Opinion ID: 283164
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Contract Indemnity

Text: 13 As Appellant's brief notes (at p. 12), his amended third-party complaint sought indemnification    on the theory that the Government impliedly contracted in the leasing agreement to maintain the premises in a safe manner. This effort to seek indemnity on the basis of consensual obligation is in harmony with the exclusivity provision of the FECA. Ryan Stevedoring Co. v. Pan-Atlantic Steamship Corp., 350 U.S. 124, 76 S.Ct. 232, 100 L.Ed. 133 (1956). But that contract action runs into the provision of the Tucker Act which limits the District Court's jurisdiction to claims not exceeding $10,000 in amount, founded    upon any express or implied contract with the United States. 15 Appellant's brief says it is possible for a verdict to be rendered for less than $10,000, but since there obviously was and is no intent to limit the indemnity claim to this amount, this is without significance. The contract indemnity claim was properly dismissed by the District Court as beyond its jurisdiction. 14 Appellant properly points out that this ruling encumbers the judicial system with the disadvantage of two lawsuits. The problem is particularly aggravated by the circumstance that the extent of the government's factual responsibility will be litigated, in a sense, in the District Court, as a reason for invoking Martello, and again in the Court of Claims. Modern judicial administration strongly favors disposition of related claims in a single action. Where there is no jurisdictional barrier, the courts have shown flexibility and inventiveness in furtherance of this objective. 16 We see no way, however, to clear the jurisdictional hurdle of the Tucker Act. 15 Pending legislative attention to this problem, hardship and exasperation can perhaps be mitigated by the lessor's calling on the government to participate in the District Court action, and requesting the Court of Claims for protective rulings obviating duplicative testimony and litigation.