Court Opinion

ID: 9664436
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 00:19:01.126482+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:06.405756
License: Public Domain

VERNON R. PEDERSON, Surrogate Judge,
dissenting.
On April 25, 1990 Scarlett ¿ppealed from the final judgment which had been entered on April 11, 1990. On June 6, 1990 he dismissed that appeal. On June 7, 1990 Scarlett caused to be entered an interlocutory partial summary judgment which had been ordered by the trial court on November 22, 1989. Also on June 7, 1990 Scarlett appealed from the partial summary judgment only. The majority opinion turns Olson v. Job Service North Dakota, 379 N.W.2d 285, 287 (N.D.1985), inside out when it says that it is applicable under these circumstances. I would dismiss Scar-lett’s appeal.
On the merits, I would affirm the judgment. The August 5, 1988 agreement, standing alone, may very well appear to be a clear and unambiguous document. Although Brunsoman and Scarlett are sophisticated investors and in this instance were advised by competent legal counsel, their intent as each has expressed it is totally contradictory in the light of the deficiency-judgment law. The trial court properly allowed extrinsic evidence and the factual determination is supported by the evidence. See Talackson Potato Co., Inc. v. MTK Potato Co., 278 N.W.2d 417, 422 (N.D.1979).