ÿWPC< …# VUNa %¯ 0GµU:üw@6 4v Š ™ 0ª¡ 0DK B 0JÑ 0T 0^o 0hÍ 0r5 0|§ 0†# 0© 1u9 0d®U>U*PB)zDC£ AMæ B3îP/> D3mf v~ 0@„vÓÄ AO—Ææ 0D¬ D/ð B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX('\$¡¡Ô€XåÙXXMXÔ,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular ÿg îgDUDÓ€z!3|x(Z(2Um$¤¤Ý ƒ'\!ÝÔ€X}×XXXÔÝ  ÝÔ€ôb¬ôXX}×Ôà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóC:\WPWIN60\TEMPLATE\STANDARD.WPT2 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`(Arial% Line 7 d$$$$7Border 1dd€-%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d äÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÔ€#ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€#XÔÌÌò òSeptember€25,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€#ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó %Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $ÝÔ€#ôÔà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝThe€Plaintiffs€state€in€their€brief€that€they€purchased€the€building€and€the€lease€on€February€19,Ï1979.€Ì'''''ÿÿdxd \Ñ\R AØ'\ÑPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€"ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›œ›Ñ7€}×XXdædÈ7Ñœà@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌÌÌHAROLD€R.€GUNN€and€à àà àà à)ÌPATSY€R.GUNNà àà àà àà à)€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àó óPlaintiffs/Appellants,à àò ò)€€Humboldt€LawCourt€No.€H„2871ÌÙ€€ÙßL€&(%;+'h|›m` Å `€€Lßà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€€Appeal€No.€02A01„9511„CV„00242Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌJENNY€FIELDS,€d/b/a€à àà àà à)ÌQ„MART€STORES,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àó óDefendant/Appellee.à àò ò)ó óÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€HUMBOLDT€LAW€COURT€OF€GIBSON€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€HUMBOLDT,€TENNESSEEÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€DICK€JERMAN,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òHAROLD€R.€GUNNÌó óHumboldt,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€AppellantsÌÌÌò òROBERT€KINTONÌó óTrenton,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€AppelleeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òAFFIRMEDÌÌÌÌÌó óà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ÌÌHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.ÌÌÌÑ7€}×XXdæXXdæ7Ñó ó›ÓÓà àIn€this€unlawful€detainer€action,€Plaintiffs,€Harold€R.€Gunn€and€Patsy€R.€Gunn,Ïfiled€suit€in€general€sessions€court€seeking€possession€of€the€property€in€question€andÏeviction€of€the€Defendant,€Jenny€Fields.€€The€general€sessions€court€ruled€in€favor€ofÏthe€Defendant,€holding€that€the€lease€expired€on€July€31,€2000,€and€not€on€April€14,Ï1995€as€the€Plaintiffs€contend.€€An€appeal€was€filed€in€circuit€court,€and€the€circuit€courtÏdismissed€€the€Plaintiffsðð€appeal€from€general€sessions€court.€€Plaintiffs€have€appealedÏthe€circuit€courtððs€dismissal€of€the€Plaintiffsðð€appeal€from€general€sessions€courtÏarguing€that€the€lease€expired€on€April€14,€1995€because€the€Defendant€did€notÏexercise€the€fourth€option€to€extend€the€lease€in€writing€within€sixty€days€prior€to€theÏexpiration€of€the€previous€lease€period.€€€For€the€reasons€stated€hereafter,€we€affirm.€€€€ÌÌà@ àòòFACTSóóÌà àOn€April€15,€1970,€D.€€C.€€Mitchell,€the€lessor,€and€Leon€and€Randy€Fields,€theÏlessees,€signed€the€original€lease€agreement.