ÿWPCÄ …# VUNa %¯ 0(µw@Ý4 1 UP@  0J˜ 0Tâ 0^6 0h” 0rü 0|n 0†ê 0p 1u 0du U>Ù U6B)MDCv AM¹ BU*#Mv~[vÓÙ D3¬ 0@ß AOÆn 0D4 D/x B§˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÒ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ À DÁ  à [Ä DÅ Æ DÇ È DÉ Ó€Úƒç"3|xÔ &@FÐZ ‹8CaslonOpnface BT Regular2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌò òAugust€26,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€&ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ P ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€!ÔÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€ܯXXdðdÈ7ÑÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌÌÌCREATIVE€KITCHENS€&à àà àà à€€€)€C/A€NO.€03A01„9611„CH„00379ÌINTERIORS,€Inc.,à àà àà à€€€)̜ـ€ÙßR€$'#A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›à àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àPlaintiff/Counter„à àà à€€€)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant,à à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)ÌWILLIAM€F.€BALE€AND€BECKY€BALE,€€)€APPEAL€AS€OF€RIGHT€FROM€THEÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)€CAMPBELL€COUNTY€CHANCERY€COURTÌà àDefendants/Counter„à àà à€€€)Ìà àœPlaintiffs/Third„Party›à à€€€)Ìà àœPlaintiffs/Appellees,›à à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)ÌSUSAN€SPROUSE€SEALS,à àà à€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€)Ìà àThird„Party€Defendant/à à€€€)€HONORABLE€BILLY€JOE€WHITE,Ìà àAppellant.à àà àà à€€€)€CHANCELLORÌÌÌÌFor€Appellantsà àà àà àà àà àFor€AppelleesÌÌGAIL€F.€WORTLEYà àà àà àà àCHARLES€A.€WAGNER€IIIÌKnoxville,€Tennesseeà àà àà àWagner,€Myers€&€Sanger,€P.C.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àKnoxville,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€ ÔÔ€  ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€!ÔÔ€!XÔÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àSusano,€J.ÌÒ ° ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓà àà àCreative€Kitchens€&€Interiors,€Inc.€(CKI)€sued€William€F.Ïand€Becky€Bale€œ(ð ðthe›€œBalesðð)›€œfor›€specific€performance€of€twoÏcontracts€for€œdesign€consulting›€services€and€the€furnishing€ofÏcabinets€and€œcounter€tops›€for€the€Balesðð€home.€€The€Bales€filed€aÏcounterclaim€against€CKI€and€a€third„party€œcomplaint›€against€SusanÏSprouse€Seals€œ(ð ðSealsðð),›€CKIððs€president.€€œAfter€reaching›€aÏsettlement€agreement€œ(ð ðthe›€œAgreementðð),›€the€parties€œagreed€to€stay›Ïall€œcourt€proceedings,›€pending€compliance€with€the€terms€of€theÏœAgreement.›€€When€CKIððs€performance€œunder€the€Agreement€did›€notÏœsatisfy›€the€œBales,›€œthey›€œamended›€their€claims€to€demand€damages€for€œan›Ïalleged€breach€of€the€œAgreement›€œand€alleged›€œviolations›€of€theÏTennessee€Consumer€Protection€Act€of€1977,€T.C.A.€ðð€47„18„101,€òòetÏseq.óó€œ(ð ðthe›€œActðð).›€€After€a€œbench€trial,›€the€trial€court€found€thatÏCKI€and€Seals€had€breached€the€œAgreement,›€and€that€the€Bales€wereÍtherefore€entitled€to€recover€an€overpayment€of€$23,468.01,Ïattorneyððs€fees€of€$8,240.49,€and€the€remainder€of€an€escrow€paymentÏthey€had€deposited€with€the€court;€however,€the€court€declined€toÏaward€œtreble›€damages€under€the€œAct€as€requested€by€the€Bales.