FI FTH DI VI SI ON

PHI PPS, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and PETERSON, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

June 8, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 09 5 . HAM LER v . W OOD.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u dg e.

J en n i fer W o o d d /b / a Jen ny W o o d In t er ior s ( “ W ood” ) sue d G a r r e tt H a m ler p / k / a

Sean Garret t (“ Ham l er ” ) fo r b reach o f co n t ract

, q uan t u m m eru i t

, an d frau d rel at i n g

t o i nt eri o r d es i g n s erv i ces p ro v i d ed t o Ham ler b y W o o d. A l l eg i n g t h at W o o d’ s wo rk

was d efi ci en t

, Ham l er co u nt ercl ai m ed fo r b reach o f co n t ract an d reco up m en t / s et -o ff.

A ju ry reject ed Ham l er’ s co u n t ercl ai m s an d fo u nd fo r W o od i n t h e am o u n t o f

$ 1 6 8 ,9 4 4

. Th e tri al co urt en tered ju d g m en t o n t h e ju ry ’ s verd i ct

. Ham l er ap p eal s

,

as s ert i n g t h a t t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y den y i n g h i s m o t io n fo r d irect ed v erd i ct an d

ex cl u d i n g cert ai n t es t i m o n y . Fo r reas o ns t h at fo l l o w, we affi rm

.

1

. A t ri al co u rt m ay d irect a v erd i ct “ o n ly i f t h ere i s n o co n fl i ct i n t h e ev i d en ce

as t o an y m at eri al i s s ue an d t he ev i d en ce i nt ro d uced

, w i t h al l reas o n ab le d ed u ct i on st h erefro m

, [d em an d s ] a part i cu l ar v erd i ct .” 1 In rev i e w i n g a r u l i n g on a m o t i o n fo r

d i r e c t e d v erd i ct

, we co ns t ru e t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l ig h t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e n o n

m o van t an d affi rm

i f an y ev i d en ce s u p p ort s t he t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci si o n

. 2

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h a t Wo o d is a pro fes s i o n al i n t eri o r d es i g n er

wh o was referred to Ham l er aft er h e p u rch as ed a n ew ho m e. In 20 0 6

, sh e an d Ham l er

m et t o d i s cu s s Ham l er’ s v is i on fo r t he ho m e, wh i ch i n vo l v ed “ a l o t of wo rk .” W o o d

d ev is ed an o v eral l d es i g n p l an b as ed o n t h ei r d i s cu s s i o n

, wh i ch Ham l er ap p ro v ed

,

an d h e g av e W o o d an i n i t i al p ay m en t o f $ 2 44 ,0 0 0 t o “ l au n ch ” t h e jo b . As t h e wo rk

p ro g res s ed

, m ore p ro

ject s were ad d ed

, i n cl u d in g ren o vat i on wo rk i n t h e k it ch en an d

l au n d ry ro o m

. To s i m

p l i fy p ay m en t s

, W o o d p rep ared a m as t er i n v o i ce t o wh i ch s h e

ad d ed n ew p ro

ject s

, al l owi n g t h em t o k eep up wi t h “ ev ery are a t h at [t h ey ] were

ad d res s i n g an d t h en t h e o veral l b u d g e t an d p ri ce.” Sh e fu rt h er ex p l ai n ed : “ [T] h ere

were p ay m en t s d i rect ed fro m [t h e m as t er i n v o i ce]

. Th ere [were] d es i g n er co s t s p u t in

t h ere, ret ai l co s t s, wh at h e was p ay i n g fo r, s o i t w as v ery u p fro n t an d a v ery d et ai l ed

l i st b y ro o m o f wh at was g o i n g t o t ak e p l ace t hro u g h ou t t h e p ro ject

. ”

1 Lo f t y v. Fu l ler

, 2 2 3 Ga. Ap p

. 9 5

, 9 6 (1 ) (4 7 7 SE2 d 3 0) (1 99 6 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

2 Id

.

