Court Opinion

ID: 9527187
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:28:11.257359+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:36.532560
License: Public Domain

FRIEDLANDER, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part
I fully concur with the majority’s resolution of all of the issues presented by the parties. I respectfully dissent, however, from the majority’s determination in the concluding paragraph of the opinion that Wallem is entitled to damages under the equitable theory of quantum meruit. I discern no basis upon which to invoke our equitable powers.
I recognize that courts have full discretion to fashion equitable remedies that are complete and fair to all parties involved. See Shell Oil Co. v. Meyer, 684 N.E.2d 504 (Ind.Ct.App.1997), aff'd in this respect, rev’d on other grounds, 705 N.E.2d 962 (Ind.1998). However, the jurisdiction of a court is limited by the pleadings before that court invoking that jurisdiction. New Life Comm. Church of God v. Adomatis, 672 N.E.2d 433 (Ind.Ct.App.1996). “The powers of a court of equity are limited to the cause of action and issues made by the pleadings.... Under a general prayer for relief, an equity court may not grant relief inconsistent with the pleadings and trial theory and repugnant to the specific prayer for relief.” Id. at 438 (quoting Kemp v. Woods, 363 Mo. 427, 434, 251 S.W.2d 684, 688 (1952)).
In the instant case, after examining the pleadings, I cannot perceive upon what basis this case sounds in equity. The complaint seeks: (Count I) punitive damages from CLS based upon an allegation of willful breach of the oral contract, (Count II) money damages from CLS based upon the allegation of simple breach of the oral contract (i.e., refusal to pay the bonus), (Count III) money damages from the Airport based upon an allegation that the Airport was informed of services provided by the plaintiff that it thereafter declined to pay plaintiff for those services, and (Count IV) money damages from CLS based upon an allegation that CLS wrongfully repudiated the oral contract with the plaintiff by refusing to pay the bonus. In my view, none of these counts assert claims sounding in equity.
In addition to the fact that Wallem did not request quantum meruit damages in the complaint, I note that Wallem did not address such damages in the proceedings before the trial court. Moreover, after reviewing the record, I am forced to conclude that the trial court did not consider quantum meruit damages. It is also sig*891nificant to me that neither party mentioned, much less briefed, the issue on appeal. Accordingly, I believe there is no basis for the majority’s exercise of the equitable powers of this court. I would not remand for a hearing on possible quantum meruit damages, but instead would affirm the trial court in all respects.