ÿWPC[ 8#  UN+ %y 0cU<âw@4^r AQ 0§Ò 0Dy½ 1mÅ 0c2 0J• 0Tß 0^3 0h‘ 0rù 0|k 0†ç 0m 1uý Br Æ 0DU 0@™ 0DÙ 0d D/ B° D3Í U>B)>DCg AMªU*÷^!b)áv~ vÓˆ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX(;cW$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€XaBXXXÔ-šBu Z‹$Arrus BT Roman )E*[+,-U.î/Ó€0Ó€<?n~<$xÔlTÔô3|x? !" %Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ(W(3Ѻ$¤¤Ý ƒcW!ÝÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€X´$XXXÔÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó#0e37=CIQYag­­1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)(;³¼$´´Ô20eÔÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0  à2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a) dƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ'''÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d////7Border 1dd "0Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial TÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€.ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ!"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€2ÔÔ€2ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€2XÔÌÌò òJuneÏ12,Ï1998ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€2ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó XÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€.ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý€A€detailed€description€of€the€various€pleadings€is€unnecessary€becauseÏthe€only€parties€to€the€appeal€are€the€Plaintiff,€Trice,€and€the€Defendant,€Hall.Ì Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€.ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý€€There€is€no€suggestion€in€the€record€that€Penny€Hill€requested€Hall€toÏmark€the€boundary€line.ÌPtPtHHØ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ellan Geneva ÒÒ  ellan Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€.ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€¼ÈXXdðdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà àà à€€€€______________________________________________ÌÌò òARDIE€TRICE,€ó óÌÌà àPlaintiff„Appellee,ÌÙ€ ÙßR€130A1-j|ÅöÍ` à. `€€@ÿRßà àà àà àà àà àà àà àC.A.€No.€02A01„9708„CV„00195ÌVs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àChester€Circuit€No.€4072ÌÌò òJOHNNY€LEE€KELLY,€ÌTERRY€SELLERS,€andÌDAVID€HALL,€ó óÌÌà àDefendants„Appellants.Ì____________________________________________________________________________ÌÌà@ àFROM€THE€CHESTER€COUNTY€CIRCUIT€COURTÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€WHIT€LAFON,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌà@ àNathan€B.€Pride€of€JacksonÌà@ àFor€AppelleeÌÌà@ àDavid€A.€Riddick€of€JacksonÌà@ àFor€Appellant,€HallÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòVACATED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌó óà@ àóóOpinion€filed:€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óÌÌÌÓÓÔ€.Ô›à àœÔ€ÔThis›€appeal€involves€a€suit€brought€by€a€property€owner€against€a€landÏsurveyor€for€damages€resulting€from€the€unlawful€cutting€of€timber.€ÏPlaintiff/Appellee,€Ardie€Trice€(Trice),€sued€his€adjacent€landowner,€Johnny€LeeÏKelly€(Kelly),€and€Kellyððs€timber€cutter,€Defendant,€Terry€Sellers€(Sellers),€forÏdamages€resulting€from€the€unlawful€cutting€of€his€timber.€€Kelly€and€SellersÏboth€answered€the€complaint€and€filed€cross„claims€against€each€other€seekingÏindemnification€and€other€damages.€€They€also€filed€third€party€complaintsÏagainst€the€land€surveyor,€David€Hall.€€After€Hall€was€brought€in€as€a€third€partyÏdefendant,€Trice€was€granted€permission€to€amend€his€complaint€and€bring€HallÏin€as€a€defendant.€€The€amended€complaint€alleges€that€Hall€performed€a€faultyÍsurvey€improperly€designating€the€line€between€Kelly€and€Trice€and€that€becauseÏof€his€failure€to€mark€the€correct€line,€the€timber€was€cut€on€Triceððs€propertyÏinstead€of€Kellyððs€property.€€The€complaint€seeks€damages€against€Hall€asÏprovided€by€T.C.A.€ðð€43„28„312€(1993).Ìà àIssues€were€drawn€on€the€various€pleadings.× ƒ4 ××  ×€€Triceððs€claim€against€SellersÏand€Kelly€was€compromised€and€settled€before€a€trial,€and€the€case€proceeded€toÏtrial€without€a€jury€against€Defendant€Hall.€€€Ìà àTrice€is€an€owner€of€a€tract€of€land€adjacent€to€land€owned€by€Kelly.€ÏKellyððs€land€was€previously€owned€by€Robert€and€Penny€Hill.€€In€1993,€Hill,€whoÏwas€selling€the€land€to€Kelly,€hired€Hall,€a€professional€surveyor,€to€survey€theÏproperty€and€identify€the€boundaries€of€the€tract.€€Ìà àHall€testified€that€in€making€the€survey€it€was€necessary€to€establish€aÏtraverse€line,€which€ran€in€the€area€of€the€Kelly/Trice€boundary,€and€for€thatÏpurpose€used€red€flags€on€the€undergrowth.