Opinion ID: 2279622
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Affirmative Defenses of Waiver and Estoppel

Text: The Corporation alleges that Rycroft is precluded from pursuing the commission because he waived any right to the commission. Waiver and estoppel were asserted as affirmative defenses, and the Corporation asserts the circuit court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on waiver and estoppel. A party is entitled to a jury instruction when it is a correct statement of the law and when there is some basis in the evidence to support giving the instruction. Williams v. First Unum Life Ins. Co., 358 Ark. 224, 229, 188 S.W.3d 908, 911 (2004). Waiver is the voluntary abandonment or surrender by a capable person of a right known to him to exist, with the intent of forever depriving him of the benefits of the right, and it may occur when one, with full knowledge of the material facts, does something which is inconsistent with the right or his intention to rely upon it. City of Fort Smith v. McCutchen, 372 Ark. 541, 544, 279 S.W.3d 78, 81 (2008). The Corporation argues that once Rycroft asserted the right to a commission, and learned that it would not be paid, he waived any right to the commission by continuing in his at-will employment. Rycroft testified that he never gave up his right to the commission and remained with the Corporation because he had financial obligations to meet and had to work. At the time Rycroft complained in June 2005 of not receiving his commission check, any commission that was owed him was then due. Nothing in the record indicates that Rycroft waived his right to a commission already due. Further, according to Rycroft, McCourt made comments that caused Rycroft to believe the issue of the commissions might yet be addressed. Nothing shows that Rycroft abandoned his claim to commissions. There was no basis in the evidence to support an instruction to the jury on waiver and estoppel. Rycroft has filed a motion with this court requesting costs in the amount of $600 for work in abstracting material that the Corporation should have abstracted. That motion is granted. We affirm the award of $12,498.15 for commissions due Rycroft and reverse the judgment awarding penalties under Arkansas Code Annotated section 11-4-405. Affirmed in part; reversed in part. Motion for costs granted.