Opinion ID: 162593
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Voice Mail Message

Text: 34 In April 1994, Mr. Palmeri of Novell left a voice mail message for Mr. Thoillier. In relevant part, it stated: 35 I had a meeting with Tom Pesut yesterday and Jim Sullivan, who is the director of channel sales and they want to terminate the relationship between the companies. I want to let you know. Leave me a voice mail and let me know that you did get in fact this message, I don't want you to be surprised when the letter comes from our legal. OK? I'll try to give you a ring back again but it is just gonna be a lit [sic] tough to reach for the next couple of days. 36 Lantec and Lantec Brazil argue this message could reasonably be viewed as an anticipatory repudiation of the Original Equipment Manufacturer Agreements. 37 A repudiation occurs when a party to a contract makes an overt communication of intention or an action which renders performance impossible or demonstrates a clear determination not to continue with performance. Uniform Commercial Code § 2-610 cmt. 1 (1989). [T]o constitute a repudiation, a party's language must be sufficiently positive to be reasonably interpreted to mean that the party will not perform. Scott v. Majors, 980 P.2d 214, 218 (Utah Ct.App.1999) (quotation marks and alterations omitted). See also Utah Code Ann. § 70A-2-610. Mere expression of doubt as to [a party's] willingness or ability to perform is not enough to constitute a repudiation. Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 250 cmt. b (1979). Anticipatory repudiation requires more than statements revealing a party does not want to perform the contract or has misgivings about the contract. Hurwitz v. David K. Richards & Co., 20 Utah 2d 232, 436 P.2d 794, 795-96 (1968). 38 Viewing Mr. Palmeri's voice message in the light most favorable to Lantec and Lantec Brazil, we conclude the message was not definite enough to serve as an anticipatory repudiation. The message only states two Novell executives wanted to terminate Novell's relationship with the Lantec companies. Nowhere in the message does it state Novell would not perform its duties under the Original Equipment Manufacturer Agreements.