FILED

March 4, 1996

Cecil Crowson, Jr.

Appellate Court Clerk

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS

BRI AN WEI FORD d/ b/ a ELI TE CABLE ) CAMPBELL CI RCUI T

TELEVI SI ON COMPANY, ) C. A. NO. 03A01- 9510- CV- 00367

 )

 Pl a i ntif f - Appe lla nt )

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

vs . ) HON. CONRAD TROUTMAN

 ) J UDGE

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

FI ELDS DEVELOPMENT CO. , I NC. , ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED

d/ b/ a DEERFI ELD RESORT, )

 )

 De f e nda nt - Appe l l ee )

ANDREW N. HALL, Wa r t bur g, f or Appe l l a nt .

J OSEPH C. COKER, J a c ks bor o, f or Appe l l e e .

O P I N I O N

Mc Mur r a y, J .
2

Thi s i s a n a ppe a l f r om t he j udgme nt of t he t r i a l c our t

gr a nt i ng t he a ppe l l e e ' s mot i on f or s umma r y j udgme nt . We a f f i r m t he

j udgme nt of t he t r i a l c our t .

The a ppe lla nt f ile d its c ompl a i nt a lle gi ng tha t the pa r tie s

e nt e r e d i nt o a c a bl e t e l e vi s i on c ont r a c t on De c e mbe r 17, 1991.

Unde r t he t e r ms of t he agr eeme nt , t he appe l l a nt wa s gr a nt e d

a ut hor i t y to ins t a ll, ope r a t e a nd ma i nt a i n c a bl e te l e vi s i on

s e r vi ces i n Deer f i e l d Re s or t whi c h wa s be i ng de ve l ope d by t he

a ppe l l ee. The agr eeme nt wa s f or an i ni t i a l pe r i od of f i f t een

ye a r s . The a gr e e me nt , howe ve r , di d not c ont a i n a pr ovi s i on a s t o

whe n t he i ns t a l l a t i on of t he c a bl e s e r vi c e woul d be gi n. Be gi nni ng

i n J ul y 1992, t he a ppe l l e e be ga n t o c or r e s pond wi t h t he a ppe l l a nt

by l e t t e r i nqui r i ng a bout t he be gi nni ng of t he c ons t r uc t i on or

pr ovi di ng of s e r vi ces . No r e s pons e s we r e r ecei ve d t o t he l e t t e r s .

Si xt e e n mont hs af t e r ent e r i ng i nt o t he agr eeme nt t he r e we r e no

vi s i bl e s i gns of t he be gi nni ng of c ons t r uc t i on on t he pr oj e c t .

On Ma y 4, 1993, J os e ph G. Coke r , a t t or ne y f or t he a ppe l l e e ,

s e nt a le tte r to the a ppe lla nt a s ki ng the a ppe lla nt to gi ve a

wr itte n s t a t eme nt of int e nt to pe r f or m the c ont r a c t. He f ur t he r

s t a t e d t ha t i f s uc h a s t a t e me nt wa s not f or t hc omi ng, t he a ppe l l e e

woul d cons i de r t he cont r act t e r mi na t e d. The r e wa s no r e s pons e and

t he appe l l ee t e r mi na t e d t he c ont r act and ent e r e d i nt o a cont r act

with a not he r e ntity. Appe lla nt de ni e s r e c e i vi ng the le tte r f r om
3

Mr . Coke r . Thi s a ppe a r s t o be t he onl y di s put e of f a c t i nvol ve d i n

t he case i ns of a r as we ar e abl e t o de t e r mi ne f r om t he r ecor d. We

do not deem t hi s t o be a ma t e r i a l f act unde r t he ci r c ums t a nces of

t hi s cas e .

Mr . We i f or d, the a ppe lla nt, fil e d hi s a f f i da vit in whi c h he

s t a t e d:

5. Tha t I ha ve ma de s ubs t a nt i a l ef f or t s , in a

r eas ona bl e a nd time l y ma nne r , t o c ompl y wi t h t he t e r ms of

my cont r act wi t h Fi e l ds De ve l opme nt whi c h f act s we r e ma de

known t o t he de f e nda nt [ Fi e l ds De ve l opme nt ] i n r e s pons e

t o i nt e r r oga t or i e s numbe r 11, 12, a nd ( s i c ) 14 a nd 17 a s

a t t ache d he r e t o and whi c h ar e i nc or por a t e d he r e i n.

