Court Opinion

ID: 9658768
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 21:12:04.901346+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:59.110383
License: Public Domain

KAPSNER, Justice,
dissenting.
[¶ 18] I respectfully dissent.
[¶ 19] In Johnson Farms II, we remanded for a new trial on all issues. We noted, however, the “pivotal issue in this case is whether there was an oral agreement for the purchase of the entire 59.17 acres of the McEnroe property.” 2000 ND 137, ¶ 13, 613 N.W.2d 497. The thrust of the majority opinion is that there is no issue on whether the oral agreement was for the entire 59.17 acres but rather a fact finder could make only one determination — an agreement existed to sell 59.17 acres for $9,000 per acre. Further, the majority says the trial court has changed its findings but on the “pivotal issue” the *7trial court has twice found the only oral contract was for an exchange of 30.61 acres. See ¶¶5 and 10 of the majority opinion. Citing only evidence which was part of the record in Johnson Farms I and Johnson Farms II, the Court now determines the court’s finding on the extent of the oral contract is clearly erroneous. It is unclear to me how the Court can reach this result after remanding for a new trial on all issues. If a fact finder could not have found the oral agreement covered only 30.61 acres, this Court should have said so in its earlier opinion.
[¶ 20] “We will not reverse a trial court’s factual findings merely because we may have viewed the evidence differently, and a choice between two permissible views of the weight of the evidence is not clearly erroneous.” Corbett v. Corbett, 2001 ND 113, ¶ 6, 628 N.W.2d 312. The majority opinion reiterates testimony which supports a finding that an agreement existed for 59.17 acres of land. However, there is testimony from which a fact finder, making determinations of credibility, could find the oral agreement only covered 30.61 acres.
[¶ 21] Bert Johnson testified: (1) In 1992 he and McEnroe began discussing Johnson Farms’ possible purchase from McEnroe of 80 acres, for which he offered $7,000 an acre and for which McEnroe was asking $11,000 per acre; (2) McEnroe “wanted to hold back 20 acres, so we negotiated on the 60 acres that were left;” (3) In the summer of 1993„ they agreed McEnroe would convey 59.17 acres for $9,000 per acre; (4) “I offered him cash. He wanted to make a land trade so he didn’t have to pay the taxes;” (5) They agreed Johnson Farms would purchase land and exchange it; (6) Before purchasing the Rychart property, he knew Johnson Farms was committed to pay “$9,000 an acre times 59.17 acres;” (7) The initial exchange for the Rychart property was to be approximately the East Half of the McEnroe land; and (8) The East Half of the McEnroe land was “going to be conveyed originally,” because “[i]t was ready for development,” as 34th Street “runs along the north side of the ground, ... [а]nd there’s water and sewer on that street.”
[¶ 22] George McEnroe testified: (1) In 1992 and 1993, he and Bert Johnson discussed sale of the land; (2) In 1993 Johnson orally offered “$10,000 an acre cash price for ... 60 acres;” (3) “I told him that I’d accept it and ... I said, ‘When you come in I’ll have an earnest money agreement prepared. You bring your checkbook, you put money down on the product and we’ll have a deal;’ ” (4) Johnson never bought the land for $10,000 an acre; (5) When Johnson “came back he said he couldn’t pay ten, he could only pay eight;” (б) He “eventually agreed to sell him the land that we exchanged for 30 acres on the eastern end;” (7) He sold or traded 30 acres for the Rychart farm and later gave Mr. Johnson “an option on an additional approximately 30 acres;” and (8) He has never agreed to sell the 60 acres to Johnson for $9,000 an acre.
[¶ 23] McEnroe testified about the option price: “Bert was hung up on $159,530, that’s what he was hung up on, and I always wanted to get more money for the property but that’s all he wanted to pay;” “[t]hat’s the only offer Bert made;” and he directed his “attorney to place the figure 159,530 in the option agreement.”
[¶ 24] Thus, there is evidence from which the trial court could, as it did, reasonably infer there was no contract for all 59 acres, and the exchange of the Rychart *8property, purchased for $373,000, for 30 acres of the McEnroe land was agreed upon.
[¶ 25] On a reading of the bare transcript, perhaps I too would have found, as the majority opinion now dictates, the oral agreement was for the exchange of 59.17 acres at a price of $9,000 per acre. However, I cannot say I am left with a definite and firm conviction the fact finder was wrong on the evidence that he heard in person. I would affirm.
[¶ 26] CAROL RONNING KAPS-NER, Justice.