2Th e m as t er i n v o ice refl ect ed t h e co s t o f i t em s W o o d p u rch as ed fo r Ham l er, as

wel l as an y d i s co u n t s s h e recei v ed t h at s h e pas s ed on to h i m

. Ham l er al s o ag reed to

p a y W o o d $ 7 5 p er h ou r fo r h er d es ig n wo rk p l u s a co m m i s s i o n b as ed o n t h e

p ercen t ag e o f d i s co u n t s o r s av i ng s s h e p as s ed al o n g t o h i m

. Acco rd i n g t o W o o d

, s h e

ex p lai n ed h e r c o m

m is s i o n t o Ham l er b efo re each p o rt i o n o f t h e wo rk b eg an

. Sh e

as s ert ed t h at “ [i ] t w a s a l l s a i d u p fro n t,” an d t h at s h e nev er p erfo rm ed wo rk o r

p u rch as ed an it em fo r t h e h o u s e w i t ho u t Ham l er’ s ap p ro val

. W o o d s en t t h e m as t er

i n v o i ce to Ham l er m

u l t i p l e ti m es

, o ft en i n cl u d in g wi t h it v en d or i nv o ices t h at s h e h ad

p ai d

.

Bet ween J an uary 22

, 2 0 07

, an d Au g u st 2 8

, 2 0 08

, H am ler m ad e t en p ay m en t s

t o W o o d t o t al i ng $ 1 ,2 6 9 ,2 6 9 fo r wo rk p erfo r m e d o n t h e h o m e. W o o d us ed t h e

m ajo r i t y o f t h i s m o n ey t o p ay v en do rs an d o u t s t an d in g b i l l s rel at i n g t o t h e p ro ject

.

Sh e al s o p ai d h ers e l f ap p ro x i m at el y $ 5 7 ,0 0 0 fo r h er d es i g n effo rt s

. Bas ed o n t h e

ag reed -u p o n h o u rl y rat e an d co m m i s s i o n p l an

, h o w ev er, Ham l er o we d h er an

ad d it i o n al $ 1 2 3 ,0 0 0. W o o d co n t act ed Ham l er, req u es t i n g t h e bal an ce d u e fo r

o u t s t an d i n g p u rch as es an d m o ney o wed t o h er, wh ich t o t al ed $ 1 2 5 ,9 0 1

. In res p o n s e,

Ham l er req u es ted t hat s h e p u rch as e ad d i t i o n al i t em s fo r t h e ho u se. W o o d d ecl i n ed to

3p erfo rm fu rt h er wo rk u nt i l h e p a i d t h e b al an ce d u e, an d sh e offered t o s et up a

p ay m en t s ch ed u l e fo r h i m . He refu s ed t h e o ffer.

Sev eral m o n t hs l at er, Ham ler co m p l ai ned t o W o o d t h at t h e h e a t e d f l o o rs

i n s t al l ed d u ri n g t h e ren ov at i o n s were n o t h o l d in g a co n s i st en t t em p erat u re. W o o d an d

t h e g en eral c o n t ract or wh o h ad o v ers een t h e fl o o r wo rk m et at t h e h om e wi t h a

fl oo ri n g co m

p an y rep res en t at i v e t o i ns p ect t h e fl o o ri n g s y s t em

. Th ey d et erm i n ed t h at

t h e s y s t em was wo rk i n g p ro p erl y an d t h at an y

t em p erat u re d ev i at i o ns were n o rm al

.

W o o d fi l ed s u it o n A u gu s t 1 9

, 2 0 1 0

, as s ert i n g t h at Ham l er h ad b reach ed t h e

t erm s of t h ei r ag reem en t b y fai l i n g t o s at i s fy al l am ou n t s o wed o n t h e p ro ject

, was

res p o n s i b l e fo r t h e o u t st an d i n g b al an ce u n d er t h e t h eo ry o f qu an t um m eri t, an d h ad

co m m i t t ed frau d

. A ft er W oo d p res en t ed h er cas e at t ri al

, H am ler m o ved fo r a d i rect ed

v erd i ct o n h er cl ai m s

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed th e m o t i o n as t o breach o f co n tract an d

q u an tu m m eru i t

, b u t d i r e c t e d a v erd i ct on t h e frau d cl ai m

. Th e ju ry s u bs eq u en t l y

fo u n d fo r W o o d

, ret u rn i n g a gen eral verd i ct i n h er fav o r i n t h e am o u n t o f $ 1 6 8 ,9 4 4.

