Opinion ID: 77005
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Judgment as a Matter of Law was proper on state law claims.

Text: 39 The Londons claimed that Fieldale breached the broiler contracts by providing poor quality and sick birds, failing to weigh the chickens accurately, and failing to provide sufficient medication and vaccinations for the flocks. The Londons did not support their claim with any reference to a specific contract provision that they allege Fieldale breached. At the close of the Londons' case, the district court granted Fieldale's motion for judgment as a matter of law on the breach of contract claim. The district court did not err in so ruling. The broiler contracts only obligated Fieldale to provide to the grower the necessary feed, vaccines, medications, and boot wash supplies for raising the birds to processing age. [Plaintiff's Ex. 36]. Contrary to the Londons' assertion, Fieldale did not have a specific contractual duty to vaccinate the birds for gumboro prior to delivery. In sum, as the district court found, the Londons did not present any evidence to support their breach of contract claim. [R. Vol. 8 p. 468]. 40 The Londons alleged that Fieldale supplied them with settlement statements that Fieldale knew to be false, and they relied on those statements in accepting the sums Fieldale paid for the broilers. The Londons claimed they were damaged as a result of their reliance on these false settlement statements. At the close of the Londons' case, the district court granted Fieldale's motion for judgment as a matter of law on the Londons' fraud claim. The district court correctly found that there was no evidence of an affirmative act or injury to support the Londons' fraud claim. Furthermore, the Londons proffered no evidence from which a jury could calculate any alleged loss with reasonable certainty. See Brooks v. Dime Saving Bank of New York, 217 Ga.App. 441, 457 S.E.2d 706, 708 (1995) (stating that a plaintiff must show that he has been damaged and he must establish the amount of [his] damages by providing the factfinder with evidence from which it can calculate the amount of loss with reasonable certainty). Accordingly, the district court properly granted Fieldale's motion for judgment as a matter of law on the Londons' state law breach of contract and fraud claims. 41