ÿWPCE …4Vj 0(y¡w@© 0lé 0DU 0J™ 0Tã 0^7 0h• 0rý 0|o 0†ë 0q 1u U,v 0d¢ UB %H U,N U6z B)° DCÙ B AM9U*†,°v~ÜvÓZ D3- 0@` AO Æï 0Dµ D/ù B(ypÑ ÔøÔô3|xg($¡¡ STDUVWXDYZ>e[\Ó€((3úÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiX< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd d€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial "Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌò òJuly€16,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€&ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò$$$$'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€  X„d&ÓÑ#€  Xd#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÒ Ü ÒÒ ° ÒÑ ý ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€ÏXXdÈdÈ7ќـ€ÙßL€%'#;+'h|` Å `€€Lß›€€€€à@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OFÏAPPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àEASTERN€SECTIONÌó óÌÌÌÌGARY€E.€KOONTZ€and€VOLUNTEERà à)€C/A€NO.Ï03A01„9603„CV„00077ÌREALTY,€INC.,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€KNOX€LAWÌà àPlaintiffs„Appellees,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€HON.€DALE€C.€WORKMAN,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€JUDGEÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌCLARENCE€E.€BAYLESS€and€MAVAà à)ÌL.€HILL,à àà àà àà àà à)€AFFIRMED€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ANDÌà àDefendants„Appellants.à à)€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌROBERT€H.€WATSON,€JR.,€and€ARTHUR€F.€KNIGHT,€III,€WATSON,€HOLLOWÏ&€REEVES,€P.L.C.,€Knoxville,€for€Plaintiffs„Appellees.ÌÌRON€CUNNINGHAM,€FINKELSTEIN,€KERN,€STEINBERG€&€CUNNINGHAM,ÏKnoxville,€for€Defendants„Appellants.ÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌÌà@ àòòÌÓÓóóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àFranks.€J.ÌÌÌà àà àIn€this€action€a€jury€returned€a€verdict€in€favor€ofÏplaintiff€real€estate€agent€for€a€commission€against€defendantÏowners€on€the€ground€that€plaintiff€was€a€third€partyÍbeneficiary€to€a€real€estate€listing€agreement€entered€betweenÏthe€owners€and€Tallent€Realty€Company.€€The€owners€haveÏappealed.Ìà àà àPlaintiff€was€approached€on€behalf€of€the€ultimateÏpurchaser€of€the€property€to€determine€the€ownership€of€theÏproperty€and€the€feasibility€of€using€the€property€for€businessÏpurposes.€€Plaintiff€ascertained€the€necessary€information€andÏcontacted€the€owner€who€agreed€to€meet€with€plaintiff,€alongÏwith€the€ownerððs€real€estate€agent,€William€C.€Tallent€ofÏTallent€Realty€Company,€who€had€represented€the€owner€on€all€ofÏhis€real€estate€transactions.€€Owner€agreed€that€Tallent€wouldÏlist€the€property,€and€a€commission€of€10%€was€agreed€upon€andÏplaintiff€and€Tallent€agreed€to€equally€split€whateverÏcommission€was€earned€on€the€sale€of€the€property.€€After€offersÏand€demands€ranging€from€$250,000.00€to€$500,000.00,Ïnegotiations€broke€down€when€an€offer€of€$333,000.00€wasÏrejected.€€E.€Oscar€Robertson,€CEO€of€Commercial€Bank,€œtheÏultimate€purchaser,€then›€asked€that€his€earnest€money€check€beÏreturned€and€plaintiff€complied,€sending€the€check€and€a€noteÏadvising€that€he€was€sorry€the€deal€did€not€go€through€and€heÏhoped€to€work€with€Robertson€and€his€bank€in€the€future.€€HeÏtestified€that€at€that€point,€he€had€not€given€up€on€a€sale€butÏð ðI€felt€like€we€were€at€a€standstill€between€the€buyer€andÏseller.ð ð€€Ìà àà àWithin€approximately€one€month,€the€President€ofÏCommercial€Bank€was€contacted€by€a€business€partner€of€theÏownerððs€son.€€The€buyer€and€seller€resumed€negotiations€withoutÏcontacting€Koontz,€and€an€agreement€was€reached€to€buy€and€sellÏthe€property€for€$325,000.00.€€The€ownerððs€agent,€Tallent,€wasÏnot€given€a€ð ðcommissionð ð€based€on€the€terms€of€the€listingÏagreement€but€the€owner€presented€Tallent€with€a€check€forÏ$10,000.00€because€Tallent€ð ðhad€done€so€much€work€for€himð ð.€ÏTallent€offered€to€split€the€check€with€plaintiff,€who€refusedÏto€accept€it,€whereupon€Tallent€returned€the€check€to€the€ownerÏand€plaintiff€filed€this€action.€€Ìà àà àPlaintiff€filed€òòinter€aliaóó€for€one„half€of€a€realÏestate€commission€called€for€in€Tallentððs€contract€on€the€saleÏwhich€the€jury€found€was€due€him€in€the€amount€of€$16,250.00.