(a) Br ea ch o

f Co n t r a ct

. Ham l er fi rs t arg u es t h at h e was en t i t l ed t o a d i rect ed

v erd i ct o n W oo d ’ s breach o f co n t ract cl ai m becau s e W o o d offered n o ev i d en ce t h at

t h e p art i es h ad en tered i n to a v al i d ag reem en t . W e d is ag ree.

4To b e en fo rceab le, a co n t r a c t “ m u s t be s et fo rt h wi t h su ch cert ai n t y an d

co m p l et en es s t h at ei t h er p art y m ay h av e a ri gh t o f act i o n up o n i t .” 3 Acco rd i n g to

Ham l er, h e an d W o o d di d n o t ag ree t o t h e s co p e o f t h e p ro j e c t

, i t s co s t

, or t h e t i m e

fram e fo r i t s co m

p l et i o n

, u n d erm i ni n g an y cl a i m t h a t th ey h ad en t ered i n t o an

en fo rceab l e co nt ract

. He n o t es t h at t h e s co p e, co s t

, an d l en g t h o f t h e p ro j ect in creas ed

o v er t im e, an d h e cl ai m s t h at t hey n ev er ag reed t o th e t erm s o f W o o d ’ s co m m i s s i o n

p ay m en t

.

W o o d t es t i fi ed

, h o wev er, t h at al t ho u gh t h e pro ject ex p an d ed as Ham l er

req u es t ed ad d i t i on al wo rk

, th ey ag reed t o t h e i n creas ed s co p e an d Ham l er ap p ro v ed

ev ery t hi n g “ b efo reh an d.” W o o d i ncl u d ed al l ch arg es on t h e m as t er i n v o i ce t h at s h e

p ro v id ed t o H am l er. An d p ri o r to each p h as e o f wo rk s h e ex p l ai n ed h er co m m i s s i o n,

wh i ch

, th ey h ad ag reed

, wo ul d b e b as ed o n t h e d i s co u n t s o r s av in g s t hat s he was ab l e

t o p as s al o n g t o h im

. Acco rd i ng t o W o o d, s h e n e v e r p e r f o rm ed w o rk o n t h e h o m e

wi t h o u t Ham ler’ s ap p ro v al

. Sh e al s o as s ert ed th at s h e d i d n o t pro m i s e t o co m p l et e t h e

p ro ject b y a p art i cu l ar d at e. W o o d ex p l ai n ed th at “ [i ] t wo u l d [h av e b een ] im p o s s i b l e”

t o set a sp eci fi c ti m e fram e fo r co m p let i o n, p art i cu l arl y g i v en t h e ex p an d i n g s co p e o f

t h e p ro ject

.

3 Reeb a a Co n s tr

. Co

. v. Ch o n g

, 2 8 3 Ga. 2 2 2

, 2 23 (1 ) (6 5 7 SE2 d 8 2 6 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

5“ Th e l aw do es n o t fav o r d es t ro y in g co nt ract s o n th e b as i s o f u ncert ai n t y , an d

a co nt ract t h at m ay o ri g i nal l y h av e b een i n d efi n i t e m ay l at er acq u i re m ore p reci s i o n

an d b eco m e en fo rceab le b ecau s e o f t h e su b seq u en t wo rd s o r act i on s of th e p art i es

. ” 4

Bas ed o n W o o d’ s t es t i m o ny

, t he ju ry was au t h o ri zed t o co n cl u d e t h at t h e p art i es h ad

an o n g o i n g a g r e em en t fo r W o o d t o perfo rm wo rk at H am ler’ s h o m e, t h at t h ey

u l t i m at el y

ag reed t o t h e sco p e o f wo rk t o b e p erfo rm ed

, as wel l as i t s co s t

, an d t h at

t i m i ng was n o t an es sen ti al el em en t o f t h e ag reem en t

. 5

We reco g n i ze t h at Ham l er d en i ed g i vi n g hi s ap p ro v al fo r t h e wo rk

