ÿWPC? 6# UN %] 0(cw@‹4Ëß 0lî 0DZžU@žÞeæ 0Jç 0D1 0TuÆÉ 0^ 0hí AQU 0D¦ 0rê 0|\ 0†Ø 0^ 1uî 0dc 0@Ç D3 D/: Bi B† U>£ B)á DC AMM U*š Ä {į?v~îvÓl˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ >g?@DAEBCEDEEFÓ€G Ks!ìd3|xG((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó ɸ·`(ZapfCalligr BTTT2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 52, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô$(Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó2@ 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("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò++++'ÿÿdxd**'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd d< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d----7Border 1dd$.Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial öÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€,ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ"ÝÝ  Ýò òÔ€,ÔÓ  ÓÔ€0ÔÔ eee ÔFILEDÔ€0XÔó óÌò òÔ€0¼ÔÔ"USú ú, úÔÔ ƒ ÔÔ!  Ôó óÔ€0XÔÌÌò òCecil€Crowson,€Jr.Ô€ Ôó óÔ  ÔÌÔ€ ÂÔÔ€0ÔÔ eee Ôò òAppellate€Court€Clerkó óÔ  ÔÔ€ ÔÔ€ XÔ qÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€,ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ýò òRule€10€(Court€of€Appeals).€€òòMemorandum€Opinionóóó ó.€„„€(b)€The€Court,€withÏconcurrence€of€all€judges€participating€in€the€case,€may€affirm,€reverse€or€modify€the€actions€of€theÏtrial€court€by€memorandum€opinion€when€a€formal€opinion€would€have€no€precedential€value.€ÏWhen€a€case€is€decided€by€memorandum€opinion€it€shall€be€designated€ð ðMEMORANDUMÏOPINION,ðð€shall€not€be€published,€and€shall€not€be€cited€or€relied€on€for€any€reason€in€aÏsubsequent€unrelated€case.Ì ¥Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€,ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝThe€Director€of€Highways€was€named€as€a€defendant€pursuant€to€T.C.A.€ðð€54„5„124€(civilÏactions€against€contractors€by€claimants).€€Cultraððs€complaint€states€that€it€ð ðseeks€no€remediesððÏagainst€Sharpe,€but€acts€to€put€the€latter€ð ðon€noticeðð€of€said€claim€having€been€filed€with€theÏDepartment€of€Transportation.€€Prior€to€trial,€a€summary€judgment€was€entered€in€favor€of€Sharpe.€ÏThe€order€granting€summary€judgment€provided€that€the€State€of€Tennessee€and€the€Department€ofÏTransportation€were€to€retain€certain€funds€to€satisfy€Cultraððs€claim€in€the€event€it€provedÏmeritorious€at€trial,€in€accordance€with€T.C.A.€ðð€54„5„123.€€After€trial,€an€agreed€order€wasÏentered€with€this€Court€dismissing€the€Department€of€Transportation,€Director€of€Highways€as€aÏparty.ÌPtPtHHøHÿöÿòV,(ühhØ hd'0ÿÎÿºF ® Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€,ÔÝ  ÝÓ` Ü` p”XÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€+XdìdÈ7Ñœ›à@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€WESTERN€SECTIONÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ à_______________________________________________________ÌÌó óà à)ò òÌCULTRA€LANDSCAPING€SUPPLYó óà à)à àShelby€County€Circuit€CourtÌò òCOMPANYó ó,à à)à àNo.€28781€T.D.Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant.à à)à àÌà àœ)à àHON.€ROBERT€L.€CHILDERS,€JUDGE›ÌVS.à à)à àÌà à)Ìò òDIRECTOR€OF€HIGHWAYSó óà à)à àœC.€A.€NO.€02A01„9512„CV„00275›Ìò òDEPARTMENT€OF€ó óà à)ò òÌTRANSPORTATION€AND€W.