Opinion ID: 4566612
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: The buyers of a business pursuant to a written purchase agreement sued the sellers and their agents on various contract and tort theories, and the sellers counterclaimed for amounts owing under promissory notes. From a dismissal under Neb. Ct. R. Pldg. § 6-1112(b)(6) of the agents and a summary - 220 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 306 Nebraska Reports NATHAN v. McDERMOTT Cite as 306 Neb. 216 judgment for the sellers, the buyers appeal. The sellers crossappeal the denial of attorney fees. We resolve three broad issues. First, because the agreement’s indemnification clause—particularly, the word “aware”—was unambiguous and the misrepresentation claim arose from identical facts, undisputed facts supported the summary judgments for the sellers. Second, where the complaint admitted the agency relationship with the sellers, the agreement incorporated in the buyers’ complaint disclaimed reliance on the agents’ representations, and the complaint lacked an allegation of action beyond the scope of the relationship, the complaint stated no claim against the agents. Third, the trial court, resolving doubt of the buyers’ legal positions in their favor, did not abuse its discretion in denying attorney fees to the sellers. We affirm the judgment below.