€€Under€the€original€lease€agreement,Ïthe€lease€was€for€a€period€of€ten€years,€beginning€on€April€15,€1970€and€ending€onÍApril€14,€1980.× ƒ) ××  ×€€The€Defendant€was€to€pay€$425.00€in€rental€payments€€under€theÏoriginal€lease€agreement€.€€The€original€lease€agreement€provided€for€three€additionalÏfive€year€extension€periods€which€could€be€exercised€by€written€notice€at€least€sixtyÏdays€prior€to€the€expiration€of€the€lease€period.€The€option€periods€under€the€originalÏlease€agreement€were€as€follows:ÌÓÓœ›à àòòOption€Oneóó:€April€15,€1980€through€April€14,€1985;Ìà àòòOption€Twoóó:€April€15,€1985€through€April€14,€1990;Ìà àòòOption€Threeóó:€April€15,€1990€though€April€14,€1995.€œ›ÌÓÓœ›à àÌà àThe€Defendant€properly€exercised€the€first€option€to€extend€the€lease€by€a€letterÏdated€November€29,€1979,€which€was€more€than€sixty€days€prior€to€the€expiration€ofÏthe€original€lease.€ÌÌà àOn€August€1,€1980,€the€Plaintiffs,€lessors,€and€the€Defendant,€lessee,€signed€aÏlease€addendum€which€incorporated€the€original€lease€by€reference€and€included€anÏadditional€fourth€option.€€The€fourth€option€provided€for€an€extension€of€the€lease€fromÏa€period€beginning€on€April€15,€1995€and€ending€on€July€31,€2000.€Ìà à€Ìà àThe€Defendant€exercised€the€second€option€to€extend€the€lease€from€a€periodÏbeginning€on€April€15,€1985€and€ending€on€April€14,€1990€by€a€letter€dated€JanuaryÏ10,€1985.€€Defendant,€similarly,€€exercised€the€third€option€to€extend€the€lease€from€aÏperiod€beginning€on€April€15,€1990€and€ending€on€April€14,€1995€by€a€letter€datedÏJanuary€2,€1989.€Ìà àÌà àOn€June€6,€1990,€the€Plaintiffs,€lessors,€and€the€Defendant,€lessee,€signed€aÏSecond€Addendum€and€Amendment€to€the€original€lease€agreement€which€stated€thatÏthe€lease€would€expire€on€July€31,€2000€and€granted€four€additional€five€year€optionsÏto€extend€the€lease€period.€ÌÌà àThe€Second€Addendum€and€Amendment€to€the€lease€provides€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 à1.€òòTerm€of€Leaseóó.€€The€termination€of€said€Lease€shall€be€amended€toÏexpire€on€July€31,€2000.€€Ìà0 à2.€€òòRentalóó.€€For€the€period€up€to€the€termination€date€of€July€31,€2000,€theÏmonthly€rental€payment€shall€be€amended€to€the€sum€of€Six€Hundred€DollarsÏ($600.00),€commencing€on€the€1st€day€of€July,€1990.Ìà0 à3.€€òòOptionsóó.€€Lessor€hereby€grants€unto€Lessee€an€additional€four€(4)€five€(5)Ïyear€option€periods,€commencing€with€the€expiration€of€said€Lease.€€€For€the€firstÏtwo€(2)€five€(5)€year€options,€commencing€on€August€1,€2000€and€ending€JulyÏ31,€2010,€the€rental€payment€shall€be€the€sum€of€Seven€Hundred€DollarsÏ($700.00)€per€month.€€For€the€second€two€(2)€five€(5)€year€options,€commencingÏon€August€1,€2010€and€ending€July€31,€2020,€the€rental€payment€shall€be€theÏsum€of€Eight€Hundred€Dollars€($800.00)€per€month.€ÌÌÓÓòòÌà@ àISSUE€PRESENTED€FOR€REVIEWóóÌà àThe€only€issue€before€this€Court€is€whether€the€Second€Addendum€andÏAmendment€to€the€original€lease€agreement€extended€the€lease€until€July€31,€2000.€€€ÌÌà àIt€is€the€Plaintiffsðð€contention€that€the€Second€Addendum€and€Amendment€to€theÑ€+ÑÇoriginal€lease€agreement€did€not€extend€the€lease€until€July€31,€2000.€€€The€PlaintiffsÏargue€that€the€Defendant€had€to€exercise€the€fourth€option€in€writing€sixty€days€prior€toÏApril€14,€1995€or€the€end€of€the€previous€lease€period€in€order€to€extend€the€lease€untilÏJuly€31,€2000.