Opinion ID: 2281968
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Renaissance's Claims for Breach of Implied Warranty

Text: Renaissance was not in privity with Great Plainswhich sold the T1055 to Crushbut attempts to bring suit under the proposition that implied warranties extend to remote purchasers. Under Missouri law, a remote purchaser may bring suit against the manufacturer for breach of implied warranties. See Collegiate Enterprises, Inc. v. Otis Elevator Co., 650 F.Supp. 116, 118 (E.D.Mo.1986); Morrow v. Caloric Appliance Corp., 372 S.W.2d 41, 55 (Mo. banc 1963); Ragland Mills, Inc. v. General Motors Corp., 763 S.W.2d 357, 360 (Mo.App.1989); Groppel Co., Inc. v. U.S. Gypsum Co., 616 S.W.2d 49, 58 (Mo.App. 1981). However, Missouri law does not permit a subsequent or second-hand purchaser to sue the seller in the original saleto which the subsequent purchaser was not a party for breach of implied warranty. An implied warranty arises by operation of law and must be applied in a reasonable sense. Horner v. David Distributing Co., 599 S.W.2d 100, 103 (Mo. App.1980). Warranties are implied for each transaction according to the presumed intention of the parties. Id. at 102. In this case, it could only be implied that Great Plains would warrant the T1055 to be fit for its ordinary or particular purpose at the time of its sale to Crush. The dealer would be incapable of warranting its fitness at the time of its subsequent sale to an unrelated party not in existence when Great Plains executed the sales contract with Crush. It would be unreasonable to imply a warranty under this scenario. Any claim that Renaissance has for breach of implied warranty would be against Crush, the immediate party from which it purchased or received the T1055, not against Great Plains. See Worthey v. Specialty Foam Products, Inc., 591 S.W.2d 145, 148 (Mo.App.1979) (a claim for breach of the implied warranty of merchantability may be brought against the seller of a used truck). The company's implied warranty claims against Great Plains fail as a matter of law.