›€€CKIÏand€Seals€appealed,€raising€two€issues€which€present€the€followingÏquestions€for€our€review:ÌÒ ° ÒÒ ° ÒÌÓÓà8 àà8 à1.€€Does€the€evidence€preponderate€against€theÏtrial€courtððs€decision?ÌÌà àà8 à2.€€Did€the€trial€court€err€in€entering€aÏjudgment€against€the€third„party€defendantÏSeals?ÌÌÓÓÌœAs€an€additional€issue,›€the€Bales€raise€the€question€of€whetherÏthe€trial€court€erred€in€failing€to€award€œthem€treble›€damagesÏœunder›€the€Act.€€We€affirm.ÌÌà@ àIÌÌà àà àThe€Bales€originally€retained€œSeals,›€the€president€ofÏCKI,€as€a€consultant€to€œaid€in€remodeling€their€kitchen€and€otherÏparts€of€their€home,›€paying€her€$750€as€a€down€payment€on€May€4,Ï1994.€€The€Bales€subsequently€signed€a€contract€with€CKI€forÏSealsðð€services€at€œa›€rate€of€œ$75€per€hour.›€€After€the€BalesÍexpressed€their€desire€to€purchase€high„quality€cabinets,€SealsÏdisplayed€such€œcabinets›€to€them€at€the€CKI€showroom.€€SealsÏassured€the€Bales€that€their€new€cabinets€would€be€identical€orÏcomparable€to€those€in€the€showroom.€€She€also€indicated€that€theÏcabinets€would€be€of€solid„wood€construction;€in€fact,€Ms.€BaleÏtestified€that€Seals€œlaughed›€at€the€existing€cabinets€in€theÏBalesðð€home€because€they€were€made€of€œflake„board.›ÌÌà àà àRelying€on€Sealsðð€representations€regarding€the€cost€andÏquality€of€the€cabinets€and€œcounter€tops,›€the€Bales€entered€intoÏtwo€contracts€with€CKI€in€December,€1994.€€The€contracts€providedÏfor€the€installation€of€various€cabinets€and€œcounter€tops›€in€theÏœBalesðð›€home€and€called€for€the€Bales€to€deposit€50%€of€the€totalÏprice€in€advance.ÌÌà àà àThe€relationship€between€the€parties€began€toÏdeteriorate€in€May,€1995,€when€the€Bales€decided€that€the€price€œofÏthe€cabinets,€counter€tops,€and€other€fixtures„„which›€exceededÏ$50,000„„€was€exorbitant€in€comparison€to€market€prices€forÏsimilar€œmaterials.›€€The€Bales€chose€to€proceed€with€the€contractÏfor€the€cabinets,€but€they€requested€that€the€contract€for€theÏœcounter€tops›€be€canceled€and€œthat€the›€deposit€œfor€the€counters€beÍapplied›€to€the€price€of€the€cabinets.€€CKI€and€Seals€subsequentlyÏrefused€to€œinstall›€the€kitchen€cabinets€until€œfurther€amounts€wereÏpaid€by€the€Bales.›€€Seals€also€refused€the€Balesðð€requestsÏregarding€the€œcounter€top›€contract.€€When€the€Bales€failed€to€payÏthe€remainder€of€the€contract€price,€CKI€filed€this€action€seekingÏspecific€performance€of€the€contracts.€€After€the€Bales€filed€anÏanswer,€counterclaim€and€third„party€œcomplaint,›€the€partiesÏentered€into€œthe€Agreement,›€whereby€CKI€and€Seals€would€deliverÏand€install€the€cabinets,€œand›€the€Bales€would€œmake›€specifiedÏpayments.€€œCKI€and€Seals€also€consented€to€cancel€the€contract€forÏthe€counter€tops€and€to€apply€that€deposit€against€the€price€ofÏthe€cabinets.€€In›€the€meantime,€the€Bales€had€paid€into€court€anÏescrow€deposit€of€$30,720.75,€œrepresenting›€the€balance€owed€underÏthe€contracts€for€full€performance.€€The€œAgreement›€states€that€CKIÏœcould€draw€upon›€œthe›€escrow€funds€only€ð ðafter€the€Bales€determineÏthat€all€the€cabinets€meet€the€contract€specifications,€are€equalÏto€the€sample€as€displayed€in€CKIððs€office,€and€fit€the€BalesððÏhome.