Opinion ID: 2226194
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: meaning of the term march delivery

Text: The elevator argues that the term March Delivery, as used in the contract, was not intended as a date of delivery but that it referred only to the price that Svihovec would be paid if he held the grain until March 1973. The elevator contends that delivery of the grain could be demanded by the elevator at any time after the month of March when there was space available in the elevator. Svihovec, however, argues that at the time he made the sale agreement, he contracted for a March delivery. He insists that not only was time of the essence of the grain contract, but that the entire contract was premised upon the time for delivery. The testimony of Svihovec indicates that he entered into the contract with the elevator with the intention of delivering to the elevator the contents of one particular bin of grain which was subject to a Government loan. Svihovec testified that this fact was communicated to Munch at the time of the agreement. It was important to Svihovec to have a certain market for his Government wheat because he would need funds with which to pay off the Government lien on the grain. Other testimony indicates that the March delivery was of essential importance to the seller at the time of the contract: March was the month when he would have had time to haul the wheat from the farm to the elevator before the beginning of spring work; furthermore, the grain bin was needed for storage of the anticipated 1973 crop. It may be worth noting that although Svihovec had been dealing with Mott Equity Elevator for a number of years, this contract represents the first time he had agreed to sell grain under contract for future delivery. Formerly, all his grain sales had been on a cash basis. The elevator contends that time was not of the essence of the contract and that Svihovec's willingness to deliver the grain even as late as the month of May was a waiver of any requirement that delivery be accepted in March. Where the contract does not expressly provide that time is of the essence, it is a question of fact to be determined by the trier of fact. Nelson v. Glasoe, supra, 231 N.W.2d at 768; Farmers Elevator Co. v. David, supra , syllabus ¶ 4, 234 N.W.2d at 28; Sec. 9-07-23, N.D.C.C. In the case at bar, the trial court found that the parties intended time to be of the essence at the time the contract was made. The trial judge, in his memorandum decision, stated: In view of the construction which our court has placed on similar contracts, it must be held that the contract as entered into by the parties required a March delivery by the Defendant and a March, 1973 acceptance of the grain by the Plaintiff corporation. It is not susceptible of any other interpretation. In so holding, the trial court relied on the recent announcement of this court in Farmers Union Grain Terminal Assn. v. Nelson, 223 N.W.2d 494, 497 (N.D.1974): A contract is construed most strongly against the party who prepared it, and who presumably looked out for his best interests in the process. We hold that the trial court was within its discretion in finding that under the circumstances of this case the parties agreed to a delivery in March, and not later. Whether the parties by their conduct waived the March delivery date is a separate issue.