Court Opinion

ID: 9516163
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 23:35:58.136297+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:14:41.406526
License: Public Domain

BIEGELMEIER, Judge
(concurring).
It is clear the court’s opinion, in which I join, does not deny recovery to a plaintiff for any money due under, by virtue of, or within the provisions of the contract; it does deny recovery for any damages (as cited opinions stress) outside of, separate from, and in addition to those provided for in the contract. Plaintiff recognizes the latter situation exists here by stating in its brief its claim is for “additional compensation” for labor and material incurred for “additional work it had to do to complete the project”.
The result reached is consistent and in conformity with the requirement that the claim, etc. arise “out of the work performed, or by virtue of the provisions of any construction contract” (emphasis supplied) of the state highway commission clauses in SDCL 31-2-34 which likewise are limitations on SDCL 31-2-38 and 31-2-39. Plaintiff’s action for over $197,000 indicates the extent to which contractors may go when they attempt to recover amounts in excess of the contract price for extra work done under claims of faulty plans or misrepresentations by state employees, architects, consultants etc. employed by the state. It was not intended to open the public treasury to such claims.
The court has not hesitated to approve recovery of sums found due contractors in contracts with the state or its agencies. Mention is made of only two. In one action where this court had *41original jurisdiction, it entered a judgment for the balance due a contractor under the terms of the contract. Kyburz v. State, 79 S.D. 114, 108 N.W.2d 645. In another, the court permitted recovery for the balance due under the contract even where the state had wrongfully paid out the balance of the funds appropriated to the United States under a claimed lien and then asserted the funds were exhausted. Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co. v. State, 85 S.D. 608, 187 N.W.2d 663.