Subsurfco, Inc. v. B-Y Water District

337 N.W.2d 448, 1983 S.D. LEXIS 382
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 10, 1983
Docket13679
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 337 N.W.2d 448 (Subsurfco, Inc. v. B-Y Water District) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Subsurfco, Inc. v. B-Y Water District, 337 N.W.2d 448, 1983 S.D. LEXIS 382 (S.D. 1983).

Opinions

DOBBERPUHL, Circuit Judge.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Subsurfco, Inc. (Contractor) commenced this action to recover the value of materials and services it supplied to the B-Y Water District (B-Y) pursuant to a written contract for the construction of a distribution piping system for B-Y. B-Y counterclaimed against Contractor for completion costs, liquidated damages and water used by Contractor. By way of third party complaint, B-Y claimed the same damages from Seaboard Surety Company (Surety) on its performance bond. The case was tried to a jury. A jury verdict in the sum of $2,740,702.93 was rendered against Contractor on B-Y’s counterclaim and against Surety on B-Y’s cross-claim. A judgment in that amount, less $729,264.60 representing the unpaid balance of the contract price (without adjustment for work in place), or a net judgment of $2,011,438.33 was entered by the court against Contractor and Surety (appellants). Appellants appeal from that judgment. We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand.

FACTS

On October 11,1978, Contractor and B-Y entered into a written contract for the construction of Division I of Phase II of B-Y Rural Water System for $5,627,210.50. Division I consists of water distribution lines, shutoff valves, control valves and appurtenant work required to distribute potable water to approximately eleven hundred rural users and five towns in southeastern South Dakota. Division I was divided into [451]*451three sections for construction purposes, with approximately 614 miles of pipeline contained in all three sections.

Peter Johnson, of Johnson Engineering Company, designed and prepared the specifications and drawings of Division I. The contract defines “ENGINEER” as “[t]he person, firm or corporation named as such in the CONTRACT DOCUMENTS.” No one is named as such in the contract, although the term “ENGINEER” is frequently used therein. The status of Peter Johnson or Johnson Engineering Company with respect to the project is unclear. B-Y and Johnson Engineering executed a contract which set forth the duties of Johnson Engineering. For the purpose of determining such status, appellants offered this contract in evidence, but the court refused to admit the contract after an offer of proof was made.

The B-Y inspectors observed all aspects of the pipeline operation, including the bedding, backfilling, compaction, joining of pipe, deflections, and the depth to which the pipe was laid. With a few minor exceptions, no work was rejected by the “engineer” or inspectors at the time it was performed.

During construction on the project, a total of 20 payments were made by B-Y to Contractor. Each payment was approved by B-Y, Johnson Engineering, and the Farmers Home Administration and was based upon and contained the certificate of the B-Y Project Coordinator.

Contractor began construction on October 11, 1978, starting with the construction of the asbestos cement (AC) pipeline in Section 1. The AC pipeline consists of approximately 25 miles of pipe with various diameter sizes ranging from 18 inches to 10 inches and serves as the main water line through which all three sections of Phase II of Division I are served. The 25 miles of AC pipeline in Section 1 together with a portion of the polyvinyl/chloride (PVC) pipeline in Section 1 did not pass pressure tests.

Beginning in April, 1980, portions of the AC pipeline in Section 1 exploded, blew out, loosened and leaked.

While Contractor was attempting to remedy the construction defects existing on the AC pipeline, it proceeded to lay the remaining PVC pipelines in Sections 1, 2 and 3. Portions of the PVC pipelines failed to pass pressure tests.

On May 5, 1980, the other Divisions of Phase II had been completed by other contractors, including the water treatment plant, and were ready for operation.

In the summer of 1980, after the time had expired for the work to be completed, Contractor informed the water district board that they were unable to complete the project and that such inability was the result of a defective design. Contractor alleged that Johnson Engineering had failed or neglected to properly provide for adequate air-relief valves in his plans and specifications and, as a result of this defect, the pipeline was not serviceable.

Throughout the summer and fall of 1980, Contractor, one year after the date specified for completion, was still attempting to repair the numerous leaks existing on the AC line that had failed to pass pressure tests as of that time.

In the late summer and fall of 1980, Contractor had appeared before the board on various occasions and informed them that they were having problems with the AC line. On December 10,1980, Contractor informed the board that they no longer knew what to do with the AC line and suggested to the board that the line be turned on and put into service and that the leaks be repaired as they surfaced. The board refused to accept this recommendation of Contractor.

On January 9, 1981, B-Y notified Contractor that it intended to terminate Contractor’s services on the project and subsequently terminated Contractor’s services on January 29, 1981. Thereafter, B-Y removed one and one-half miles of the 18-inch diameter AC pipeline and relaid it. Sections 2 and 3 were then turned on in May, 1981, and since then have been serving water to customers.

[452]*452The jury determined that B-Y was entitled to a verdict against appellants. In reaching this verdict, the jury specifically found that the design of the system was not defective; that Contractor was not prevented from completely performing the terms of the contract by the actions of B-Y; that Contractor’s services were rightfully terminated by B-Y; that Contractor materially breached the contracts; and that Johnson Engineering acted in good faith in determining the damages incurred to B-Y regarding the AC pipeline and warranty work to be completed.

ISSUES

I.

WERE DETERMINATIONS AND ESTIMATES OF DAMAGE BY THE “ENGINEER” CONCLUSIVE DETERMINATIONS OF B-Y’S DAMAGES OR “COSTS INCURRED” SUBJECT ONLY TO A FINDING THAT SUCH DETERMINATIONS AND ESTIMATES WERE NOT MADE IN GOOD FAITH? THE TRIAL COURT HELD THESE DETERMINATIONS AND ESTIMATES TO BE CONCLUSIVE, AND WE REVERSE.

II.

DID B-Y RECOVER AN IMPROPER MEASURE OF DAMAGES CONTRARY TO THE DIMINUTION IN VALUE RULE AND SDCL 21-1-3 AND 21-1-5? THE TRIAL COURT HELD THE RECOVERY WAS NOT IMPROPER, AND WE REVERSE.

III.

SHOULD THE ISSUE OF B-Y’S WAIVER OF CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE JURY? THE TRIAL COURT REFUSED TO SUBMIT THE ISSUE TO THE JURY, AND WE REVERSE.

IV.

SHOULD THE JURY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO CONSIDER TESTIMONY OR EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN RELATION TO ACTS OR OMISSIONS BY B-Y INSPECTORS OR ENGINEERS REGARDLESS OF THE CONTRACT? THE TRIAL COURT HELD THE JURY WAS NOT ENTITLED TO CONSIDER TESTIMONY OR EVIDENCE, AND WE REVERSE.

V.

WERE THE WRITTEN CONTRACT BETWEEN JOHNSON ENGINEERING AND B-Y AND THE LETTER, WHICH DESCRIBED THE DUTIES AND AUTHORITY OF JOHNSON ENGINEERING, ADMISSIBLE REGARDING THE DUTIES AND AUTHORITY OF JOHNSON ENGINEERING AND B-Y? THE TRIAL COURT HELD THE EXHIBITS WERE NOT ADMISSIBLE, AND WE REVERSE.

VI.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
337 N.W.2d 448, 1983 S.D. LEXIS 382, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/subsurfco-inc-v-b-y-water-district-sd-1983.