony of Steve Conn and Robert Vernon, the president, majority stockholder, and chief sound engineer of Sound Doctor.

In early to mid-1977, Conn and others were asked by Vernon to record musical work at Sound Doctor Recording Studio. Conn (and presumably the others) acceded to this request. Shortly before recording was to begin, Conn asked Vernon "What's in this for you?" or words to that effect, to which Vernon replied "We'll worry about that down the line." After this brief and inconclusive rapport, Conn recorded approximately twelve tunes at the recording studio. These tunes were recorded on a "master tape". At no time did Conn and Vernon engage in any verbal or written agreement regarding any recompense to Vernon or Sound Doctor for recording time given to Conn.

Subsequent to the recording session, Conn participated in a "musical showcase"-an exhibition of local musical talent arranged by Vernon-which was designed to appeal to Mr. Judd Phillips, a representative of Mercury-Phonograph, a recording company, for whose benefit the exhibition was staged.

Later, in June or July of 1977, Vernon and Conn traveled to New York City for the purpose of discussing with Ms. Helena Bruno of Chapel Music, a large publishing company, the possibility of publishing some of Conn's music. Shortly thereafter, while still in New York, Conn inexplicably severed his business relationship with Vernon and Sound Doctor Recording Studio.

Sound Doctor has retained possession of the "master tape" on which are recorded Conn's tunes but it has never been able to secure Conn's oral or written permission to market, sell, or distribute the tunes recorded on this tape.

Nothing has ever been paid to Sound Doctor by Conn for its efforts to record and promote Conn's music. For this reason, Sound Doctor instituted suit on open account hoping to recover for 66 hours of uncompensated studio time with an alleged value of $30.00 per hour (or $1,980.00), $1,000.00 expended on the fruitless trip to New York, and $85.00 which represented the cost of the tape.

The trial court correctly held that Sound Doctor was not entitled to recover on open account. Neither party has appealed from that determination. We believe, however, that the lower court incorrectly held that Sound Doctor was entitled under La.C.C.P. Art. 862, to market, sell, and distribute the musical tunes of Steve Conn.

La.C.C.P. Article 862 provides:

"Except as provided in Article 1703, [default judgments], a final judgment shall grant the relief to which the party in whose favor it is rendered is entitled, even if the party has not demanded such relief in his pleadings and the latter contain no prayer for general and equitable relief."

The trial court was of the opinion that the relief accorded plaintiff was justified under the relevant facts that were properly proven at the trial. We are left wondering, by the court's brief reasons for judgment, which relevant facts were properly proven and which were not. We are also left wondering which law, or which theory of recovery entitles plaintiff to market, sell, and distribute the songs of another, and to recoup an unspecified amount of expenses as well as other unknown benefits "to which it might be entitled."

Sound Doctor argues that sufficient facts were proven to support a judgment in its favor based upon the theories of implied contract (La.C.C. Art. 1811)[1] or quasi contract/quantum meruit (La.C.C. Arts. 1965, *523 2292-2294).[2] Steve Conn argues that the judgment creates a contract of mandate between the parties. He urges reversal on the basis that the facts do not support such a judgment.

We find the judgment does create a contract of mandate between Conn and Sound Doctor because it authorizes Sound Doctor to market, sell, and distribute defendant's tunes. La.C.C. Art. 2985.[3] The facts do not support such a judgment because a contract of mandate was never created by the parties, nor was one intended to be created. Robert Vernon admitted that he never had Conn's permission to market, sell, or distribute the songs. Further, the record demonstrates that neither Vernon nor Sound Doctor ever procured Conn's consent, either expressed or implied, to transact any business on Conn's behalf. Therefore, the judgment as rendered cannot be sustained.

The record establishes that neither party is entitled to relief. La.C.C. Art. 1779 lists four requisites which are necessary to the validity of every contract: (1) parties legally capable of contracting; (2) their consent legally given; (3) a certain object which forms the matter of agreement; and (4) a lawful purpose. Sound Doctor is not entitled to recover under the theory of implied contract because two essential elements are lacking. From the facts surrounding the relationship between Sound Doctor and Steve Conn, we conclude: (1) there was no express or implied consent to contract, and (2) there was no certain object which formed the matter of agreement.

The most that can be said of the relationship existing between Sound Doctor and Steve Conn is that Conn recorded songs at Sound Doctor Recording Studio at the continued insistence of Robert Vernon; that Conn participated in a "musical showcase" arranged by Vernon; and that Conn traveled to New York, at Vernon's expense, to meet with a representative of a publishing company. We do not think these facts, especially when considered in the light of other facts duly established by testimony (discussed hereinafter), are sufficient to support a finding of an implied contract.

Those other facts demonstrate a complete lack of mutuality, or meeting of the minds.

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