WPC  JK9`j%S3{1BO]x7{qq33K䶚m Xe q)Ǒ2);Dz c#CGZȨXuF5HRҝhA3NY :>H#ze)QUNI % 0U<Pw@4 0D);U:d)U: AQ R 0D 0D\ 0D D/ B B0 D3M HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLL(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX(7$  7XXdXXd7  Xd|XXX-Bu Z$Arrus BT Roman @EABUCUDEӀFӀGӀSVn~<$P`J3|xV($$   1    !"   X 'XXX  X X '   Ad FILED X 'X     November20,1998  CecilCrowson,Jr. X X 'AppellateCourtClerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular  !"  X 'XXX XX '   Ad FILEDX 'X    November18,1998  CecilCrowson,Jr.XX 'AppellateCourtClerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular !" %C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  (3$ !  (#$  0  ''' dxd dP Pd&&&&'dxd 7!  7ܕXXdXXd7  XtFXXX  TR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T7ܕXXdXXd7SGr (<,(j 8` `@E` ttx$, rGSVSr (<,(j 8` `@E` ttx$, rSVVV@ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE@)ATJACKSON `  ______________________________________________VV Vt (>.*jxL` `@E@? ` ttx$x4 c tVDICKMOORE,INC.,    ` PlaintiffAppellant, `     h      p ShelbyLawNo.74748Vs. `     h      p C.A.No:02A019707CV00148    GREENTREEFINANCIAL   CORPORATION,     ` DefendantAppellee.____________________________________________________________________________@H H FROMTHESHELBYCOUNTYCIRCUITCOURT@ THEHONORABLEJAMESF.RUSSELL,JUDGE@* * R.LayneHolley;McNabb,Holley&WaldropofMemphis@>>(ForAppellant@] ] RogerA.Stone;Stone,Higgs&DrexlerofMemphis@7 7 JoelE.Jordan;Steltemeier&WestbrookofNashville@rr(ForAppellee@$ AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED '## @33' Opinionfiled: )%%  `     h      p   W.FRANKCRAWFORD, /++  `     h      p   PRESIDINGJUDGE,W.S.  0,, BB CONCUR: 6 22 ALANE.HIGHERS,JUDGEDAVI@?R?@ADR.FARMER,JUDGEA C :66  ;779 CDDEED ` Thiscaseinvolvesadisputeinvolvingtheassignmentofretailinstallmentcontracts.PlaintiffAppellant,DickMoore,Inc.(DickMoore),appealsfromthetrialcourtsordergrantingAppellees,GreenTreeFinancialCorporation(GreenTree),motionforsummaryjudgment. ` DickMoore,aTennesseecorporation,enteredintoadealeragreementwithGreenTree,aforeigncorporationdoingbusinessinTennessee.Undersuchagreement,GreenTreewouldperiodicallybuyfromDickMooreretailinstallmentcontractsgeneratedbythesaleofmanufacturedhomesinconnectionwithDickMooresbusiness.Theagreementprovides,aspertinenttoourinquiry:DFFD8 ` 8 ` !` !TO:GREENTREEACCEPTANCE,INC.(ORITSSUBSIDIARY)    8 ` 8 ` !` !GreenTreeFinancialCorp.MS    8 ` 8 ` !` !Jackson,MS    8 ` 8 ` !` !Gentlemen:    8 ` 8 ` !` !  Wedesirefromtimetotimetosellyouconditionalsalescontracts,chattelmortgages,securityagreementsorothertitlerestrainingorlieninstruments(hereinaftercollectivelyreferredtoas Contracts)evidencingtheretailsaleofmobilehomesormanufacturedhomes(hereinafterreferredtoas Property)onthefollowingtermsandconditions:    8 ` 8 ` !` !1.ThepurchasepriceofeachContractacceptabletoyoushallbeanamountequaltothetotalofpaymentsthereoflessyourchargesthereonasagreedupon,andlessanychargsstatedineachContractforanyinsurancepoliciestobeplacedbyyou.Atthetimeofpurchase,youshallpaytousanamounttobeagreedupon.IfanyContractassignedand/orendorsedtoyoubyusdoesnotbeararateoffinancechargeacceptabletoyou,weagreethat,atyoursaleoption,wewilltendertoyouanamoutnnecessarytobringtherateoffinancechargetoalevelacceptabletoyou.     `     h *    * p   * 2.. ThiswasnotanexclusivearrangementasDickMoorehadarrangementswithseveralotherlendersatthistimeandfinancedmanysalesdirectly. ` Undertheaboveagreement,DickMooreassignedthirtyfourcontractsto 844 GreenTreebetweenMay1994andAugust1995.Generallythetransactionproceededasfollows.DickMoorewouldnotifyGreenTreeafterarrangingasaletoacustomer.GreenTreewouldthensendaletterdetailingitsfinancingtermsalongwithgeneralandspecificconditionsforeachapplicant.AfterreceiptofthisfromGreenTree,DickMoorewouldgathertheinformationrequiredbyGreenTreeand 955 thenwouldtenderthisinformationalongwiththecontractstoGreenTree. ` Duringthisarrangement,DickMoorediscoveredthatperiodsoftimewereelapsingbetweenthetenderingofthecontractstoGreenTreeandthereceiptofpaymentsfromGreenTree.GreenTreeclaimedthatthedelaysresultedfromDickMooresfailuretoprovide,inatimelymanner,documentationitrequiredtoinsurethecontractwasincompliancewithitsfundingconditions.Afterthishadcontinuedforsometime,DickMooreinsistedthatGreenTreepayinterestonthelatepaymentsforthecontracts.GreenTreerefusedpromptingDickMooretofilethissuitforbreachofcontractandconversion. ` Presentedwithmotionsforsummaryjudgmentbybothparties,thetrialcourtgrantedGreenTreesmotionwhiledenyingDickMooresmotion.Thetrialcourtgrantedsummaryjudgmentongroundsthatthedealeragreementdidnotspecifyapaymentdateindependentofthedateofpurchasenordiditprovidefortheaccrualofinterestbetweenthetimeoftenderandthetimeofpayment.DickMoorehasappealed,andtheonlyissueforreviewiswhetherthetrialcourterredingrantingGreenTreesmotionforsummaryjudgment. ` Amotionforsummaryjudgmentshouldbegrantedwhenthemovantdemonstratesthattherearenogenuineissuesofmaterialfactandthatthemovingpartyisentitledtoajudgmentasamatteroflaw.Tenn.R.Civ.P.56.04.Thepartymovingforsummaryjudgmentbearstheburdenofdemonstratingthatnogenuineissueofmaterialfactexists. Bainv.Wells ,936S.W.2d618,622(Tenn.1997).On 400 amotionforsummaryjudgment,thecourtmusttakethestrongestlegitimateviewoftheevidenceinfavorofthenonmovingparty,allowallreasonableinferencesin 844 favorofthatparty,anddiscardallcountervailingevidence. Id. In Byrdv.Hall ,847  S.W.2d208(Tenn.1993),ourSupremeCourtstated:8 ` 8 ` !` !Onceitisshownbythemovingpartythatthereisnogenuineissueofmaterialfact,thenonmovingpartymustthendemonstrate,byaffidavitsordiscoverymaterials,thatthereisagenuine,materialfactdisputetowarrantatrial.Inthisregard,Rule56.05providesthatthenonmovingpartycannotsimplyrelyuponhispleadingsbutmustsetforthspecificfactsshowingthatthereisa   genuineissueofmaterialfactfortrial.8   LL  ̜Id. at211(citationsomitted)(emphasisinoriginal).    ` Summaryjudgmentisonlyappropriatewhenthefactsandthelegalconclusionsdrawnfromthefactsreasonablypermitonlyoneconclusion. Carvellv.  Bottoms ,900S.W.2d23,26(Tenn.1995).Sinceonlyquestionsoflawareinvolved,   thereisnopresumptionofcorrectnessregardingatrialcourt'sgrantofsummaryjudgment. Bain ,936S.W.2dat622.Therefore,ourreviewofthetrialcourtsgrant  ofsummaryjudgmentis denovo ontherecordbeforethisCourt. Warrenv.Estate  ofKirk ,954S.W.2d722,723(Tenn.1997).   ` DickMooresactionispremisedonthedealeragreementbetweentheparties.Theinterpretationofawrittenagreementisamatteroflawandnotoffact. APAC # Tennesseev.J.M.HumphriesConstr.Co. ,732S.W.2d601,604(Tenn.App. % !! 1986).Thecardinalruleforinterpretationofcontractsistoascertaintheintentionofthepartiesfromthecontractasawholeandtogiveeffecttothatintentionconsistentwithlegalprinciples. Winfreev.EducatorsCreditUnion ,900S.W.2d285, +$'' 289(Tenn.App.1995); Raineyv.Stansell ,836S.W.2d117(Tenn.App.1992).In -()) construingcontracts,thewordsexpressingthepartiesintentionsshouldbegiventheirusual,natural,andordinarymeaning. Taylorv.WhiteStores,Inc. ,707S.W.2d 1,-- 514,516(Tenn.App.1985).Intheabsenceoffraudormistake,acontractmustbeinterpretedandenforcedaswritten,eventhoughitcontainstermswhichmayseemharshorunjust. HeyerJordan&Assocs.v.Jordan ,801S.W.2d814,821 7033 (Tenn.App.1990). 