€€L.€ó ó€à à)Ìò òSHARPE€CONTRACTINGó óà à)à àœò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó ó›Ìò òCOMPANY,€INC.ó óà à)Ìà à)ÌÙ€ÙœßL€/1.;+'h|Xýœâ `€€Lß›€€€€€Defendants,à à)Ìà àœ)à àOPINION€FILED:›ÌANDò òà àó ó)Ìà à)Ìò òCHARLES€HILL,€Individually€andó óà à)Ìò òd/b/a€C.€H.€HILL€LANDSCAPEó óà à)Ìò òAND€EXCAVATINGó ó,à à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Defendant/Appellee.à à)ÌÌò òAndrew€H.€Owensó ó,€LAW€OFFICES€OF€DON€OWENS,ÏP.A.,€Memphis,€Tennessee,Ìfor€œPlaintiff/Appellant.›ÌÌò òJeffery€D.€Parrishó ó,€BOROD€&€KRAMER,€P.C.,€Memphis,€Tennessee,Ìfor€Defendant/Appellee€Charles€Hill.Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌò òà@ àMEMORANDUM€OPINIONó ó× ƒ2 ××  ×Ì______________________________________________________________________________ò òÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ` Ü` ˜XÓÓÓó óà àà àà àà àà àà àò òFARMER,€J.ó óÌÌà àThis€is€an€action€by€the€appellant,€Cultra€Landscaping€Supply€Company€(Cultra),Ïseeking€to€recover€the€balance€allegedly€due€on€an€open€account.€€Cultraððs€complaint,€as€amended,Ïwas€filed€against€the€Director€of€Highways,€Department€of€Transportation,€W.€L.€SharpeÏContracting€Company,€Inc.€(Sharpe)€and€Charles€Hill,€individually€and€d/b/a€C.€H.€Hill€LandscapeÏand€Excavating€(Hill).€€For€purposes€of€this€appeal,€however,€the€only€other€party€before€us€isÏHill,€the€appellee.× ƒ3 ××  ×€€A€bench€trial€resulted€in€a€judgment€for€Hill.€€Cultra€appeals€on€the€sole€basisÏthat€the€evidence€presented€at€trial€preponderates€against€the€trial€courtððs€findings.€€For€reasonsÏhereinafter€stated,€we€affirm.ÌÌà àThe€following€evidence€was€adduced€at€trial:€€In€1986,€Sharpe€was€the€generalÏcontractor€on€a€road€construction€project€for€the€State€of€Tennessee.€€Sharpe€subcontracted€withÏHill€to€provide€and€install€the€sod€required€for€the€project.€€Hill,€in€turn,€obtained€Cultra€to€supplyÏthe€sod.€€Cultra€claims€that€it€was€never€paid€for€the€total€amount€of€sod€it€delivered€on€the€project.ÌÌà àEdwin€Cultra€testified€that€his€ð ðarrangementðð€with€Hill€was€to€simply€supply€theÏsod€for€the€project.€€Cultra€was€not€responsible€for€seeing€that€the€sod€lived€or€that€it€was€properlyÏinstalled.€€Mr.€Cultra€stated€that€Hill€contacted€him€regarding€the€job€and€that€ð ðI€agreed€on€the€priceÏof€the€sod€per€square€yard€to€be€delivered€.€.€.€.ðð€€He€continued,€ð ðI€sold€[Hill]€the€sod€by€the€squareÏyard€and€gave€[Hill]€delivery€tickets€on€each€particular€load,€and€that€was€signed€by€[Hill]€peopleÏthat€we€brought€those€loads€to€[the]€project.ðð€€He€related€that€certain€delivery€tickets€introduced€intoÍevidence€represented€ð ðeach€and€every€delivery€of€sod€madeðð€on€the€project€and€that,€based€on€thoseÏtickets,€the€balance€due€and€owing€from€Hill€is€$18,250.77.€€He€stated€that€the€amount€owedÏrepresented€approximately€30€to€40€semi„trailer€loads€of€sod.€€Mr.€Cultra€said€that€once€delivered€toÏthe€job€site,€Hill€employees€would€unload€the€sod€and€a€Cultra€employee€would€return€with€aÏsigned€copy€of€a€delivery€ticket.€€Cultra€made€its€last€delivery€of€sod€in€August€1988,€refusing€toÏdeliver€anymore€sod€because€of€Hillððs€nonpayment.ÌÌà àMr.