ðð€€The€œAgreement›€also€provides,€in€pertinent€part,€thatÌÌÓÓà àà8 àSeals€shall€provide€services...€as€necessaryÏto€assure€that€the€cabinets€are€of€the€highestÏquality€and€properly€installed€in€the€BalesððÏresidence.ÌÌà@ à*€€€€*€€€€*€€€€*ÌÌà àà8 àThe€parties€agree€to€communicate€by€telephoneÏand€to€cooperate€together€to€carry€out€thisÏagreement.ÌÌà àà8 àTime€is€of€the€essence€in€the€performance€ofÏthis€agreement.€€Should€CKI€fail€to€timelyÏdeliver€and€install€the€cabinets€as€specifiedÏin€this€agreement,€the€Bales€retain€all€theirÏrights€and€remedies€for€breach€of€thisÏagreement.€€Should€litigation€be€required€toÏenforce€this€agreement€or€to€seek€recovery€orÏdamages€for€breach€of€this€agreement,€theÏprevailing€party€or€parties€shall€be€entitledÏto€recover€its,€her,€his€or€their€reasonableÏattorney€fees€and€costs.ÌÌÓÓÌThe€œAgreement›€was€signed€by€the€Bales€and€twice€by€Seals,€bothÏœindividually›€and€as€president€of€CKI.ÌÌà àà àThe€first€cabinets€were€delivered€on€October€5,€1995.€ÏUpon€inspection,€the€Bales€found€the€cabinets€to€be€of€much€lowerÏquality€than€those€which€Seals€had€displayed€in€the€CKI€showroom;Ïin€fact,€they€were€constructed€of€œflake„board.›€€The€generalÏcontractor€for€the€project€testified€that€the€cabinets€wereÏð ðfactory€type,ðð€rather€than€custom„made,€solid€wood€cabinets.€€InÏaddition,€there€were€multiple€problems€associated€with€œthe›Ïinstallation€œof€the€cabinets.›€€The€trial€court€found:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àThe€œ[first]›€cabinets€were€delivered€and€wereÍconstructed€of€flake„board.€€They€did€not€meetÏthe€sample€shown€provision€and€they€were€notÏcut€to€fit€œproperly›€in€the€Balesðð€home.€€ThereÏwereòò€œmany,òò€óómanyóó›€problems€with€the€first€set€ofÏcabinets.ÌÌÓÓÌ(Emphasis€in€original).ÌÌà àà àThe€Bales€œattempted€several€times,›€without€success,€toÏcontact€œSeals,€hoping›€to€have€her€visit€the€house€œand›€œendeavor›€toÏresolve€the€problems€with€the€cabinets.€€The€trial€court€foundÏthat€Seals€ð ðwas€not€on€the€job€site€and€would€not€communicateÏconcerning€the€problems€with€the€[first€set€of]€cabinets.ðð€€TheÏBales€then€terminated€œthe›€œAgreement›€with€CKI€and€Seals€œbecause€ofÏtheir›€œdefaults,›€arranged€for€the€removal€of€the€nonconformingÏcabinets,€and€canceled€the€second€delivery€of€cabinets€at€noÏcharge€to€any€of€the€parties.ÌÌà àà àAfter€the€Bales€amended€their€claims€to€seek€damages€forÏbreach€of€the€œAgreement›€and€violations€of€the€Tennessee€ConsumerÏProtection€Act,€CKI€and€Seals€filed€an€answer,€and€the€caseÏproceeded€to€trial.€€œAfter€a€bench€trial,€the€court›€awardedÏjudgment€against€CKI€and€Seals,€jointly€and€œseverally.€€The€courtÏopined€in€its€memorandum€opinion€as›€follows:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àIt€is€the€opinion€of€this€Court€that€Ms.€SealsÏand€Creative€Kitchens€breached€this€contractÏin€providing€noncomplying€goods€and€not€doingÏproper€measurements€to€assure€their€fit.€€SheÏalso€breached€this€contract€when€she€refusedÏto€communicate€or€remedy€the€problems€at€andÏbefore€the€Bales€terminated€the€contract.ÌÌà àà8 àIt€is€further€my€opinion€that€Ms.