€€Ìà àà àThe€owners€on€appeal€insist€the€Trial€Judge€shouldÏhave€directed€a€verdict€on€their€behalf,€and€there€is€noÏmaterial€evidence€to€support€the€juryððs€verdict.€€Ìà àà àWhen€reviewing€a€juryððs€verdict€approved€by€the€TrialÏCourt,€we€determine€whether€there€is€material€evidence€toÏsupport€the€verdict.€€T.R.A.P.€Rule€13(d).€€In€consideringÏwhether€there€is€material€evidence€to€support€the€verdict,€weÏmust€take€the€strongest€legitimate€view€of€all€evidence€in€favorÏof€the€verdict,€to€assume€the€truth€of€the€evidence€in€support,Ïand€to€disregard€all€evidence€to€the€contrary.€€òòBlack€v.€Quinnóó,Í646€S.W.2d€437€(Tenn.App.€1982).Ìà àà àA€third€party€beneficiary€may€maintain€an€action€on€aÏcontract€if€recognition€of€the€beneficiaryððs€rights€ð ðisÏappropriate€to€effectuate€intention€of€parties€and€if€there€is€.Ï.€.€proof€that€promisorððs€performance€will€otherwise€discharge€aÏduty€owed€to€third€party€by€the€promisee.ð ðòò€€Moore€ConstructionÏv.€Clarksville€Dept.€of€Electricityóó,€707€S.W.2d€1,€9€(Tenn.App.Ï1985).Ìà àà àThere€is€material€evidence€to€support€the€juryððsÏverdict€that€plaintiff€was€a€third€party€beneficiary€of€theÏlisting€agreement€between€Tallent€and€the€owners.€€TallentððsÏtestimony€detailed€how€plaintiff€contacted€him€with€a€potentialÏbuyer€for€the€ownerððs€property,€how€he€and€plaintiff€agreed€toÏsplit€the€commission€that€would€result€from€the€completed€saleÏof€the€property,€and€of€his€attempt€to€split€the€check€that€wasÏgiven€to€him€by€the€owner.€€Both€Tallent€and€plaintiff€testifiedÏas€to€the€custom€in€the€real€estate€industry.€€This€testimony,Ïtaken€in€the€strongest€view€in€favor€of€the€verdict,€constitutesÏmaterial€evidence€supporting€the€jury€verdict.Ìà àà àThere€is€material€evidence€to€support€the€juryððsÏverdict€that€plaintiff€was€the€procuring€cause€of€the€sale€ofÏthe€property€and€therefore€was€entitled€to€the€real€estateÏcommission.€€òòSee€óóT.R.A.P.€13(d).€€A€real€estate€broker€isÏentitled€to€collect€a€commission€when€his€efforts€are€theÍprocuring€cause€of€the€sale.€€òòPacesetter€Properties,€Inc.€V.ÏHardaway,óó€635€S.W.2d€382€(Tenn.€App.€1981).€€If€a€brokerÏabandons€the€listing€or€fails€to€find€a€purchaser€within€theÏtime€frame€who€will€purchase,€the€broker€is€not€entitled€to€aÏcommission€and€the€owner€may€sell€the€realty€to€a€prospect€whoÏwas€first€produced€by€the€broker.€€òòMiller€v.€Jonesóó,€387€S.W.2dÏ637€(Tenn.€1964).Ìà àà àThe€record€contains€ample€evidence€which,€if€believedÏby€the€finder€of€fact,€supports€the€verdict€that€plaintiff€wasÏentitled€to€a€commission.€€Plaintiff€testified€to€the€work€heÏput€into€making€the€sale€happen.€€He€conducted€negotiations€forÏthe€sale€until€the€stalemate€was€reached,€and€he€testified€thatÏhe€had€not€completely€abandon€hope€for€the€sale.€€Shortly€afterÏthe€break€in€negotiations,€the€buyer€and€seller€restarted€theirÏtalks€and€agreed€to€a€price€and€terms€that€were€substantiallyÏwhat€had€been€offered,€except€no€commission€was€paid.€€Ìà àà àThe€fact€finder€could€determine€that€theseÏcircumstances€demonstrated€that€plaintiff€was€the€procuringÏcause€of€the€sale.€€Accordingly,€we€affirm€the€Trial€CourtððsÏjudgment.Ìà àà àPlaintiff€argues€that€he€is€also€entitled€to€an€awardÏof€attorneyððs€fees.€€The€real€estate€listing€agreement€enteredÏbetween€Tallent€and€the€owner€provided€that€ð ðif€any€action€isÏinstituted€to€enforce€this€agreement,€each€party€shall€payÍreasonable€attorneyððs€fees€and€costs€as€fixed€by€the€Court.ð ð€ÏAfter€the€Trial€Court€entered€the€judgment€on€the€juryððsÏverdict,€the€plaintiff€filed€a€petition€for€an€award€ofÏattorneyððs€fees.€€Ìà àà àPlaintiffs€in€their€complaint€sued€for€the€real€estateÏcommission,€ð ðplus€pre„judgment€interest€and€costsð ð.€€They€didÏnot€sue€for€attorneyððs€fees.€€They€did€not€assert€they€wereÏentitled€to€attorneyððs€fees€as€a€third„party€beneficiary€to€theÏcontract,€and€only€after€the€juryððs€verdict€and€judgment€enteredÏthereon€did€they€petition€for€attorneyððs€fees,€which€essentiallyÏsought€to€amend€their€complaint.€€The€Trial€Judgeððs€refusal€toÏaward€attorneyððs€fees€as€a€part€of€the€judgment€was€within€hisÏsound€discretion.€€We€affirm€the€judgment,€with€costs€of€theÏappeal€assessed€to€appellants.ÌÌÓÓÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€P.J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌÌÌ