Opinion ID: 2318897
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Enforceability of Change Orders

Text: Contrary to our holding in Marshall I, Brown attempted to convince the trial justice that change orders it approved and signed were enforceable as mini-contracts. Brown's theory, which it properly preserved, is based on the doctrine of accord and satisfaction. The doctrine of accord and satisfaction provides that when two parties agree to give and accept something in satisfaction of a right of action which one has against the other, and that agreement is performed, the right of action is subsequently extinguished. See Lamoureaux v. Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Co., 751 A.2d 1290, 1293 (R.I. 2000) (citing Kottis v. Cerilli, 612 A.2d 661, 664 (R.I.1992)). The doctrine of accord and satisfaction does not work to transform the change orders at issue into mini-contracts because of the absence of an original written agreement. A change order is a modification or an amendment to an original agreement. In this case, Marshall I makes clear that there is no enforceable original written agreement. Therefore, we refuse to give credit to Brown's argument, which would effectively bind the parties to an amendment made to a nonexistent agreement. Therefore, the trial justice properly declined to require the jury to consider the individual change orders as binding mini-contracts.