€Seals€andÏCreative€Kitchens€had€a€much€higher€duty€andÏresponsibility€in€this€case€than€in€a€normalÏarms„length€transaction€because€of€being€paidÏ$75.00€per€hour€as€a€consultant.€€She€violatedÏher€fiduciary€duty€by€not€telling€the€BalesÏabout€the€flake„board€construction,€refusingÏto€communicate€at€a€crucial€juncture€of€theÏcontract,€and€not€being€on€the€job€site€forÏproper€measurements.ÌÌà àà8 àThis€is€a€case€where€Ms.€Seals€and€CreativeÏKitchens€took€gross€advantage€of€unwary€andÏtrusting€young€homeowners.ÌÌà àà8 àThis€is€a€case€bordering€upon€fraud€andÏviolation€of€the€Tennessee€ConsumersÏProtection€Act€for€treble€damages€but€theÏCourt€elects€to€not€pursue€this€punitiveÏcourse.ÌÌÓÓÌThe€court€œthen›€entered€judgment€for€the€Bales€œin€the€amount€of›Ïtheir€overpayment€of€$23,468.01,€their€attorneyððs€fees€ofÏ$8,290.49,€the€remainder€of€their€escrow€œdeposit,›€and€costs.Ì̜Ǜà@ àIIÌÌà àà àIn€this€non„jury€case,€our€review€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€theÏrecord€with€a€presumption€of€correctness€as€to€the€trial€courtððsÏœfindings,›€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€ÏRule€13(d),€T.R.A.P.;€ò òòòUnion€Carbide€Corp.€v.€Huddlestonóóó ó,€854ÏS.W.2d€87,€91€(Tenn.€1993);€ò òòòCarter€v.€Kruegeróóó ó,€916€S.W.2d€932,Ï935€(Tenn.App.€1995).€€The€trial€courtððs€conclusions€of€law€comeÏto€us€free€of€any€such€presumption.€€ò òòòUnion€Carbide€Corp.óóó ó,€854ÏS.W.2d€at€91.ÌÌà àà àWe€also€note€that€the€trial€court€is€in€the€bestÏposition€to€assess€the€credibility€of€the€witnesses;€œtherefore,›Ïsuch€determinations€are€entitled€to€great€weight€on€appeal.€Ïò òòòMassengale€v.€Massengaleóóó ó,€915€S.W.2d€818,€819€(Tenn.App.€1995);Ïò òòòBowman€v.€Bowmanó óóó,€836€S.W.2d€563,€566€(Tenn.App.€1991).ÌÌà@ àIIIÌÌà àà àIn€their€first€issue,€Seals€and€CKI€argue€that€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€courtððs€judgment.€€TheyÏcontend€that€Mr.€Bale€was€not,€as€the€trial€court€found,€anÍð ðunwary€and€trustingðð€homeowner,€but€instead€was€an€experiencedÏnegotiator€of€contracts.€€They€also€contend€that€the€Bales€failedÏto€give€them€adequate€notice€or€an€opportunity€to€cure€the€defectsÏin€the€cabinets.ÌÌà àà àWe€cannot€agree€with€the€appellantsðð€assertions.€ÏAlthough€the€evidence€indicates€that€Mr.€Bale€was€knowledgeableÏœregarding›€œcontracts€in€general,›€it€is€nevertheless€clear€that€heÏand€his€wife€placed€their€trust€in€Seals;€as€œfound›€by€the€trialÏcourt,€ð ð[t]he€Bales€apparently€had€great€confidence€in€Susan€SealsÏand€totally€relied€upon€her€representations.ðð€€œWhile€it›€is€trueÏthat€a€breaching€party€must€be€given€notice€and€a€reasonableÏopportunity€to€correct€defects€before€the€non„breaching€party€mayÏterminate€œa›€œcontract,òò›€œò òCarteróóó ó,›€916€S.W.2d€œat›€œ935„36,›€œin›€this€case,ÏœSeals›€and€CKI€did€have€adequate€notice€of€the€ð ðòòmany,€manyóóÏproblemsðð€with€the€cabinets,€as€well€as€an€opportunity€to€cureÏthose€problems.€€The€evidence€in€this€case€supports€the€trialÏcourtððs€conclusion€that€Seals€œfailed›€to€œcommunicate›€œsufficientlyÏwith›€the€Bales€in€the€period€between€the€œinstallation€of€theÏdefective›€œcabinets›€and€the€Balesðð€termination€of€the€œAgreement.