, an d h e

t es t i fi ed t h at h e h ad ex p ect ed p ro ject co m p l et i o n wi t h i n a s p eci fi ed t i m e fram e. Bu t

“ [t ] h e fact t h at t h e pl ai n t iff an d t h e d e f en d an t d i ffered i n t h ei r t es t i m o n y as t o t h e

t erm s o f t h e co n t ract i s n o t s u ffi ci en t t o s h ow t h at t h ei r m i n ds h ad nev er m et

, b ut

s i m p l y rai s ed a co nfl ict i n t h e ev i d en ce as t o wh at was t h e co n t r a c t b et ween t h e

p art i es .” 6 Gi v en t h es e co n fl i ct s

, t h e ev i d en ce d id n ot d em an d a p art i cu l ar verd i ct o n

4 Id . (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i on o m i t t ed ).

5 See Pea ce v

. Do mi n

y Ho l di n g

s

, 2 51 G a. A p p

. 65 4

, 65 5 -6 5 6 (1 ) (5 5 4 SE2 d

3 1 4 ) (2 0 0 1 ) (“ Th e req u i rem en t o f cert ai n t y [i n a co n tract ] ex t en d s n o t o n l y t o t h e

s u b ject m at t er an d p u rp o s e of t h e co n t ract

, b ut al s o t o th e p art ies

, co ns i d erat i o n

, an d

ev en t h e t i m e an d p l ace o f p erfo rm a n c e w h e re t i me a n d pl a ce a r e es s en t i a l

. ”)

(p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s s up p li ed ).

6 Lo f t y , s u p ra (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

6t h e b reach o f co n tract al l eg at i o n s

. 7 Ham ler, t h erefo re, was n o t en t it l ed t o a d i rect ed

v erd i ct o n t h i s cl ai m

. 8

(b ) Qu a nt u m M

e r u i t

. Ham l er fu rt h er arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt s h o u l d h av e

d i rect ed a v er d i c t fo r h i m o n W o o d’ s q u an t um m eru i t cl ai m b ecau s e W o o d o ffered

i n s u ffi ci en t ev i den ce reg ard i n g t h e reas o n ab l e v al u e o f h e r s erv i ces

. “ Pro o f o f t h e

reas on ab l e v al u e o f s erv i ces ren d ered t o an d accep t ed b y a d efen d an t i s an el em en t

es s en t i al t o reco v ery o n a q uan t u m m eru i t b as is .” 9 Th e k ey i n q u i ry “ i s n ot t h e v al u e

o f t h e lab o r b u t t h e v al u e o f t h e b en efi t res u l t in g fro m s u ch l ab o r to t h e reci p i en t ; i f

7 See i d . at 9 6 -9 7 (1 ).

8 See Reeb a a Co n s t r

. Co

. , s u p ra at 22 3 -2 2 4 (1 ) (h o m eo wn er n o t e n t i t l ed to

d i rect ed v erd i ct o n co n t ract or’ s b reach o f co n t ract cl ai m wh ere at l eas t s om e ev i d en ce

s h owed t h at h o m eo wn er ag reed t o co s t o f ren o v at i o n s

, i n cl u d i n g pri ce i n crea s e

res u l ti n g fro m ch an g e o rd ers ); Lo f t y

, s u p ra at 9 6 (1 ) (“ Becau se [p l ai nt i ff] p res en t ed

ev i d en ce t h at t h ere was a m eet i n g o f t h e m i n d s

. . . , t h e p art i es ’ d i s ag reem en t ab o ut

t h e preci s e co nt ract t erm s co ns t i t u t es a g en u i n e i s s ue o f m at eri al fact fo r t h e ju ry .”);

Da n f a i r P r o per ti es v. Bo wen , 2 2 2 Ga. Ap p. 4 2 5, 4 2 6 (4 7 4 SE2 d 2 9 5 ) (1 9 9 6 ) (“ Th e

fact t h at [a p art y ] co n t es t ed wh et h er t h ere w a s a m e e t i n g o f t h e m i n d s o n t h e t erm s

o f t h e [ag reem en t ] req u i red t h at t h e i s s u e b e p res en t ed t o t h e ju r y

. ” ) ( c i t at i o n

o m it t ed ).

