Opinion ID: 600386
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Lippert Individually

Text: 18 The last alternative alleged by Velten is that the oral agreement to give him a one-third ownership interest in Intercat was between him as one party and Lippert in his individual capacity as the other. It is clear that the April 22, 1986 written consulting agreement was between Velten and Intercat. 6 Velten contends that, if the oral agreement is between him and Lippert individually, evidence of its existence would not be barred by the written consulting agreement between him and Intercat because the two agreements would involve different parties. The district court did not consider the possibility that the oral agreement was between Velten and Lippert individually. Prof. Williston has stated: 19 [I]t does not follow from the parol evidence rule that the written contract between A and B, which is conclusive as to them, must be of necessity so, as to the proof of any rights or claims of A against C merely because they grow out of the same business,.... 20 4 Samuel Williston and Walter H.E. Jaeger, Williston on Contracts § 647, at 1159 (3d ed. 1961) (quoting Evans v. Wells, 22 Wend. 324, 345 (N.Y.1839) (opinion of Sen. Verplanck)). New Jersey follows this rule. In Shreve v. Crosby, 72 N.J.L. 491, 63 A. 333 (N.J.1906), the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals held that [t]he rule that parol evidence will not be admitted to vary the terms of a written contract does not apply ... as between a party and a stranger. Id. at 337 (citations omitted); see also Halliwell v. Trans-States Finance Corp., 118 A. 837, 838 (N.J.1922); Brown v. Honiss, 74 N.J.L. 501, 68 A. 150, 158 (N.J.1907); Tide Water Associated Oil Co. v. Hamlen, 56 A.2d 722, 725 (N.J.Ch.1948). The written consulting agreement between Velten and Intercat does not prevent Velten from showing evidence of a prior oral agreement between him and Lippert individually. We therefore reverse the district court's grant of summary judgment on Velten's claim for breach of an oral agreement by Lippert individually.