Court Opinion

ID: 9779520
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 22:05:03.140872+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:26.058876
License: Public Domain

CORNELIUS, Chief Justice,
concurring.
I concur in the majority opinion, but write separately to emphasize what I believe to be the distinction between tort and contract actions in cases such as this, and why in the narrow and peculiar circumstances of this case the action in tort is permissible.
The distinction is between nonfeasance and misfeasance. The complete failure to 'perform a contract is only a breach of contract, and is not a tort unless the duty imposed by the contract is one which is also imposed by law. International Printing Pressmen and Assistants’ Union v. Smith, 145 Tex. 399, 198 S.W.2d 729 (1946); W. Keeton, Prosser and Keeton on the Law of Torts § 92, at 655-61 (5th ed. 1984). The negligent performance of a contract, however, can be a tort as well as a breach of contract. Accompanying every contract is a common law duty to perform the act agreed upon with care, skill and faithfulness, and a negligent failure to observe any of those conditions is a tort as well as a breach of contract. Coulson v. Lake L.B. J. Municipal Utility District, 734 S.W.2d 649 (Tex.1987); Montgomery Ward & Co. v. Scharrenbeck, 146 Tex. 153, 204 S.W.2d 508 (1947); Texas Power & Light Co. v. Barnhill, 639 S.W.2d 331 (Tex.App.— Texarkana 1982, writ ref d n.r.e.); Compton v. Polonski, 567 S.W.2d 835 (Tex.Civ.App.— Corpus Christi 1978, no writ); Davis v. Anderson, 501 S.W.2d 459 (Tex.Civ.App.— Texarkana 1973, no writ); H.M.R. Construction Co. v. Wolco of Houston, Inc., 422 S.W.2d 214 (Tex.Civ.App.— Houston [14th Dist.] 1967, writ ref’d n.r.e.); Westbrook v. Watts, 268 S.W.2d 694 (Tex.Civ. App.— Waco 1954, writ ref’d n.r.e.); Panhandle Gravel Co. v. Wilson, 248 S.W.2d 779 (Tex.Civ.App.— Amarillo 1952, writ ref’d n.r.e.); W. Keeton, Prosser and Keeton on the Law of Torts § 92, at 655-61 (5th ed. 1984). As said by Prosser, “the American courts have extended the tort liability for misfeasance to virtually every type of contract where defective performance may injure the promisee.” (Emphasis added.) Id., at 660.
If Delanney only had a contract with Southwestern Bell for a Yellow Pages advertisement, his recovery of damages in tort would be unauthorized because there was a complete failure to perform that obligation, and the only damage was to the subject matter of that contract itself. His recovery can be sustained, however, on the theory that he either had two contracts or one integrated contract which imposed two obligations on Southwestern Bell: (1) the furnishing of telephone service, including rotary lines, and (2) the Yellow Pages advertisement.
Although the mere failure to list Delan-ney in the Yellow Pages would be nonfea-sance or nonperformance, and therefore only a breach of contract, the negligent performance of the first obligation (furnishing telephone lines) can be a tort as well as a breach of contract. Since the negligent performance of that contractual obligation proximately caused a loss other than the subject of that contract, Delan-ney can recover in tort for the resulting damage. See J. Edgar & J. Sales, Texas Torts & Remedies § 1.03(4)(b) (1988).