9 Di eg er t v. Ced

a r br o ok Ho mes

, 26 7 G a. Ap p

. 2 6 4

, 2 6 5 (5 9 9 SE2 d 2 1 1 ) (2 0 0 4 )

(p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

7t h ere i s n o b en efi t t o t h e reci p i en t

, t h en t h ere i s n o reco v ery fo r so m et h i n g o f n o v al u e

t o t he reci p i en t .” 1 0

W i t h res p ect t o v al u e, W o o d o ffered ev i de n ce o f t h e m as t er i n v o i ce, wh i ch

d et ai led t h e co s t o f wo rk ap p ro v ed b y Ham l er, as wel l as t es ti m o n y reg ard i n g t h e

h o u rs s h e s p en t o n t h e p ro ject an d t h ei r ag reed -u po n h o url y rat e. Sh e ex pl ai n ed t h e

b al an ce du e o n Ham l er’ s acco u n t

. M o reo v er, s h e as s ert ed t h at Ham l er n ev er

q u es ti o n ed t h e t i m e s h e b i l l ed t o t h e p ro ject

, d i d no t rai s e m o s t o f h i s co m p l ai n t s

ab o ut t h e wo rk m an sh i p un t i l “ [y ] ears l at er,” 1 1 as ked h er to co nt i n ue wo rk i n g fo r h i m

,

an d p ro m i s e d t o pay h er. Becau s e s u ch ev i d en ce au t h ori zed t he j u ry t o v al u e t h e

b en efi t of W o o d’ s s erv i ces

, t h e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y d en ied Ham l er’ s m o t i o n fo r

d i rect ed v erd i ct as t o q u an t u m m eru i t

. 1 2

1 0 Id . (fo o tn o t e o m i t t ed ).

1 1 I n c o nn ect i o n wi t h th i s l aws ui t

, Ham l er fi l ed an affi d av i t i n 20 1 4 rai s i n g

s ev er a l c o m

p l ai n ts ab o ut th e ren o v at i o n s

, i n cl u di n g al l eg at i o n s t h at th e m arb l e

fl oo ri n g was no t p ro p erl y gro u t ed

, t h at t he s tai n l e s s s t eel i sl an d i n s t al l ed i n t h e

k i t ch en was s crat c h ed

, an d t h at v ari o u s li g h t i n g el em en t s di d no t wo rk

. W o o d

t es t i fi ed

, h o wev er, th at s h e h ad n o n o t i ce o f th es e al l eg ed p ro b lem s b efo re t h e

l i ti g at i o n

.

1 2 See Ams t ea d v. McFa r l a n d

, 2 87 Ga. Ap p

. 1 35

, 1 3 7-1 3 8 (1 ) (6 50 SE2 d 7 3 7 )

(2 0 0 7) (at t o rn ey ’ s ev i d en ce reg ard in g t h e reas o n ab l e v al ue o f h is s erv i ces s u p p o rt ed

award o f q u an t u m m eru i t ag ai n s t fo rm er cl i en t); Ra z avi v. S h a ckel f o r d

, 2 6 0 Ga. Ap p.

