ÿWPCò üB ¹Áx5Ût5ÀëôŒx‹Ú³~/<Â+ÄÎd«w‡‘êÓêjG(ß—ÒLëƒïÚ³ Ô0_¡ÀÄœzÔ(;¿OPðWõæ7—xâÝôàÙJ3Rñihþ¿Ö7Îo$§ t¤¹³HˆáÁ2b‰óBÓKXQ°­X„¬‹sè[Z~˜=Ÿ¿òŇð3ÃÑvîC¦?¶‡ÕH³èÙŽÿ#œ#ÆšŒ¬Á!‚ÒLØê8ë¤ß b**U%®ÿ’¥G­ gúˆÊ‚ôÔc“.¡\&Äv¼ ‰[à§?Ù;xw,ýÖâA¸F:ébák Ü—‡Ç§ïÜ—OZDºl6á ŽúÞ†fK¡~¸Ún=skœ˜à}hY’io›*€S,Z™4Œ«E*E]ˆà Së äŠ~‹pYkS9·ã¿Ï}w.âR@èé ø(@ífŸS×xü"1×ê`­ÌbùPk–_îÈH|°åÂË–À?“™Ÿ‚Ë´+Òe1>f˜<ú †p«Ï°ÔÎÈ€C`㧅<êðØGS£ ‚eLïÿ`ó{¦Mƒâb_ jãWãtºEœK¦,€î•‚=­óB ª ™FM;ƒ.•ƒ+¥Ž=ÝÞ W#ÉÂU N‹ %Ù 0:ß U N U<g U@£ bã ^ ë w÷ 4û   , m. pE E 0Dµ µ µ µ Eù =û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û û 08888 BÕ˜\\IB01S02\CLERKJACÈÈ,,,,ÈÈ0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$¡¡ÔUSUS.,Ô(í€"  Z6Times New Roman Regular-šBu Z‹$Arrus BT Roman(ÖÃ9 Z‹(Times New Roman - ù-A“C1Ï 6hö0 8"3|x Ý ƒR‹$ÝÔUSUS.,Ôà  àòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÔ€ô•òXXÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔThe€trial€court€made€the€judgment€final€as€to€Womack€and€Raub€under€Tennessee€Rule€of€Civil€ProcedureÐ ° Ð54.02.ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ OUZTS RAUBDONATOREMAXBOYSEN CRYELEIKEMCANALLY COA P.J. W.S.BillerGlassmanTamekaT]here I]tmovantCarvell Bain BelzGovtw]hen(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó 3Ý ƒR‹$ÝÔUSUS.,Ôà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÔ€ô•òXXÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔOuzts€later€amended€the€complaint€to€add€his€own€real€estate€agent,€Steven€Boysen,€and€his€agency,€Crye„Ð ° ÐLeike,€Inc.,€and€McAnally€Inspection€Service,€Inc.(.G2‹$¤¤Ý ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€ô•òXXÔ dÝ ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ‡XÛ·XXXÔÔ‡¼ƒé»XXÛ·ÔÑ€ÑÑ8€pæXXdédÈ8ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñà@ò ò ìàÔ#†XÛ·X»¼ƒé\#ÔÔ‡îc6îXXÛ·ÔIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@òò%ìàAT€JACKSONÔ#†XÛ·Xîîc6#ÔÔ‡¼ƒé»XX۷ԈРÓ# ÐÓ  ÓApril€20,€2004€SessionÐ öF ÐÔ#†XÛ·X»¼ƒé¨#ÔÌò òÔ‡¼ƒé»XXÛ·ÔSTEVEN€R.€OUZTSòòóó€v.€MICHAEL€L.€WOMACK,€VICTORIA€A.€RAUB,Ð ï? ÐFRANK€DONATO,€REMAX„ELITE,€STEVEN€BOYSEN,€CRYE„LEIKE,Ð  P ÐINC.,€AND€MCANALLY€INSPECTION€SERVICE,€INC.òòóóÔ#†XÛ·X»¼ƒé;#Ôó óÐ  a ÐÌà@@½½ìàò ò€Appeal€from€the€Chancery€Court€for€Shelby€CountyÐ  [ Ðà@@øøìàNo.€CH„02„1430„1€€€€€€Walter€L.€Evans,€ChancellorÐ õ E  ÐÌÌà@@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<²` AßÐ ³  ÐÌà@@TTìàNo.€W2003„01502„COA„R3„CV€Ô_Ô„€Filed€October€4,€2004Ô_ÔÐ ¬ü  ÐÌßA€V) °°` dE<` AßÐ €Ð Ðó óÌÓ  ÓThis€case€involves€alleged€fraud€in€the€sale€of€real€estate.€€The€sellers€completed€a€residentialÐ xÈ Ðdisclosure€statement€indicating€that€the€subject€property€had€no€flooding€problems.€€The€sellers€thenÐ a± Ðbargained€to€include€language€in€the€deed€disavowing€any€previous€representations€concerning€theÐ Jš Ðpropertyððs€condition.€€The€buyer€accepted€these€terms.€€After€the€buyer€took€possession,€the€propertyÐ 3ƒ Ðflooded.€€The€buyer€filed€suit€against€the€sellers,€alleging€fraudulent€concealment€andÐ l Ðmisrepresentation.€€The€sellers€filed€a€motion€for€summary€judgment,€which€was€granted.