€€Because€the€Defendant€did€not€exercise€the€fourth€option€in€writingÏsixty€days€prior€to€the€end€of€the€previous€lease€period,€the€Plaintiffs€contend€that€theÏlease€expired€on€April€14,€1995€and€does€not€extend€until€July€31,€2000.ÌÌà àInterpretation€of€a€written€agreement€is€a€matter€of€law€and€not€of€fact.€€òòAPAC„Tennessee,€Inc.€v.€J.M.€Humphries€Const.€Co.óó,€732€S.W.2d€601€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1986).€ÏIn€òòAPACóó,€this€Court€said:ÌÓÓà0 àà8 àThe€cardinal€rule€for€interpretation€of€a€contract€is€to€ascertain€theÏintention€of€the€parties€in€consideration€of€the€instrument€as€aÏwhole.€€òòBob€Pearsall€Motors,€Inc.€v.€Regal€Chrysler„Plymouth,€Inc.óó,Ï521€S.W.2d€578€(Tenn.€1975);€òòRodgers€v.€Southern€Newspapers,ÏInc.óó,€214€Tenn.€335,€379€S.W.2d€797€(1964).€€In€construingÏcontracts,€the€words€expressing€the€partiesðð€intentions€should€beÏgiven€their€usual,€natural€and€ordinary€meaning,€and€neither€partyÏis€to€be€favored€in€their€construction.€€òòBrown€v.€Tennessee€Auto.ÏIns.€Co.óó,€192€Tenn.€60,€237€S.W.2d€553€(1951);€òòBallard€v.€NorthÏAmerican€Life€&€Casualty€Co.óó,€667€S.W.2d€79€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.Ï1983).Ìà0 àà8 àIn€the€absence€of€fraud€or€mistake,€a€contract€must€be€interpretedÏand€enforced€as€it€is€written,€even€though€it€contains€terms€whichÏmay€be€thought€harsh€and€unjust.€€òòBallard€v.€North€American€Life€&ÏCasualty€Co.óó,€supra;€òòE.O.€Bailey€&€Co.€v.€Union€Planters€TitleÏGuaranty€Co.óó,€33€Tenn.€App.€439,€232€S.W.2d€309€(1949).ÌÌÓÓ732€S.W.2d€at€604.€ÌÌà àUnder€Tennessee€law,€parties€may€modify€the€terms€of€an€existing€contract€atÏany€time.€€òòV.€L.€Nicholson€Co.€v.€Transcon€Inv.€and€Financial€Ltd.,€Inc.óó,€595€S.W.2d€474Í(Tenn.€1980);€òòCronbach€v.€Aetna€Life€Ins.€Co.óó,€284€S.W.€72€(Tenn.€1926);€òòCo„operativeÏStores€Co.€v.€United€States€Fidelity€&€Guaranty€Co.óó,€195€S.W.€177€(Tenn.€1917);ÏòòArcata€Graphics€Co.€v.€Heidelberg€Harris,€Inc.óó,€874€S.W.2d€15€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1993);ÏòòBatson€v.€Pleasant€View€Utility€Dist.óó,€592€S.W.2d€578€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1979);€òòBonastiaÏv.€Berman€Bros.,€Inc.óó,€914€F.€Supp.€1533€(W.D.€Tenn.€1995).€€ÌÌà àBoth€the€Plaintiffs€and€the€Defendant€agreed€to€modify€the€terms€of€the€originalÏlease€agreement€and€the€first€lease€addendum€as€is€evidenced€by€the€partiesððÏsignatures€attached€to€the€Second€Addendum€and€Amendment€to€the€leaseÏagreement.€€Thus,€the€parties€are€bound€by€the€terms€of€the€Second€Addendum€andÏAmendment.€€€Because€the€Second€Addendum€and€Amendment€expressly€providedÏthat€ð ð[t]he€termination€of€said€Lease€shall€be€amended€to€expire€on€July€31,€2000"€andÏbecause€the€òòfirstóó€option€period€under€the€Second€Addendum€and€Amendment€beginsÏon€August€1,€2000,€we€conclude€that€the€lease€expires€on€July€31,€2000€and€that€theÏDefendant€did€not€have€to€exercise€an€option€in€writing€sixty€days€prior€to€the€end€ofÏthe€previous€lease€period€in€order€to€extend€the€lease€until€July€31,€2000.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€hereby€affirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€toÏthe€Appellants,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòòà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïóóà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌLILLARD,€J.