Weaver v. Caldwell Tanks, Inc.

190 F. App'x 404
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedJune 22, 2006
Docket04-6458, 05-5042
StatusUnpublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 190 F. App'x 404 (Weaver v. Caldwell Tanks, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Weaver v. Caldwell Tanks, Inc., 190 F. App'x 404 (6th Cir. 2006).

Opinions

ROSE, District Judge.

Defendant-Appellant Caldwell Tanks, Inc. (“Caldwell”) appeals the district court’s summary judgment that PlaintiffAppellee Richard L. Weaver (“Weaver”) is entitled to commissions pursuant to the Sales Representative and Consulting Agreement between Caldwell and Weaver. In a separate pleading, Weaver appeals the district court’s summary judgment denying him prejudgment interest and attorneys’ fees. For the reasons set forth below, we reverse in part, and affirm in part, the district court’s judgments, and remand the case for further proceedings.

I. Background

This case arises out of a contract dispute between Weaver and Caldwell. On December 17, 1997, Caldwell purchased Weaver’s silo and chimney construction business in a multi-party transaction. As [406]*406part of the transaction, Weaver and Caldwell entered into a Sales Representative and Consulting Agreement (the “Agreement”).

Caldwell purchased Weaver’s Silo Building Machines systems (“WSBM”) so that Caldwell could expand its business from building elevated steel water storage tanks into the construction of silos and stacking tubes for the storage of grain, coal and other products. Weaver and Bernard Fine-man (“Fineman”), Caldwell’s President, negotiated the purchase during the 1996-1997 time period.

The only component of the purchase transaction that is at issue is the Agreement. The specific Agreement language that is in dispute is found in Section 2 entitled “Sales Commissions and Consulting Fee” and is as follows:

During the Term, the Company shall pay Weaver sales commissions and consulting fees as follows: (i) a 10% commission on all sales of WSBM equipment and parts approved by Company (excluding any sales of equipment and/or parts to affiliates of Company); (ii) a 3.5% commission on final gross contract price of chimneys and silos (other than water tanks) sold and approved by the Company during a 10 year period commencing as of this date and (iii) $50/hour plus travel expenses as approved by the Company. All commissions earned by Weaver with respect to the sale of WSBM equipment and parts will be paid within 30 days after receipt of payment by the Company. All commissions earned by Weaver on sales of chimneys and silos will be paid in the form of progress payments as the Company is paid. All consulting fees shall be paid on a monthly basis upon acceptance by the Company of Weaver’s time sheet.

(J. A.31.)

Weaver argues that the Agreement provides that he will be paid a 3.5% commission on the final gross contract price of chimneys and silos sold and approved by Caldwell during a ten-year period beginning December 17, 1997, the date the Agreement was signed. Caldwell argues that Weaver should only receive a commission on sales that he has procured and that Weaver has waived commissions. Both Parties agree that the Agreement is clear and unambiguous and that the case is one of contract interpretation.

Weaver testified that the first silo projects that he learned about were Indiana projects that were completed in the fall of

2002. When he discovered that the Indiana projects had been completed and that Caldwell had probably been paid for these projects, Weaver contacted Fineman and asked about his commissions. After not receiving a satisfactory response from Fineman, Weaver filed this suit against Caldwell.

Caldwell responds that, from the time the Agreement was consummated until the Indiana project began in 2002, Weaver did not claim to be entitled to commissions. Weaver, according to Caldwell, did not then claim to be entitled to commissions despite allegedly having knowledge of silo sales and projects as early as 2001.

Weaver brought this action on April 16, 2003, claiming to be entitled to commissions pursuant to the Agreement. Caldwell moved to dismiss, arguing that Weaver was not entitled to commissions. In a Memorandum and Order dated September 25, 2003 (the “September 2003 Order”), the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky (the “District Court”) denied Caldwell’s motion to dismiss.

In denying Caldwell’s motion to dismiss, the District Court found that the Agree[407]*407ment is clear that Weaver was to receive commissions on all sales by Caldwell other than tank sales. The District Court also denied the motion to dismiss on the grounds of waiver because there was a factual dispute as to whether Weaver had knowledge of the other Caldwell sales in the past and only recently decided to complain to the Court regarding the past commissions.

Caldwell then filed a motion to alter, amend or vacate the September 2008 Order. In an order dated November 4, 2003 (the “November 2003 Order”), the District Court responded to the motion to alter or amend and, among other things, explained that it did not enter a contractual judgment in Weaver’s favor because Weaver did not move for summary judgment on any contractual issue. The November 2003 Order denied Caldwell’s motion to alter, amend or vacate the September 2003 Order.

After engaging in discovery, both Parties moved for summary judgment. In a Memorandum and Order dated November 5, 2004, and entered on November 9, 2004 (the “November 2004 Order”), the District Court said that the Agreement does not require Weaver to have procured or to have assisted with the sales of equipment or merchandise to be entitled to a commission, that Weaver earns the commission by compliance with his own obligations when the sale occurs, that the term “earned” in the Agreement does not place limitations on Weaver’s right to a commission and that Weaver has not waived his right to a commission. The District Court found that Weaver is entitled to the commissions set forth in the Agreement, granted Weaver’s motion for summary judgment and denied Caldwell’s motion for summary judgment.

Weaver then filed a motion for prejudgment interest, postjudgment interest and attorneys’ fees. In a Memorandum and Order dated December 16, 2004 (the “December 2004 Order”), the District Court denied this motion. The District Court denied prejudgment interest because it determined that the damages are unliquidated and equity does not require prejudgment interest in this case. Attorneys’ fees were not granted because there is no applicable statute or contractual provision and equity does not warrant an award of attorneys’ fees. Finally, the District Court determined that an award of post-judgment interest would be premature and that such interest could be determined under the statute if appropriate.

Caldwell now appeals the District Court’s summary judgment that Weaver is entitled to commissions pursuant to the Agreement. In addition, Weaver appeals the District Court’s summary judgment denying him prejudgment interest and attorneys’ fees.

II. Analysis

A. Jurisdiction

The District Court had diversity jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332. This Court’s jurisdiction over both appeals is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 which grants appellate jurisdiction over all final decisions of the district courts. In this case, the November 2004 Order is a final and appealable order and is designated as such by the District Court.

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190 F. App'x 404, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/weaver-v-caldwell-tanks-inc-ca6-2006.