6 0 3

, 6 06 (2 ) (5 8 0 S E 2 d 2 5 3 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (g i ven ev i d en ce reg ard i n g wo rk th at cl ai m an t

82

. Fi n al l y

, Ham l er co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n ex cl ud i n g h i s t es t i m o ny

t h at s ev eral p i eces o f v al u ab l e jewel ry di s ap p eared wh i le W o o d o v ers aw wo rk at h i s

h o m e. “ A t ri al co u rt ret ai n s b ro ad d i s cret i o n i n d et erm i n i n g wh et her t o ad m i t o r

ex cl u d e ev i d en ce, an d ab s en t an ab u s e of d i s cret io n, we wi l l n o t i n t erfere wi t h a t ri al

co u rt ’ s d et erm i n at i on as t o t h e ad m i s s i o n o r ex cl u si o n o f ev i d en ce o n th e g ro u n d s o f

rel ev an cy .” 1 3

W e fi n d n o ab u s e of di scret i o n h ere. A cco rd i n g t o Ham l er, ev i d en ce reg ard i n g

t h e lo s t jewel ry was rel ev an t t o h is v al u at i o n o f Wo o d ’s serv i ces fo r p urp o s es o f

q u an tu m m eru i t

. He t h u s arg u es t h at “ t he t ri al co urt un d u l y res t ri ct ed [h i s ] t es t i m o n y ”

reg ard i n g t h i s cl ai m

. Qu an t u m m eru i t

, h o w ev er, i s an eq ui t ab l e do ct ri n e “ b as ed o n

t h e co n cep t t h at n o o n e wh o ben efi t s fro m t h e lab o r an d m at eri al s o f an o t h er s h o u ld

b e u n ju s t ly en ri ch ed th ereb y .” 1 4 Ul t i m at el y

, t h e fact -fi nd er m u s t d et erm i n e t he ex t en t

t o w h i ch a p art y recei vi n g m at eri al s o r s erv i ces b en efi t t ed fro m t h o s e m at eri al s o r

p erfo rm ed fo r d efen d an t

, “ [w] h et h er [d efen d an t ] recei v ed a b en efi t fro m [cl ai m an t ’ s ]

wo rk an d t h e v al u e o f th at wo rk [were] i s s ues ex cl u s iv el y wi t h i n t h e p ro v i n ce o f t h e

ju ry t o d eci d e”).

1 3 Res o u r ce Li

fe In s

. Co

. v. Bu ckn er

, 3 04 Ga. Ap p

. 7 1 9

, 7 3 9 (6 ) (6 9 8 SE2 d 1 9 )

(2 0 1 0) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

1 4 Mema r v. Jeb ra ei l l i , 3 0 3 Ga. Ap p . 5 57 , 5 6 0 (1 ) (6 9 4 SE2 d 1 7 2 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

9s erv i ces

. 1 5 W e fai l t o s ee h o w W oo d ’ s al l eg ed fai l u re t o ov ers ee o r sa feg u ard

Ham l er’ s jewel ry p ert ai n ed t o t h e reas o n ab le v al u e o f d es ig n s erv i ces act u al l y

p ro v id ed t o –

an d accep t ed b y

– Ham ler. 1 6

Ev i d en ce reg ard i n g jewel ry l os t d uri n g t h e ren o vat i o n wo rk mi g ht h av e b een

rel ev an t t o s om e o t h er cl ai m

. On ap p eal

, h o wev er, Ham l er as s ert s o n ly t h at i t s h o u ld

h av e b een ad m i t t ed fo r p u rp o s es o f q u an tu m m eru it v al u at i on ; h e d o es n o t co n t en d

t h at i t was ad m i s s ib l e t o p ro v e o r d efen d ag ai n st an o t h er cl ai m

. Acco rd i ng l y

, h e h as

n o t s h o wn t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s d i s cret i o n i n ex cl u d i n g t h e ev i d en ce. 1 7

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Di l l ar d

a n d Pet er s o n , JJ., co ncu r

.

1 5 See W a l l i n v. W a l l i n , 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p . 4 55 , 4 5 6 (1 ) (7 2 9 SE2 d 5 6 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

1 6 See i d

.

1 7 See Ter r el l v. Pi

p p a r t

, 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p. 4 8 3

, 4 8 7 (3 ) (7 24 SE2 d 8 0 2 ) ( 2 0 1 2 )

(t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n ex cl u d i n g t es t i m o ny in q uan t u m m eru i t act i o n t h at was “ n ot

rel ev an t t o t h e reas o n ab l e v al u e o f t h e wo rk p erfo rm ed ”).

10