›ÌÌà àà àIn€short,€the€evidence€supports€the€trial€courtððsÍfinding€that€Seals€and€CKI€breached€the€œAgreement.›€€Specifically,Ïit€is€clear€œthat›€the€cabinets€that€were€actually€delivered€wereÏnot€of€œcomparable›€quality€œto€those€displayed›€by€Seals€in€the€CKIÏshowroom;€œthat€the›€cabinets€did€not€fit€properly€in€the€BalesððÏhome;€and€œthat€Seals›€did€not€communicate€with€the€Bales€œin€anÏeffort€to›€correct€the€defects€and€fulfill€her€obligations€underÏthe€œAgreement.›€€œThe€occurrence€of€each€of€these€contingencies€wasÏin€direct€contravention€of€the€Agreement.€€It€is€also€apparentÏthat›€the€trial€court€œaccredited›€the€testimony€of€œMr.€and€Mrs.›ÏœBale.›€€As€noted€earlier,€determinations€regarding€the€credibilityÏof€witnesses€are€entitled€to€great€weight€œon›€appeal.€€ò òòòBowmanóóó ó,€836ÏS.W.2d€at€œ566.ÌÌà àà àBecause›€we€find€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderateÏagainst€the€trial€courtððs€decision,€Rule€13(d),€T.R.A.P.,€we€holdÏthat€the€appellantsðð€first€issue€is€without€merit.ÌÌà@ àIVÌÌà àà àIn€their€second€issue,€Seals€and€CKI€insist€that€theÏtrial€court€erred€in€entering€a€judgment€against€Seals€in€herÏindividual€capacity.€€They€contend€that€œSeals›€acted€œat€all€timesÍas›€the€agent€or€representative€of€CKI,€and€that€any€damages€thatÏoccurred€arose€œsolely€out›€of€contracts€or€payments€between€theÏBales€and€CKI.ÌÌà àà àThe€appellantsðð€argument€overlooks€the€fact€that€SealsÏcontracted€with€the€Bales€not€only€in€her€capacity€as€president€ofÏCKI,€but€also€in€her€individual€capacity€as€a€consultant€andÏfiduciary.€€The€Bales€originally€retained€Seals€as€a€designÏconsultant€at€the€rate€of€$75€an€hour.€€More€importantly,€SealsÏœexecuted›€the€œAgreement›€with€the€Bales€both€individually€and€as€aÏrepresentative€of€CKI.€€This€is€evidenced€by€the€fact€that€sheÏsigned€the€œAgreement›€in€two€places.€€œHer›€first€signature€clearlyÏwas€affixed€on€an€individual€basis,€as€it€reflects€no€title€orÏother€association€with€CKI.€€The€second€signature,€on€the€otherÏhand,€obviously€was€œon›€behalf€of€the€corporation.€€It€appearsÏunder€the€words€ð ðCREATIVE€KITCHENS,€INC.ðð;€it€is€preceded€by€theÏnotation€ð ðByðð;€and€it€is€followed€by€the€title€ð ðPresident.ðð€€Thus,ÏSeals€became€a€party€to€œthe›€œAgreement›€in€a€dual€œcapacity„„individually›€and€on€behalf€of€CKI.ÌÌà àà àA€corporate€officer€may€be€held€personally€liable€on€aÏcontract€that€he€or€she€has€signed€in€both€an€individual€andÍrepresentative€capacity.€€òòSee,€e.g.,€ò òBill€Walker€&€Assoc.€v.ÏParrishó óóó,€770€S.W.2d€764,€770€(Tenn.App.€1989).€€That€is€preciselyÏthe€situation€in€the€instant€case.€€Seals€signed€the€œAgreement›€inÏher€personal€capacity,€œthereby›€œincurring,€among€other€things,›€theÏœobligation›€œto›€œensure›€that€high„quality€cabinets€were€properlyÏinstalled€and€œto€communicate›€with€the€Bales€to€effectuate€theÏgoals€of€the€œAgreement.›€€In€so€doing,€she€assumed€personalÏliability€for€any€breach€of€the€œAgreement.›€€We€therefore€hold€thatÏthe€trial€court€did€not€err€in€finding€Seals€and€CKI€jointly€andÏseverally€liable€once€it€correctly€determined€that€they€hadÏbreached€the€œAgreement.