€€WeÐ U Ðaffirm,€holding€that€the€buyers€are€bound€by€the€unambiguous€terms€of€the€contract€for€sale€and€theÐ î> Ðdeed.€€Ð ×' ÐÓTÓÌò òTenn.€R.€App.€P.€3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Chancery€Court€is€Affirmedó óÐ ©ù ÐÌòòÓ  ÓHolly€M.€Kirby,€J.óó,€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€Court,€in€which€òòW.€Frank€Crawford,€P.J.,€W.S.,óóÐ |Ì Ðand€òòDavid€R.€Farmer,€J.óó,€joined.Ð eµ ÐÌStephen€H.€Biller,€Memphis,€for€the€appellant€Steven€R.€Ouzts.Ð 7!‡  ÐÌRichard€Glassman€and€Tameka€Turner„Perry,€Memphis,€for€the€appellees€Michael€L.€Womack€andÐ  #Y" ÐVictoria€A.€Raub.Ð ò#B# ÐÓ3 ÓÌò òOPINIONó óÐ Ä%!% ÐÌòòóóÓ  Óà  àIn€April€2000,€Defendants/Appellees€Michael€L.€Womack€(ð ðWomackðð)€and€Victoria€A.€RaubÐ —'ç"' Ð(ð ðRaubðð),€husband€and€wife,€listed€their€residence€at€516€St.€Nick€Drive,€Memphis,€Tennessee€(ð ðtheÐ €(Ð#( ÐPropertyðð)€for€sale.€€At€that€time,€Womack€and€Raub€completed€a€residential€disclosure€statement,Ð i)¹$) Ðwhich€indicated€in€part€that€the€property€was€not€subject€to€flooding.€€Plaintiff/Appellant€Steven€R.Ð R*¢%* ÐOuzts€(ð ðOuztsðð)€became€interested€in€purchasing€the€Property,€but€was€concerned€that€it€might€beÐ ;+‹&+ Ðsubject€to€flooding.€€His€real€estate€agent€inquired€about€flooding,€and€the€sellersðð€agent€respondedÐ $,t', Ðâ âthat€they€had€not€experienced€any€flooding€problems.Ð  -](- Ðà  àOuzts€made€an€offer€to€purchase€the€Property.€€Womack€and€Raub€counter„offered,€addingÐ ° Ðâ âthe€condition€that€after€closing€they€would€ð ðhave€no€further€obligation€or€responsibility€to€[Ouzts]Ð ™é Ðfor€the€condition€of€the€Propertyðð€and€that€the€deed€would€contain€language€to€that€effect.€€TheÐ ‚Ò Ðcounter„offer€recited€the€language€to€appear€in€the€deed:Ð k» ÐÌà8  àNotwithstanding€anything€to€the€contrary€contained€in€this€deed,€it€is€understood€andÐ =  Ðagreed€that€the€Property€is€being€conveyed€without€any€representation€or€warrantyÐ & v Ðof€any€kind€by€Grantor€except€as€expressly€set€forth€herein.€€Grantor€has€not€madeÐ  _ Ðand€does€not€hereby€make€(except€as€expressly€set€forth€herein)€any€representationsÐ ø H Ðor€warranties€of€any€kind€or€character€whatsoever,€express€or€implied,€with€respectÐ á 1  Ðto€the€property,€its€condition€(environmental€or€otherwise),€uses€or€fitness€for€anyÐ Ê   Ðparticular€purpose,€and€Grantor€hereby€disclaims€and€renounces€any€suchÐ ³  Ðrepresentation€or€warranty€and€by€Grantee€accepting€the€Property,€Grantor€is€foreverÐ œì  Ðdischarged€therefrom.Ð…Õ Ð Ð  ÐÌThe€counter„offer€noted€that€these€provisions€ð ðshall€survive€the€closing€and€be€binding€upon€theÐ W§  Ðparties,€their€successors,€successors€in€title,€heirs€and€assigns.ðð€€Ouzts€reviewed€the€counter„offerÐ @ Ðand€accepted€it€on€June€14,€2000.€€On€July€28,€2000,€Womack€and€Raub€executed€a€SpecialÐ )y ÐWarranty€Deed€containing€the€exculpatory€language€set€forth€in€the€contract€for€sale.Ð b ÐÌà  àOn€August€12,€2002,€the€Property€purchased€from€Womack€and€Raub€was€damaged€byÐ ä4 Ðsignificant€flooding.€€On€July€26,€2002,€Ouzts€filed€a€lawsuit€against€Womack€and€Raub,€as€well€asÐ Í Ðthe€listing€agent€and€agency€for€the€Property.׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€In€the€lawsuit,€Ouzts€asserted€that€Womack€and€RaubÐ ¶ Ðwere€aware€that€the€Property€was€subject€to€flooding,€but€fraudulently€concealed€this€fact€and€madeÐ Ÿï Ðmaterial€misrepresentations€by€failing€to€disclose€the€flooding€problem€on€the€residential€disclosureÐ ˆØ Ðstatement.€€Ouzts€sought€rescission€of€the€contract,€as€well€as€compensatory€and€punitive€damages.Ð qÁ ÐÌà  àWomack€and€Raub€filed€motionsò òó ó€for€summary€judgment,€arguing€that€the€exculpatoryÐ C“ Ðlanguage€of€the€contract€and€deed€shielded€them€from€a€lawsuit€arising€out€of€the€condition€of€theÐ ,| ÐProperty,€and€additionally€that€the€statute€of€limitations€had€run€on€Ouztsðð€claim.€€The€trial€courtÐ e Ðgranted€the€motion€for€summary€judgment,€noting,€ð ðthere€is€specific€language€in€the€warranty€deedÐ þN Ðwhich€is€a€part€of€the€transferring€document,€which€clearly€states€that€the€defendants€did€not€makeÐ ç 7 Ðany€representations€as€to€any€of€the€conditions€[of]€which€the€plaintiff€is€complaining.ðð€€The€trialÐ Ð!   Ðcourt€concluded,€ð ð[I]t€doesnððt€appear€as€though€the€Court€can€perceive€any€basis€upon€which€theÐ ¹" ! Ðplaintiff€could€succeed€in€an€action€against€these€defendants.ðð€€The€trial€court€did€not€rule€on€theÐ ¢#ò" Ðstatute€of€limitations€defense.€€From€that€order,€Ouzts€now€appeals.׃ ×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×Ð ‹$Û# Ðâ âÐ t%Ä $ Ðà  àOn€appeal,€Ouzts€argues€that€there€are€genuine€issues€of€material€fact€as€to€whether€WomackÐ ° Ðâ âand€Raub€knew€that€the€Property€had€a€flooding€problem.€€Ouzts€asserts€that€this€disputed€fact€isÐ ™é Ðmaterial€because€the€representations€in€the€residential€disclosure€statement€and€by€the€sellersðð€agentÐ ‚Ò Ðthat€the€Property€was€not€subject€to€flooding€induced€him€into€accepting€the€exculpatory€languageÐ k» Ðin€the€contract€for€sale€and€the€Special€Warranty€Deed.€€Therefore,€Ouzts€maintains€that€the€trialÐ T¤ Ðcourt€erred€in€granting€the€motion€for€summary€judgment.Ð =  ÐÌà  àÔ#†XpæXXXÛ·=#ÔÔ‡XÛ·XXXpæÔA€motion€for€summary€judgment€should€be€granted€when€the€movant€demonstrates€that€thereÐ  _ Ðare€no€genuine€issues€of€material€fact€and€that€the€moving€party€is€entitled€to€judgment€as€a€matterÐ ø H Ðof€law.€€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€56.04.€€Ô#†XpæXXXÛ· #ÔÔ‡XÛ·XXXpæÔSummary€judgment€is€only€appropriate€when€the€facts€and€the€legalÐ á 1  Ðconclusions€drawn€from€the€facts€reasonably€permit€only€one€conclusion.€€ò òòòCarvell€v.€Bottomsó óóó,€900Ð Ê   ÐS.W.2d€23,€26€(Tenn.€1995).€€Since€only€questions€of€law€are€involved,€there€is€no€presumption€ofÐ ´  Ðcorrectness€regarding€a€trial€courtððs€grant€of€summary€judgment.€€ò òòòBain€v.€Wellsó óóó,€936€S.W.2d€618,Ð í  Ð622€(Tenn.€1997).€€Therefore,€our€review€of€the€trial€courtððs€grant€of€summary€judgment€is€òòde€novoóóÐ ‡×  Ðon€the€record€before€this€Court.€€ò òòòWarren€v.€Estate€of€Kirkó óóó,€954€S.W.2d€722,€723€(Tenn.€1997).Ô#†XpæXXXÛ·K!