The a ppe l l a nt ' s a ns we r s t o t he i nt e r r oga t or i e s me nt i one d i n

t he a bove a f f i da vi t do not de mons t r a t e t ha t a ny s ubs t a nt i a l wor k

wa s eve r done t o cons t r uc t t he cabl e s e r vi ce. Fr om t he s t a t e of

t he r e c or d, whi c h we f i nd t o be s ome wha t be wi l de r i ng, we a r e una bl e

t o di s c ove r a ny va l i d, le gi t i ma t e , or le ga l r e a s on a s t o why t he

a ppe l l a nt ha d f a i l e d t o pe r f or m.

I n McCl a i n v. Ki mbr ough Cons t . Co. , 806 S. W. 2d 194 ( Te nn. App.

1990) thi s c our t s t a t e d: " . . . we ha ve r e qui r e d c ont r a c ting pa r tie s

t o de a l wi t h e a c h ot he r f a i r l y a nd i n good f a i t h, e ve n t hough t he s e

dut i e s we r e not e xpl i c i t l y e mbodi e d i n the i r c ont r a c t. Williams v.

Ma r e mont Cor p. , 776 S. W. 2d 78, 81 ( Te nn. Ct . App. 1988) ; TSC

I ndus . , I nc . v. Tomlin, 743 S. W. 2d 169, 173 ( Te nn. Ct . App. 1987) ;
4

Covi ngt on v. Robi ns on, 723 S. W. 2d 643, 645 ( Te nn. Ct . App. 1986) .

We ha ve a l s o he l d t he e xt e nt of c ont r a c t ua l obl i ga t i ons s houl d be

t e mpe r e d by a ' r e a s ona bl e ne s s ' s t a nda r d. " Moor e v. Moor e , 603

S. W. 2d 736, 739 ( Te nn. Ct . App. 1980) .

The r ul e i s we l l e s t a bl i s he d t ha t whe n no de f i ni t e

time f or pe r f or ma nce of a cont r act i s s peci f i e d, as i t

wa s not in thi s c a s e by e ithe r pa r t y the la w will impl y

a r eas ona bl e t i me unde r t he ci r c ums t a nces i n cont e mpl a -

tion by bot h pa r t i e s a t t he t i me of f or ma t i on of t he

c ont r act . Uni f or m Sa l e s Ac t , Se c t i on 43( 2) , Code 1932, §

7236( 2) ; Thomps on v. Woodr uf f , 47 Te nn. 401; Wi l dbe r g Box

Co. v. Da r by, 143 Te nn. 73, 223 S. W. 855; 46 Am. J ur . 341,

Sect i ons 164 a nd 165; Me mphi s Fur ni t ur e Mf g. Co. v.

Wemys s , 6 Ci r . , 2 F. 2d 428, 431.

Ca l cas i e u Pa pe r Co. I nc . , v. Me mphi s Pa pe r Co. , 222 S. W. 2d 617

( Te nn. App. 1949) .

We a r e pe r s ua de d by a ppl yi ng t he " good f a i t h" a nd "r eas ona bl e -

ne ss" st a nda r d t o t he unc ont r ove r t e d f a c t s i n t hi s c a s e , t he

a ppe l l a nt ma t e r i a l l y br eache d t he cont r act by f a i l i ng t o be gi n t he

pe rfor ma nc e of the c ont r a c t wi t hi n a r e a s ona bl e ti me . Fur t he r , we

f i nd t ha t t he f a i l ur e t o r e s pond t o t he a ppe l l e e ' s i nqui r i e s or

c or r e s pond wi t h t he appe l l ee gi ve s r i s e t o an i nf e r e nce t ha t t he

a ppe l l a nt wa s not de a l i ng i n good f a i t h. We a r e of t he opi ni on

t ha t t he a ppe l l a nt br e a c he d t he c ove na nt of good f a i t h a nd f a i r

deal i ng i mpl i c i t i n e ve r y c ont r a c t a nd t he r e by br e a c he d t he

c ont r act i n que s t i on. He , be i ng t he br e a c hi ng pa r t y, c a nnot

ma i nt a i n t hi s a c t i on a nd t he a ppe l l e e i s e nt i t l e d t o j udgme nt a s a

ma tte r of la w.
5

I n r e a c hi ng our c onc l us i on, we ha ve be e n gui de d by Ca r ve l l v.

