Opinion ID: 779029
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Diced Almonds Contract

Text: 32 Both parties appeal the district court's calculation of damages on the diced almonds contracts. We review disputes over the actual amount of damages awarded for an abuse of discretion. See FTC v. Febre, 128 F.3d 530, 534 (7th Cir.1997). The bankruptcy court concluded that HD could subtract one 90,000 pound order of diced almonds from SNA's damages calculation because SNA's outside broker, Rich, had told HD that SNA was temporarily unable to fulfill the diced almonds contract. Subsequently, the district court rejected the bankruptcy court's proposed finding and concluded that HD was excused from performing on the diced almonds contract through June 1994, because until June, no one had communicated to HD that SNA could resume fulfilling its obligations. Based on a letter written by Reider in June 1994, the district court concluded that HD had purchased 218,000 pounds of diced almonds from alternative sources. Thus, the district court determined that HD could reduce its total obligation under the almonds contract by 218,000 pounds, and consequently, it reduced SNA's damages award accordingly. 33 On appeal, SNA argues that the district court clearly erred when it found that SNA failed to inform HD that it could resume supplying almonds until June 1994. We agree. In fact, the record contains memoranda between Rich and Reider, which clearly reveal that SNA could resume supplying HD with almonds as early as late March 1994. Thus, we modify the district court's finding with respect to the reduction in the diced-almonds contract to be consistent with the proposed findings of the bankruptcy court and will modify the judgment to provide that HD is liable to SNA for damages in the amount of $379,532.79 for its breach of the diced-almonds contract.