#ÔÔ‡XÛ·XXXpæÔÐ pÀ  ÐÌà  àÔ#†XpæXXXÛ·G$#ÔÔ‡XpæXXXpæÔIt€is€well€settled€that€ð ðexculpatory€clauses€are€valid€in€Tennessee€and€are€not€against€theÐ C“ Ðpublic€policy€of€this€state.ðð€€ò òòòBurks€v.€Belz„Wilson€Props.ó óóó,€958€S.W.2d€773,€776€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.Ð ,| Ð1997).€€Ô#†XpæXXXpæ«$#ÔÔ‡XpæXXXpæÔUnder€the€common€law€of€contracts,€such€clauses€must€be€interpreted€and€enforcedÐ f Ðaccording€to€their€plain€terms.€€òòò òWarren€v.€Metropolitan€Govððt€of€Nashville€&€Davidson€Countyó óóó,€955Ð ÿO ÐS.W.2d€618,€622€(Tenn.€App.€1997)Ô#†XpæXXXpæë%#ÔÔ‡XpæXXXpæÔ.€€The€application€of€rules€of€construction€of€contracts€is€notÐ é9 Ðnecessary€ð ð[w]hen€clear€contract€language€reveals€the€intent€of€the€parties.ðð€€òòò òId.ó óóó€€Contract€languageÐ Ò" Ðis€considered€unambiguous€unless€ð ðit€is€of€uncertain€meaning€and€may€fairly€be€understood€in€moreÐ ¼  Ðways€than€one.ðð€€ò òòòId.óóó ó€When€a€contract€is€plain€and€unambiguous,€its€meaning€is€purely€a€question€ofÐ ¥õ Ðlaw.€€òòò òId.ó óóó€Ð ß Ѐ€€Ð yÉ Ðà  àÔ#†XpæXXXpæ8'#ÔÔ‡XÛ·XXXpæÔIt€is€undisputed€that€the€question€of€whether€to€insert€this€language€was€a€significant€issueÐ b² Ðin€the€negotiations€on€the€contract€for€sale.€€In€this€case,€the€language€in€the€Special€Warranty€DeedÐ K› Ðis€clear€and€unambiguous:€ð ðGrantor€has€not€made€and€does€not€hereby€make€(except€as€expresslyÐ 4„ Ðset€forth€herein)€any€representations€or€warranties€of€any€kind€.€.€.€with€respect€to€the€property,€itsÐ m Ðcondition€(environmental€or€otherwise),€uses€or€fitness€for€any€particular€purpose.ðð€€Indeed,€theÐ  V Ðlanguage€in€the€Special€Warranty€Deed€goes€a€step€further,€disclaiming€and€renouncing€any€previousÐ ï ? Ðrepresentations€made€by€Womack€and€Raub:€ð ðGrantor€hereby€disclaims€and€renounces€any€suchÐ Ø!(  Ðrepresentation€or€warranty€and€by€Grantee€accepting€the€Property,€Grantor€is€forever€dischargedÐ Á"! Ðtherefrom.ðð€€It€was€a€major€component€of€the€contract€negotiations.€Under€these€circumstances,Ð ª#ú" ÐOuztsðð€assertion€that€he€based€his€acceptance€of€the€exculpatory€language€upon€representations€madeÐ “$ã# Ðby€Womack€and€Raub€is€unreasonable.€€Thus,€even€assuming€that€Womack€and€Raub€knowinglyÐ |%Ì $ Ðmisrepresented€the€Propertyððs€susceptibility€to€flooding,€this€would€not€be€a€material€fact.€€BecauseÐ e&µ!% Ðthere€are€no€genuine€issues€of€material€fact,€the€trial€courtððs€grant€of€summary€judgment€to€WomackÐ N'ž"& Ðand€Raub€was€not€error.Ð 7(‡#' ÐÌà  àIn€this€appeal,€Womack€and€Raub€seek€an€award€of€sanctions€against€Ouzts€and€his€legalÐ  *Y%) Ðcounsel€under€Rule€11€of€the€Tennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure€for€a€frivolous€appeal.€€We€declineÐ ò*B&* Ðto€do€so.Ð Û++'+ Їà  àThe€decision€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€against€the€appellantÐ ° ÐSteven€R.€Ouzts€and€his€surety,€for€which€execution€may€issue,€if€necessary.Ð ™é ÐÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à___________________________________€Ð =  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àHOLLY€M.€KIRBY,€JUDGEÔ#†XpæXXXÛ·¨)#Ô