Bottoms , 900 S. W. 2d 23 ( Te nn. 1995) whe r e i n i t i s s a i d:

The s t a nda r ds gove r ni ng a n a ppe l l a t e c our t ' s r e vi e w

of a t r i a l c our t ' s a c t i on on a mot i on f or s umma r y

j udgme nt a r e we ll s e ttle d. Si nc e our i nqui r y i nvol ve s

pur e l y a que s t i on of l a w, no pr e s umpt i on of c or r e c t ne s s

a t t a c he s t o t he t r i a l c our t ' s j udgme nt , a nd our t a s k i s

c onf i ne d t o r e vi e wi ng t he r e c or d t o de t e r mi ne whe t he r t he

r e qui r e me nt s of Te nn. R. Ci v. P. 56 ha ve be e n me t . Cowde n

v. Sovr a n Ba nk/ Ce nt r a l Sout h, 816 S. W. 2d 741, 744 ( Te nn.

1991) . Te nn. R. Ci v. P. 56. 03 pr ovi de s t ha t s umma r y

j udgme nt i s onl y a ppr opr i a t e whe r e : ( 1) t he r e i s no

ge nui ne i s s ue wi t h r e ga r d t o t he ma t e r i a l f act s r e l e va nt

t o t he c l a i m or de f e ns e c ont a i ne d i n t he mot i on, Byr d v.

Ha l l , 847 S. W. 2d 208, 210 ( Te nn. 1993) ; a nd ( 2) t he

movi ng pa r t y i s e nt i t l e d t o a j udgme nt a s ma t t e r of l a w

on t he undi s put e d f a c t s . Ande r s on v. St a nda r d Re gi s t e r

Co. , 857 S. W. 2d 555, 559 ( Te nn. 1993) . The movi ng pa r t y

ha s t he bur de n of pr ovi ng t ha t i t s mot i on s a t i s f i e s the s e

r e qui r e me nt s . Downe n v. Al l s t a t e I ns . Co. , 811 S. W. 2d

523, 524 ( Te nn. 1991) .

The s t a nda r ds gove r ni ng t he a s s e s s me nt of e vi de nc e

i n t he s umma r y j udgme nt c ont e xt a r e al s o we ll e s t a bl i s he d. Cour t s mus t vi e w t he e vi de nc e i n t he l i ght mos t

f a vor a bl e t o t he nonmovi ng pa r t y a nd mus t a l s o dr a w a l l

r eas ona bl e i nf e r e nc e s i n t he nonmovi ng pa r t y' s f a vor .

Byr d, 847 S. W. 2d a t 210- 11. Cour t s s houl d gr a nt a s umma r y

j udgme nt onl y whe n bot h t he f a c t s a nd t he c onc l us i ons to

be dr a wn f r om t he f act s pe r mi t a r eas ona bl e pe r s on t o

r e a c h onl y one c onc l us i on.

Appl yi ng t hi s s t a nda r d of r e vi e w, we a r e of t he opi ni on t ha t

t he s umma r y j udgme nt wa s pr ope r l y gr a nt e d. The r e we r e no ge nui ne

i ssue s of ma t e r i a l f act and t he appe l l ee wa s and i s e ntitle d to

j udgme nt as a ma t t e r of l a w.
6

We a f f i r m the judgme nt of the tr i a l c our t in a ll r e s pe c t s .

Cos t s of t hi s appeal ar e t a xe d t o t he appe l l a nt and t hi s cas e i s

r e ma nde d t o t he t r i a l c our t .

______________________________

 Don T. Mc Mur r a y, J .

CONCUR:

___________________________________

Hous t on M. Godda r d, Pr e s i di ng J udge

___________________________________

Cha r l e s D. Sus a no, J r ., J .
I N THE COURT OF APPEALS

BRI AN WEI FORD d/ b/ a ELI TE CABLE ) CAMPBELL CI RCUI T

TELEVI SI ON COMPANY, ) C. A. NO. 03A01- 9510- CV- 00367

 )

 Pl a i ntif f - Appe lla nt )

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

vs . ) HON. CONRAD TROUTMAN

 ) J UDGE

 )

 )

 )

 )

 )

FI ELDS DEVELOPMENT CO. , I NC. , ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED

d/ b/ a DEERFI ELD RESORT, )

 )

 De f e nda nt - Appe l l ee )

ORDER

Thi s a ppe a l came on t o be he a r d upon t he r e c or d f r om t he

Ci r c ui t Cour t of Ca mpbe l l Count y a nd br i e f s f i l e d on be ha l f of t he

r e s pe c t i ve pa r t i e s . Upon c ons i de r a t i on t he r e of , t hi s Cour t i s of

t he opi ni on t ha t t he r e wa s no r e ve r s i bl e er r or i n the tr i a l c our t .

We a f f i r m the judgme nt of the tr i a l c our t in a ll r e s pe c t s .

Cos t s of t hi s appeal ar e t a xe d t o t he appe l l a nt and t hi s cas e i s

r e ma nde d t o t he t r i a l c our t .

 PER CURI AM
8