Tim Hennigan Co. v. Anthony A. Nunes, Inc.

437 A.2d 1355, 32 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 730, 1981 R.I. LEXIS 1416
CourtSupreme Court of Rhode Island
DecidedDecember 9, 1981
Docket79-315-Appeal
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 437 A.2d 1355 (Tim Hennigan Co. v. Anthony A. Nunes, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tim Hennigan Co. v. Anthony A. Nunes, Inc., 437 A.2d 1355, 32 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 730, 1981 R.I. LEXIS 1416 (R.I. 1981).

Opinion

OPINION

BEVILACQUA, Chief Justice.

This is a civil action brought by Tim Hennigan Co., Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (hereinafter, plaintiff), for goods sold and delivered to Anthony A. Nunes, Inc., a Rhode Island corporation (hereinafter, defendant). The case was heard by a justice of the Superior Court sitting without a *1356 jury. The court entered judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $1441.50, plus interest.

The record discloses that Timothy Henni-gan, an officer of the plaintiff corporation, testified that plaintiff was incorporated and had its principal place of business in Massachusetts. Hennigan initially indicated that the company also had a Providence office, but he went on to explain that the office to which he had referred was that of a separate entity, W. D. Mann Co., which had provided materials, chemicals, and equipment for the installation of the goods that plaintiff sold to defendant. Hennigan stated that defendant initiated the transactions that gave rise to this suit by mailing two purchase orders to plaintiff’s home office. Upon receipt thereof, plaintiff shipped the goods directly to Fall River, Massachusetts, where they were to be installed, and, according to its usual practice, sent invoices to defendant. Two of the invoices expressly stated that plaintiff would assess an 18 percent carrying charge on overdue accounts. According to Hennigan, defendant never objected to these provisions, but accepted delivery and allowed plaintiff to install the goods.

The defendant presents two issues on appeal: (1) whether the trial justice erred in holding that because plaintiff is a Massachusetts corporation engaged only in interstate commerce, it need not register to do business in the State of Rhode Island to enforce the contract in our courts, 1 and (2) whether the trial justice erred in holding that the provisions on the invoices stating that interest would be charged on all overdue accounts are enforceable.

I

The plaintiff contends that because the transaction took place in Massachusetts, it need not register to do business in Rhode Island to enforce the agreement. The defendant argues that even if the mere execution and performance of the agreement does not constitute transacting business in Rhode Island, plaintiff’s involvement with another Rhode Island corporation in furtherance of the agreement required plaintiff to register.

This court previously has stated that if a foreign corporation is not doing business in Rhode Island, it need not register to main-, tain an action in our courts on a contract with a Rhode Island resident made and performed outside the state. Good Will Home Association v. Drayton, 108 R.I. 277, 274 A.2d 750 (1971). The defendant argues, however, that under Star Crest Baking Co. v. Cangemi, 94 R.I. 79, 178 A.2d 299 (1962), a foreign corporation engaged in interstate commerce, if also engaged in intrastate business, must comply with § 7-1.1-117 before it can maintain a civil action to enforce a contract made outside Rhode Island.

We do not dispute that under Star Crest a foreign corporation must register to engage in intrastate business. The defendant’s assertion that the holding in Star Crest applies to the facts presented in the case at bar, however, is mistaken. The trial justice in the instant case found that plaintiff was engaged only in interstate commerce and, therefore, was not barred from recovery on a contract executed and performed in Massachusetts. It is well established that the findings of a trial justice sitting without a jury are entitled to great weight and will not be disturbed on appeal unless the record shows that the findings are clearly wrong or that the trial justice overlooked or misconceived material evidence. Greenwood v. Rahill, R.I., 412 A.2d 228 (1980); Kargman v. Jacobs, R.I., 411 A.2d 1326 (1980); Gaglione v. Cardi, R.I., 388 A.2d 361 (1978); J. Koury Steel Erectors, Inc. v. San-Vel Concrete Corp., R.I., *1357 387 A.2d 694 (1978); Rego Displays, Inc. v. Fournier, R.I., 379 A.2d 1098 (1977); Raheb v. Lemenski, 115 R.I. 576, 350 A.2d 397 (1976). If, on review, the record indicates that competent evidence supports the trial justice’s findings, we shall not substitute our view of the evidence for his even though a contrary conclusion could have been reached. Tefft v. Tefft, 105 R.I. 496, 253 A.2d 601 (1969).

A review of the record supports the findings of the trial justice. Henni-gan’s uncontradicted testimony indicated that plaintiff accepted defendant’s offer in Massachusetts. The rule is well settled that a contract is deemed made at the place where acceptance of the offer took place. Good Will Home Association v. Drayton, supra. His testimony also shows that plaintiff performed all its obligations under the contract in Massachusetts. The defendant’s argument that plaintiff must register because it had an office in Rhode Island is without support. Hennigan did testify that plaintiff had a Providence office but immediately corrected himself and explained that the office belonged to a separate entity. Even though Hennigan’s statements may seem contradictory, the trial justice, not the appellate court, evaluates a witness’s credibility and resolves testimonial conflicts. Scotto v. Zifcak, R.I., 425 A.2d 512 (1981); Aiello Construction, Inc. v. Nationwide Tractor Trailer Training and Placement Corp., R.I., 413 A.2d 85 (1980); J. Koury Steel Erectors, Inc. v. San-Vel Concrete Corp., supra. Nothing in the record suggests that the Providence corporation promoted or solicited defendant’s order on behalf of plaintiff or that it transacted its business with plaintiff in this state. The trial justice’s conclusion that plaintiff was engaged only in interstate commerce therefore does not appear to be clearly wrong or unsupported by the evidence.

II

We now consider defendant’s assertion that because plaintiff accepted its offer by shipping the goods instead of by sending the invoices, the trial justice erred in holding that the interest provisions on Henni-gan’s invoices became part of their contract. We find this contention also to be without merit. In F. D. McKendall Lumber Co. v. Kalian,

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Michael J. Salvatore v. Thomas A. Palangio
Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2021
Hernandez v. JS PALLET CO., INC.
41 A.3d 978 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2012)
State v. Dennis
29 A.3d 445 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2011)
Lifespan Corp. v. New England Medical Center, Inc.
731 F. Supp. 2d 232 (D. Rhode Island, 2010)
Lifespan Corp. v. NE Medical Center
2010 DNH 117 (D. New Hampshire, 2010)
School Committee v. Bergin-Andrews
984 A.2d 629 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2009)
State v. Germane
971 A.2d 555 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2009)
Grady v. Narragansett Electric Co.
962 A.2d 34 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2009)
Imperial Casualty & Indemnity Co. v. Bellini
888 A.2d 957 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2005)
DeCesare v. Lincoln Benefit Life Co.
852 A.2d 474 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2004)
Perry v. Garey
799 A.2d 1018 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 2002)
Nortek, Inc. v. Molnar
36 F. Supp. 2d 63 (D. Rhode Island, 1999)
Nisenzon v. Sadowski
689 A.2d 1037 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 1997)
Serzan v. Bendick, 89-2035 (1995)
Superior Court of Rhode Island, 1995

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
437 A.2d 1355, 32 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 730, 1981 R.I. LEXIS 1416, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tim-hennigan-co-v-anthony-a-nunes-inc-ri-1981.