9455 Ї ` Undertheagreement,GreenTreepurchasedonlythecontractsacceptabletoitandasnotedmakesthedecisiontopurchaseonlyafterreviewofvariousdocumentsthatDickMooreisrequiredtofurnish.Ineffect,thedealeragreementisaconditionalcontract.Themajorpartofthedealeragreementpertainstotherightsandresponsibilityiesofthepartiesafteracontractispurchased.Essentially,astothepurchaseofthecontract,theagreementismerelyanagreementtopossiblytoagreemen.Thetrialcourtnnotedtheabsenceofaprovisionforpaymentotherthanthepurchasedate.Thedealeragreementsimplydoesnotaccreareateabindingagreementfortherthepurchaseofthecontract,andtheonlybindingagreementcomesintoexistencewithtehthepurchaseofeachcontract.TThedealeragreementis,atbeastst.,,aconditionalcontract. ` Aconditionalcontractisacontractwhoseveryexistenceandperformancedependsuponthehappeningofsomecontingencyorconditionexpresslystatedtherein. Covingtonv.Robinson ,723S.W.2d643,645(Tenn.App.1986)(quoting   RealEstateManagement ,41Tenn.App.at353,293S.W.2dat599).Acondition  precedentmaybeaconditionwhichmustbeperformedbeforethepartiesagreementbecomesabindingcontract,oritmaybeaconditionwhichmustbefulfilledbeforethedutytoperformanexistingcontractarises. Stricklandv.CityofLawrenceburg , $  611S.W.2d832,837(Tenn.App.1980).Noliabilityunderthecontractattachestoeitherpartyuntilsuchconditionprecedentisfulfilled. Id. Thepartiestoa ( $$ contractmayacceptthetermsofsuchcontractandmakethecontractconditionaluponsomeothereventoroccurrence. Disneyv.Henry ,656S.W.2d859,861 ,(( (Tenn.App.1983). ` Underthedealeragreementandthesubsequentlettersandinstrumentswhichwereapartofeachtransaction,GreenTreesacceptanceforpurchasewascontingentonDickMooresfulfillmentofconditionsrequiredbyGreenTree.Aspreviouslystated,underthearrangement,GreenTreewouldsendDickMoorealaundrylistofconditionsthathadtobemetbeforeGreenTreewouldpurchasethecontract.The 844 creditapprovalletterGreenTreesenttoDickMooreforeachapplicantexpresslystated: Providedyouandtheprospectivepurchasermeettheconditionsdescribedbelow,weagreetoacquirefromyoutheapplicantsretailinstallmentcontractinconnectionwiththepurchasebytheapplicantoftheabovedescribedproperty.Thecreditapprovalletterfurtherprovided: StatedtermsofcreditapprovalaresubjecttostandardGreenTreeunderwritingrequirements.TermsofcreditapprovalaresubjecttochangebyGreenTreewithoutpriornoticetoDealersorCustomers. ` UntilGreenTreewasassuredthateachconditionhadbeenmet,GreenTreeϜdidnotfindthecontractacceptableforpurchase.TherecordisrepletewithinstancesinwhichsomeoftheconditionswerenotfulfilleduntilfurtherdocumentationwasreceivedandwithinstancesinwhichGreenTreerequiredfurtherinformationbeforepurchasingsomeofthecontracts. ` Thiswasnotanexclusivearrangementbetweentheparties.DickMoorewasundernoobligationtosellthecontractstoGreenTree.IfDickMoorewasunhappywiththewayGreenTreeconducteditsbusiness,ithadanarrayofotherlenderstowhichitcouldhavesoldthecontracts.Asamatteroffact,therewasnothinginthearrangementthatpreventedDickMoorefromwithdrawingthecontractbeforeGreenϜTreesagreementtopurchase.Furthermore,GreenTreewasundernoobligationtopurchasethecontractsuntiltheconditionswerefulfilledanditwassatisfiedwiththedeal.Asprovidedforbythedealeragreement,therewasnobindingcontractbetweenthepartiesuntilGreenTreeagreedtopurchasethecontractfromDickMoore.UntilallconditionshadbeenmetandGreenTreewassatisfiedwithsuch,therewasnoacceptanceonthepartofGreenTree.Thus,anydelayGreenTreeexercisedbeforepurchasingthecontractsdidnotconstituteabreachofcontractunderthecircumstancesofthearrangementbetweentheparties. ` Moreover,thedealeragreementprovidesforpaymentatthetimeofpurchaseofanamountagreedupon.Ineachofthetransactions,DickMooreacceptedthe 844 purchasepricepaidbyGreenTreewithoutvoicingdisagreementatthetimeofpayment.BearinginmindthatDickMoorewasundernoobligationtosellthecontracttoGreenTree,andconsideringthelanguageoftheagreementcallingforpaymentofanamountagreedupon,thepaymentbyGreenTreeandtheacceptancebyDickMooreestablishestheagreedamount. ` Accordingly,theorderofthetrialcourtisaffirmed,andthecaseisremandedforsuchfurtherproceedingsasnecessary.Costsofappealareassessedagainsttheappellant.     D