Court Opinion

ID: 9571277
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:30:26.908924+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:30:15.147966
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE DOYLE
specially concurring:
The statutes of Montana applicable to mechanics’ and materialmen’s liens as they presently appear in our codes are wholly inadequate for the protection of the home owner, who either remodels or purchases a home in good faith. R.C.M. 1947, §§ 45-501 to 45-512.
The history of these statutes can be found in Monarch Lumber Co. v. Haggard, 139 Mont. 105, 360 P.2d 794. These four cases were consolidated on appeal and decided April 7, 1961. The unanimous opinion decided a question of pleading. How*448ever, Mr. Justice Wesley Castles was compelled to accept our lien statutes as they are and had to state that “There is no provision in these statutes [mechanic and materialmen liens] whereby the materialman must file a notice with the homeowner, although section 45-502 provides that the lien must be filed with the county clerk of the county where the property is located.” (Emphasis supplied.)
A more aggravated factual situation is found in Holland Furnace Co. v. Rounds, 139 Mont. 75, 360 P.2d 412, 91 A.L.R.2d 340. The unanimous opinion was written by Mr. Chief Justice James T. Harrison and decided on March 16, 1961, by this court.
The facts are brief and poignant. The defendant, a widow of 67 years of age, maintained herself by operating a rooming house. In February the furnace, heating her home, ceased operating and her nine roomers demanded heat which they were paying for. It appears that the plaintiff Company told the defendant widow that an essential part of the furnace was irreparably damaged, and believing this statement, the widow then borrowed the sum of $468 to purchase and install the new unit. On trial the evidence disclosed two vital answers, (1) that the unit in question was NOT irreparably damaged, and (2) that the unit could have been repaired for $50 or $418 less than the amount of the lien filed against the widow’s property, without notice to her. This case is the exception to the rule, in that the jury found fraud, exonerated the widow from the claimed lien and this court sustained the verdict. The propriety of these liens are designed to protect and guarantee to the laborer, material supplier and honest contractor, payment of monies due him for labor, services, and material furnished in the construction as remodeling of a building or home. Seventy years ago this purpose was commendable as legalized larceny was not too prevalent in the hearts of some contractors and sub-contractors of that period.
However, in this day of high pressure promoters, our present *449law is entirely inadequate to legally protect the citizen who remodels or improves his home, in that he has no protection from the “clip” artist extant as a part of our present day life.
The present operation of our lien laws tends to change, for some unfortunates, their lives and fortunes as a dam which alters the course of a river beyond it, for the balance of the years of their lives, in that the innocent home owner is not afforded any protection from the dishonest, unscrupulous contractor, builder or repairman who uses as a legal shield, our existing lien statutes.
This opinion has as its purpose, the motive of directing the attention of our Legislature to this evil, which only they can correct as this court, although cognizant of these many frauds, is not empowered to invade the province of our legislative bodies. The desired protective device can be achieved by a short amendment to our existing law.
The instant cause is a classic example of a citizen who constructs a home and to his surprise and outrage, also buys one or more lawsuits that he does not want and frequently finds financial embarrassment in paying for lawyers and court costs to defend.
The legislature of this state should promptly enact a statute that would make it mandatory for any contractor who furnishes work, labor or material in the building or repairing of any structure to, as a condition precedent, provide an acceptable surety bond which would, among other things, provide for the full payment of all materials, work and labor used or furnished to the structure by either the contractor or any subcontractors engaged in the work of building or repairing of the structure, or furnishing materials therefor.
Montana has long been a mecca for out of state “quick buck” promoters of everything from roof trees to lightning rods, at an astronomical price for shoddy, inferior materials and craftsmanship that descends to the nadir of competent work and skill.
*450Unless the average home owner is protected against this species of legalized bandits, devoid of even a gun or horse our gullible citizens will continue to be financial victims of one or more liens, acquired when building, buying or repairing a home.
The new lien law should be highly remedial in character, liberally construed to protect the unwary and provide for costs and attorney’s fees from the surety bond, when a violation occurs.