Court Opinion

ID: 9566302
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:36:22.592363+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:35:42.731869
License: Public Domain

ORDER ON PETITION FOR REHEARING
Aftér carefully considering the parties petitions for rehearing, we find it necessary to address certain points. Our Opinion No. 1522, filed July 2,1990 is modified in accordance with our disposition of points raised in the petitions.
I.
We found no error by the trial court in the addition of (1) Tai Fung Trading Co. of S.C., Inc., (2) United Trading Co., Inc., and (3) Fabrica De Flores Artificiais, Inc., as parties to this case. The addition of these companies as parties provided the opportunity to the Thompsons to prove their claim. However, our prior opinion did not clearly dispose of the issue of whether a judgment could be rendered against the companies. Upon review, we conclude no judgment may be rendered against them. The Thompsons sued for breach of contract. No motion was made to amend the pleadings during trial to assert any other cause of action. The companies were not parties to the contracts relied upon by the Thompsons. Since they were not parties to the contracts a judgment for breach of contract cannot be rendered against them.
II.
Our opinion held the Thompsons were not entitled to a minimum commission based upon forty containers per year. However, the master alternatively concluded the agreements provided for a commission of ten percent of gross sales. There is evidence to support this finding based upon the language in the July 8th agreement. The master found evidence of sales totaling $1,344,376.29. We affirmed the judg*293ment of the master as modified to reflect a commission based upon this sales figure.
Chan has asserted the computation of the master is in error. We have reviewed the record and conclude the amounts constituting (1) deposits to Mrs. Chan’s bank account, and (2) the gross income of Fabrica should not be included in the computation. The record does not support a finding that Fabrica made retail sales on which commissions would be due. The record also does not support a conclusion the deposits to Mrs. Chan’s account were related to sales of artificial flowers. Accordingly, we modify our opinion to reflect a gross sales figure of $556,038.59. The decision of the master is affirmed as modified and remanded for entry of judgment for the Thompsons in the amount of $55,603.85 (i.e. 10% of $556,038.59).
III.
We remanded the issue of the inventory held by Frances Stewart to the master because it was not clear to us from the record that the master had disposed of the matter. Chan has called our attention to a supplemental order of the master which found the inventory held by Stewart belonged to Chan. This finding was not appealed and is the law of the case. We modify our prior opinion to reflect this unappealed finding and remand this issue to the master for the purpose of ascertaining how these goods should be disposed of in light of the judgment and the claims of Stewart to any amount recovered by the Thompsons.
IV.
The Thompsons seek prejudgment interest and an additional sum as a commission in their petition for rehearing. The Thompsons neither sought nor were awarded prejudgment interest in the lower court. They may not now raise this issue. Similarly, we deny the request for an additional commission as the Thompsons did not assert this position before the master.
In conclusion, we deny the petitions for rehearing but modify our prior opinion to reflect the disposition of the matters raised in them. The decision of the master is affirmed as modified and remanded for entry of judgment for the Thompsons *294in the amount of $55,603.85 against Cheuk Wai Chan and Lisa Floral Import and Export Co., Inc.