Opinion ID: 2084881
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Controlling Legal Principles

Text: A release is a contractual agreement, and the various principles of the law of contracts govern the judicial approach to a controversy concerning the meaning of a particular release. See Lennon v. MacGregor, 423 A.2d 820, 822 (R.I.1980); see also Julian v. Zayre Corp., 120 R.I. 494, 498, 388 A.2d 813, 815 (1978); Ratzlaff v. Seven Bar Flying Service, Inc., 98 N.M. 159, 646 P.2d 586, 589 (Ct.App.1982) (Releases, being contractual in nature, are governed by the laws of contracts generally   .). Whether a particular contract is or is not ambiguous is a question of law. Gorman v. Gorman, 883 A.2d 732, 738 n. 8 (R.I.2005) (It is a fundamental principle of contract law that the existence of ambiguity vel non in a contract is an issue of law to be determined by the court.); see also Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v. Dufault, 958 A.2d 620, 625 (R.I.2008); National Refrigeration, Inc. v. Standen Contracting Co., 942 A.2d 968, 971 (R.I.2008); Rotelli v. Catanzaro, 686 A.2d 91, 94 (R.I. 1996) (Whether the terms of a contract are clear and unambiguous is itself a question of law   .). [6] Accordingly, a trial court's ruling as to that issue is reviewed by this Court on a de novo basis. Zarrella v. Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Co., 824 A.2d 1249, 1259 (R.I.2003) ([T]his Court reviews the trial justice's interpretation of contracts de novo. ). When a contract is determined to be clear and unambiguous, then the meaning of its terms constitute a question of law for the court   . Cassidy v. Springfield Life Insurance Co., 106 R.I. 615, 619, 262 A.2d 378, 380 (1970); see also Clark-Fitzpatrick, Inc./Franki Foundation Co. v. Gill, 652 A.2d 440, 443 (R.I. 1994). [7] In determining whether or not a particular contract is ambiguous, the court should read the contract in its entirety, giving words their plain, ordinary, and usual meaning. Mallane v. Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company in Salem, 658 A.2d 18, 20 (R.I.1995); see Cerilli v. Newport Offshore, Ltd., 612 A.2d 35, 37-38 (R.I.1992) (Unless plain and unambiguous intent to the contrary is manifested, words used in contract language are assigned their ordinary meaning.). And, while carrying out this task, the court should refrain from engaging in mental gymnastics or from stretching the imagination to read ambiguity    where none is present. Mallane, 658 A.2d at 20; see also Lynch, 965 A.2d at 425; Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. v. Sullivan, 633 A.2d 684, 686 (R.I. 1993); Mullins v. Federal Dairy Co., 568 A.2d 759, 762 (R.I.1990); McGowan v. Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., 110 R.I. 17, 19, 289 A.2d 428, 429 (1972).