Court Opinion

ID: 9607004
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:54:45.797312+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:32:15.212529
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
concurring specially.
The trial court directed a verdict for the defendant. I concur with the majority opinion in holding such to be reversible error. The case should have been submitted to the jury.
It is contended that the evidence did not show recoverable damages, or did not fit within the framework of the measure of damages authorized by law in cases of this kind. I disagree.
What is the measure of damages where a building contractor begins performance of the work, and the owner, without lawful excuse, stops him and prevents his completion of the job? Much legal jargon, and mystifying and mysterious language has been used in certain prior decisions of this court, which can only confuse this issue.
When it is boiled down to simplicity, the measure of damages is the profit the builder would, have made if he had been allowed to complete the job. Or, as has been held time and again, in slightly more complex language, but meaning the same thing: In Southern &c. Corp. v. Davis &c. Engineers, 109 Ga. App. 191, 197 (135 SE2d 454): "The measure alleged here is the difference between the total cost of the work under the contract and what the cost of performance would have been to plaintiff. Under the Georgia cases, this is the proper measure. Wallace v. Tumlin, 42 Ga. 462 (4); Jones v. Ely, 95 Ga. App. 4 (3) (96 SE2d 536); Luckie v. Max Wright, Inc., 90 Ga. App. 243 (3), supra; Curtis v. Burney, 55 Ga. App. 552, supra; Pittman Construction Co. v. Ellis, 39 Ga. App. 490 (147 SE 420).” Again, in Turner v. Houser, 110 Ga. App. 379, 381 (138 SE2d 619): "Damages flowing from the breach do not consist of the out of pocket costs, rather, it is the difference in the total amount to be paid under the contract and the cost of performance by the plaintiff. Darlington Corp. v. Evans, 88 Ga. App. 84, 89 (76 SE2d 72).” And in the Darlington case, above cited, at page 89, it is held:" 'Where a party seeks damages for the violation *845of a contract by the other party, the measure of his damages is not what he has suffered by performing his part, but what he has suffered by failure of the other party.’ Pope v. Graniteville Mfg. Co., 1 Ga. App. 176 (2) (57 SE 949) . . . and the measure of such damages is the profit, if legally ascertainable, which would have accrued had the contract been complied with. Jester v. Bainbridge State Bank, 4 Ga. App. 469 (4) (61 SE 926).” (Emphasis supplied.)
In the case sub judice, there is ample evidence in the record to show the owner agreed to pay the contractor $52,300 for the complete job. The builder has paid to the contractor the sum of $37,113.25, which leaves $15,186.75 due by the builder for performance by the contractor of his entire contract. But the owner stopped the performance at this point, which prevented the builder from completing the contract. The contractor did not go upon this job for the purpose of performing a job for which he would be paid less than the entire $52,300, and if the owner had suggested a partial building job for which he would be paid $37,113.25, the contractor would have had the right to refuse, and likely would have done so. So he says to the owner: You obligated yourself to pay me $52,300 if I completed this job satisfactorily. I have kept my contract, but you have not kept yours; you have stopped me as I was nearing completion of the contract, and at a time when you had paid only a part of what you promised to pay for the complete job. I want the $15,186.75 that you have not yet paid (as a part of the $52,300), and I am ready to go forward and complete the job so as to earn that balance. But it would cost me $4,200 to perform until completion, so I will deduct that amount, and the balance that you owe me is $10,986.75.
If the jury believed the evidence of plaintiff, it would have been authorized to return a verdict in his favor for $10,986.75.
Any prior decision by this court which conflicts with the measure of damages in this kind of situation, as set forth herein, should be overruled or disregarded.