€Cultra€testified€that€no€one€from€Hill€ever€notified€him€that€the€sod€deliveredÏwas€of€inferior€quality,€improper€quantity€or€that€it€had€been€rejected€by€Hill€or€the€State,€forÏwhatever€reason.€€He€declared€that€usually€the€variance€between€the€Stateððs€estimate€and€sodÏactually€delivered€is€ð ðreal€close€.€.€.€within€1€or€2€percent.ðð€€Some€of€the€ð ðpossibleðð€reasons€as€toÏwhy€the€amount€approved€for€payment€by€the€State€was€substantially€less€than€that€actuallyÏdelivered€were€if€the€sod€died,€had€to€be€relaid,€or€if€the€State€ð ðmissed€some€areas€ofÏmeasurements.ððÌÌà àOn€cross„examination,€Cultra€was€further€questioned€regarding€whether€the€StateÏever€informed€him€that€some€of€the€sod€delivered€was€unacceptable,€to€which€he€replied,€ð ðI€donððtÏremember€them€telling€me€that€at€all.ðð€€He€continued,€ð ð[œs]od›€is€a€perishable€item,€though.€€It€€can€sitÏout€there€for€four€or€five€days,€and€it€can€become€unacceptable.ðð€€When€asked,€however,€ð ð[œi]s›€itÏpossible€that€the€State€of€Tennessee€said€some€of€this€sod€was€unacceptable€because€it€was€tooÏthin?ðð,€Mr.€Cultra€responded,€ð ð[œi]t›ððs€possible.ððÌÌà àAllen€Carey,€a€supervisor€at€Sharpe,€testified€that€Sharpe€ð ðsubcontract[ed]€out€.€.€.Ïthe€sod€and€the€seed€and€various€roadway€items.ðð€€The€parties€engaged€in€the€project€were€paidÏmonthly€by€the€State.€€Carey€explained€that€once€a€month€the€State€would€send€Sharpe€an€estimateÏof€the€work€performed€the€preceding€month€along€with€a€check.€€Sharpe,€in€turn,€would€send€theÍestimates€to€the€various€subcontractors€ð ðwith€a€check€to€cover€payment€for€whatever€thatÏsubcontractor€had€done€during€that€monthly€estimate.ðð€€Carey€stated€that€he€contacted€Cultra€ð ðinÏregard€to€making€payments€directly€from€the€estimates€as€they€came€in€from€the€Stateðð€and€that€Mr.ÏCultra€ð ðagreed€to€accept€whatever€amounts€the€State€paid€as€full€payment€for€the€sod€.€.€.€.ðð€€Mr.ÏCultra€denies€ever€communicating€with€Carey€regarding€his€agreement€with€Hill€as€to€how€heÏwould€be€paid.€€He€testified,€ð ð[a]ny€conversation€that€Mr.€Carey€and€I€have€had€wouldnððt€haveÏbeen€about€[payment]€terms,€but€would€have€been€with€regard€to€why€I€wasnððt€getting€paid€orÏwhere€my€money€was€or€why€hadnððt€Mr.€Hill€paid€me€for€the€sod€that€we€had€delivered.ððÌÌà àCarey€agreed€that€generally€the€Stateððs€estimate€equals€or€closely€approximates€theÏactual€work€performed.€€He€agreed€that€if,€in€fact,€as€much€sod€as€Cultra€contends€was€actuallyÏdelivered,€then€there€was€a€ð ðlarge€differenceðð€in€the€Stateððs€estimate.€€The€last€payment€SharpeÏmade€for€sod€was€on€October€11,€1988.€€Each€payment€was€by€check€issued€jointly€to€Hill€andÏCultra.€€Carey€declared€that€Sharpe€had€paid€Cultra€all€amounts€that€the€State€paid€it€for€the€sodÏdelivered€by€Cultra€to€the€project.€€Carey€had€no€knowledge€of€any€sod€being€delivered€to€theÏproject€that€was€improperly€installed€or€perished.ÌÌà àCharles€Hill€testified€that€the€ð ðpayment€termsðð€under€his€agreement€with€Cultra€wasÏð ð[w]hatever€the€Stateððs€estimate€was€on€the€sod.ðð€€Hill€confirmed€that€he€paid€Cultra€the€entireÏamount€that€his€business€received€from€the€State€for€the€sod€Cultra€delivered.