›ÌÌà@ àVÌÌà àà àAs€a€third€issue€for€our€consideration,€the€Bales€raiseÏthe€question€of€whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€failing€to€awardÏthem€treble€damages€under€the€Tennessee€Consumer€Protection€Act,ÏT.C.A.€ðð€47„18„101,€òòet€seq.óó€€The€Act€provides,€in€pertinent€part,ÌÌÓÓà àà8 à...the€following€unfair€or€deceptive€acts€orÏpractices€affecting€the€conduct€of€any€tradeÏor€commerce€are€declared€to€be€unlawful€and€inÏviolation€of€this€part:ÌÌà@ à*€€€€*€€€€*€€€€*ÌÌà àà8 àRepresenting€that€goods€or€services€are€of€aÏparticular€standard,€quality€or€grade,€or€thatÏgoods€are€of€a€particular€style€or€model,€ifÏthey€are€of€another;ÌÌà@ à*€€€€*€€€€*€€€€*ÌÌà àà8 àEngaging€in€any€other€act€or€practice€which€isÏdeceptive€to€the€consumer€or€to€any€otherÏperson....ÌÌÓÓÌT.C.A.€ðð€47„18„104(7),(27).€€The€Act€confers€a€private€right€ofÏaction€on€an€individual€who€has€sustained€damages€as€a€result€of€aÏviolation€of€its€provisions.€€ò òòòHaverlah€v.€Memphis€Aviation,ÏInc.ó óóó,€674€S.W.2d€297,€305€(Tenn.App.€1984);€ò òòòBrungard€v.€CapriceÏRecords,€Inc.óóó ó,€608€S.W.2d€585,€591€(Tenn.App.€1980).€€It€providesÏthatÌÌÓÓà àà8 à[i]f€the€court€finds€that€the€use€orÏemployment€of€the€unfair€or€deceptive€act€orÏpractice€was€a€willful€or€knowing€violation€ofÏthis€part,€the€court€may€award€three€(3)€timesÏthe€actual€damages€sustained€and€may€provideÏsuch€other€relief€as€it€considers€necessaryÏand€proper.ÌÌÓÓÌT.C.A.€ðð€47„18„109(a)(3).€€Thus,€the€Act€vests€the€trial€courtÏwith€œwide€discretion›€in€awarding€treble€damages€or€other€relief.€ÏòòId.;€œsee›€also€ò òSmith€v.€Scott€Lewis€Chevrolet,€Inc.ó óóó,€843ÍS.W.2d€9,€12€(Tenn.App.€œ1992).›ÌÌà àà àThe€Bales€contend€that€Seals€and€CKI€are€guilty€ofÏviolating€T.C.A.€ðð€47„18„104(7)€or€(27),€quoted€above.€€They€argueÏthat€the€trial€courtððs€findings€of€fact€compel,€as€a€matter€ofÏlaw,€the€imposition€of€liability€under€the€Act€and€the€award€ofÏtreble€damages.€€We€disagree.€€Although€œthe€trial€court›€noted€thatÏSealsðð€and€CKIððs€actions€approached€violations€of€the€Act,€the€ActÏdoes€not€òòrequireóó€the€courtòò€óóto€award€treble€damages.€€The€statutoryÏlanguage€is€òòpermissiveóó€rather€than€mandatory,€as€is€evidenced€byÏits€provision€that€the€trial€court€ð ðmayðð„„as€opposed€to€ð ðshallðð„„Ïaward€treble€damages€in€appropriate€œcircumstances.€€T.C.A.€ðð€47„18„109(a)(3).›ÌÌà àà àUpon€review€of€the€record,€we€find€no€abuse€ofÏdiscretion€on€the€part€of€the€trial€judge;€nor€can€we€say€that€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€his€decision€to€deny€treble€damagesÏto€the€Bales.ÌÌà àà àAccordingly,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is,€in€allÏrespects,€affirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€assessed€against€theÏappellants€and€their€surety.€€This€case€is€remanded€to€the€trialÍcourt€for€œenforcement€of€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€and€forÏcollection›€of€costs€assessed€there,€œall€pursuant›€to€applicableÏlaw.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à__________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€P.J.ÌÌÌÌ_________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.