Opinion ID: 1697383
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the trial court erred in granting the state's subsequent motion for summary judgment as to whether the state was entitled to recover from evan johnson liquidated damages and the costs to complete the contract.

Text: ¶ 28. Johnson claims the grant of summary judgment in favor of the State regarding the counterclaim for liquidated damages was improper. Johnson argues because the State's termination of the contract was wrongful, this claim must also fail. Johnson also claims there are fact issues as to the reasonable cost to complete the contract which would also make summary judgment inappropriate. ¶ 29. The State argues the award of liquidated damages is specifically authorized by the express terms of the contract. Paragraph 5 of the government construction contract between the parties explicitly and expressly provides for the termination and award of contractual liquidated damages against the contractor for such delay-default: 5. TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT-DAMAGES OR DELAY-TIME EXTENSIONS  a. If the contractor refuses or fails to prosecute the work, or any separable part thereof, with such diligence as will insure its completion within the time specified in this contract, or any extension thereof, or fails to complete said work within such time, the State may, by written notice to the contractor, terminate his right to proceed with the work or such part of the work as to which there has been delay. In such event the State may take over the work and prosecute the same to completion, by contract or otherwise, and the contractor and his sureties shall be liable to the State for ... liquidated damages for delay, as fixed in the specifications or accompanying papers, until such reasonable time as may be required for the final completion of the work.... Paragraph 108 of the contract between the parties expressly sets the contractual rate of liquidated damages for delay. It provides: 108. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES -In case of failure on the part of the contractor to complete the work within the time fixed in the contract or any extensions thereof, the contractor shall pay to the State as liquidated damages, pursuant to the Clause of this contract entitled TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT-DAMAGES OR DELAY-TIME EXTENSIONS, the sum of $ 231.81 for each day of delay. (emphasis in original). ¶ 30. The trial court found that the completion date for Johnson was May 8, 1997, and the replacement contractor successfully completed the roof on October 6, 1998. At the contractually specified rate of $231.81 per day, the 514 days of delay equals $119,150.34 in liquidated damages. ¶ 31. Johnson cites only one case as authority for its argument that the trial court incorrectly granted summary judgment as to the amount of damages, Miss. Transp. Comm'n v. SCI, Inc., 717 So.2d 332 (Miss.1998). However, SCI is completely distinguishable from this case. SCI did not involve a specific contractual provision setting out liquidated damages for each day of delay as did the State's contract with Johnson. SCI also did not involve uncontroverted facts as to the scheduled completion date and the actual day of completion. ¶ 32. Johnson never contested the method of calculation of liquidated damages. Through the documents submitted in response to the State's motion for summary judgment, Johnson only sought to relitigate the trial court's previous order dismissing its complaint against the State and Tompkins for negligence and defective design. ¶ 33. The contract is clear as to the per-day amount of liquidated damages. Johnson provided no genuine issue of material fact to rebut the State's evidence. Therefore, we find that the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of the State as to liquidated damages was proper.