€€Hill€stated€that€theÏsod€used€on€the€project€was€required€to€be€a€certain€thickness€and€that€some€of€the€sod€delivered€byÏCultra€was€deemed€ð ðunacceptableðð€after€being€measured€for€thickness€and,€therefore,€not€used€byÏHill€on€the€project.€€He€confirmed€that€it€was€necessary€for€him€to€change€sod€suppliers€in€order€toÏcomplete€the€job.€€Hill€agreed€that€Cultra€delivered€sod€to€the€project€until€August€1988,€but€that€itsÏsod€started€being€ð ðturned€downðð€in€July.€€He€estimated€that€approximately€15€to€20€loads€of€sodÏdelivered€by€Cultra€were€determined€unacceptable.ÌÌà àHill€also€stated€that€certain€tickets€presented€by€Cultra€employees€upon€deliveryÏwere€signed€by€Hill€employees€even€though€those€particular€loads€were€later€rejected.€€Two€HillÏemployees,€Craig€Tate€and€Antonio€Martin,€confirmed€that€they€had,€on€occasion,€signed€certainÏtickets€for€sod€delivered€that€Cultra€later€removed.ÌÌà àWe€review€this€matter€in€accordance€with€Rule€13(d)€T.R.A.P.,€which€provides€forÏa€òòò òde€novoóóó ó€review,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€trial€courtððs€findings€ofÏfact,€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€otherwise.€€òòò òSee,€e.g.,€Tenn„Tex€Properties€v.ÏœBrownell„Electro,€Inc.óóó ó,›€778€S.W.2d€423,€425€(Tenn.€1989).€€In€ruling€from€the€bench,€theÏtrial€court€found€that€Mr.€Cultra€never€denied€informing€Carey€that€he€would€accept€as€full€paymentÏwhatever€the€State€paid€for€the€sod.€€While€we€do€not€find€the€evidence€to€support€this€particularÏfinding,€we,€after€a€òòò òde€novoóóó ó€review€of€the€record,€find€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€to€supportÏthe€result€reached€by€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àCultraððs€argument€that€it€was€inadequately€compensated€appears€based€on€itsÏposition€that€it€never€agreed€to€bear€the€risk€of€loss€for€sod€delivered,€but€not€properly€maintainedÏor€installed€by€Hill.€€Mr.€Cultra€testified€as€to€ð ðpossibleðð€reasons€as€to€why€the€Stateððs€estimates€forÏthe€sod€would€have€been€so€at€odds€with€that€actually€delivered;€all€involved€inadequacies€orÏmistakes€on€behalf€of€the€State€or€Hill.€€We€do€not€find€the€record,€however,€to€establish€that€anyÏof€the€sod€was€rejected€for€any€reason€other€than€inadequate€measurement.€€Mr.€Hill€testified€thatÏthe€sod€delivered€by€Cultra€was€rejected€for€being€cut€too€thin€and€Mr.€Cultra€agreed€that€it€wasÏpossible€that€some€of€the€sod€delivered€was€determined€unacceptable€because€of€improperÏthickness.€€We€note€also€that€various€Hill€employees€testified€that€some€tickets€presented€by€CultraÏemployees€upon€delivery€were€signed€by€them€even€though€the€sod€was€ultimately€rejected.€€ThisÏtestimony€is€unrefuted.€€Thus,€the€proof€establishes€that€although€certain€tickets€indicate€a€deliveryÍof€sod€to€the€project,€that€sod€was€later€removed€by€Cultra€as€unacceptable€and€required€noÏcompensation.ÌÌà àAccordingly,€we€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€œcourt.›€€Costs€are€assessed€againstÏCultra€Landscaping€Supply€Company,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ò òÌÌÓ` Ü` È“XÓÓÓà à________________________________Ìà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌHIGHERS,€J.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌLILLARD,€J.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌó ó