€€Traverse€line€flags€are€placedÏdifferently€than€boundary€line€flags.€These€flags€were€not€removed€when€theÏsurvey€was€completed.€€€Hallððs€survey€plat€indicates€that€the€corners€of€theÏboundary€are€marked,€and€does€not€indicate€that€the€boundary€line€has€beenÏmarked€on€the€ground.€€Kelly€testified€that€he€does€not€remember€receiving€aÍcopy€of€Hallððs€survey,€nor€did€he€ever€talk€to€Hall€prior€to€the€timber€cutting.Ìà àShortly€after€the€property€was€conveyed€to€Kelly,€Kelly€arranged€withÏSellers€to€cut€timber€from€the€property.€€Without€consulting€Hall€or€a€copy€ofÏHallððs€survey,€Kelly€assumed€that€the€red€flags€left€from€Hallððs€survey€marked€theÏboundary€of€Kellyððs€land€and€advised€Sellers€as€such.€€Sellers€testified€that€he€wasÏnot€shown€a€copy€of€the€survey,€that€he€never€talked€to€Hall€before€the€cutting,Ïand€that€he€relied€on€Kellyððs€instruction€as€to€the€boundary€lines.Ìà àFollowing€a€bench€trial,€the€trial€court€found€that€Hall€was€negligent€andÏapportioned€sixty€(60%)€percent€of€the€fault€to€Hall,€twenty€(20%)€percent€toÏKelly€and€twenty€(20%)€percent€to€Sellers.€€Damages€were€doubled€inÏaccordance€with€T.C.A.€ðð€43„28„312€(a)(1).€€Judgment€was€entered€against€HallÏfor€$5,802.60€and,€because€of€the€settlement€as€to€Kelly€and€Sellers,€the€actionÏagainst€them€was€dismissed€with€€prejudice.Ìà àOn€appeal,€Hall€asserts€that€the€trial€court€erred€by€finding€him€liableÏbecause€he€was€not€negligent,€nor€did€he€make€any€representation€which€wasÏjustifiably€relied€upon€by€plaintiff.€€Ìà àSince€this€case€was€tried€by€the€court€sitting€without€a€jury,€we€reviewÏthe€case€ò òòòde€novoóóó ó€upon€the€record€with€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€theÏfindings€of€fact€by€the€trial€court.€€Unless€the€evidence€preponderates€againstÍthe€findings,€we€must€affirm,€absent€error€of€law.€€T.R.A.P.€13(d).Ìà àTennessee€law€recognizes€that€under€certain€circumstances€a€third€partyÏmay€hold€a€surveyor€liable€on€a€theory€of€negligent€misrepresentation.€€ò òòòTarteraÏv.€Palumboó óóó,€224€Tenn.€262,€453€S.W.2d€780€(1970).€€In€ò òòòRobinson€v.€Omeró óóó,€952ÏS.W.2d€423€(Tenn.€1997),€our€Supreme€Court€discussed€essential€elements€of€aÏnegligent€misrepresentation€action€filed€against€a€professional:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àà àTennessee€has€adopted€Section€552€of€theÏò òòòRestatement€(Second)€of€Tortsóóó ó€"as€the€guidingÏprinciple€in€negligent€misrepresentation€actionsÏagainst€other€professionals€and€business€persons."òòò ò€ÏBethlehem€Steel€Corp.€v.€Ernst€&€Whinneyó óóó,€822ÏS.W.2d€592,€595€(Tenn.1991).€€Section€552€provides,Ïin€pertinent€part,€as€follows:ÌÌà8 àà8 à€€€(1)à8 àOne€who,€in€the€course€of€his€business,Ïprofession€or€employment,€or€in€anyÏother€transaction€in€which€he€has€aÏpecuniary€interest,€òòò òsupplies€falseÏinformation€for€the€guidance€of€others€inÏtheir€business€transactionsó óóó,€is€subject€toÏliability€for€pecuniary€loss€caused€to€themÏby€their€justifiable€reliance€upon€theÏinformation,€if€he€fails€to€exerciseÏreasonable€care€or€competence€inÏobtaining€or€communicating€theÏinformation.€€ÌÌà8 àà8 à€€€(2)à8 àExcept€as€stated€in€Subsection€(3),€theÏliability€stated€in€Subsection€(1)€isÏlimited€to€loss€sufferedÌÌà8 àà8 àà8 àà8 à(a)€by€the€person€or€one€of€aÍlimited€group€of€persons€forÏwhose€benefit€and€guidanceÏhe€intends€to€supply€theÏinformation€or€knows€thatÏthe€recipient€intends€toÏsupply€it;€andÌÌà8 àà8 àà8 àà8 à(b)€through€reliance€upon€itÏin€a€transaction€that€heÏintends€the€information€toÏinfluence€or€knows€that€theÏrecipient€so€intends€or€in€aÏsubstantially€similarÏtransaction.€€ÌÌà8 àà8 àà8 àà8 àòòò òRestatement€(Second)€ofÏTortsó óóó,€ðð€552€(1977)Ï(emphasis€added).ÌÌà8 àà8 àà àIn€discussing€the€requirements€for€recoveryÏunder€Section€552,€this€Court€has€stated€that€liabilityÏin€tort€will€result,€despite€the€lack€of€contractualÏprivity€between€the€plaintiff€and€defendant,€when,ÌÌà8 àà8 à€€€€(1)à8 àthe€defendant€is€acting€in€the€course€ofÏhis€business,€profession,€or€employment,Ïor€in€a€transaction€in€which€he€has€aÏpecuniary€(as€opposed€to€gratuitous)Ïinterest;€€andÌÌà8 àà8 à€€€€(2)à8 àthe€defendant€supplies€faulty€informationÏòòò òmeant€to€guide€others€in€their€businessÏtransactionsó óóó;€€andÌÌà8 àà8 à€€€(3)à8 àthe€defendant€fails€to€exercise€reasonableÏcare€in€obtaining€or€communicating€theÏinformation;€€andÌÌà8 àà8 à€€€(4)à8 àthe€plaintiff€justifiably€relies€upon€theÏinformation.€€ÌÌà8 àà8 àòòò òJohn€Martin€Co.ó óóó,€819€S.W.2d€at€431€(emphasisÏadded);€€ò òòòaccord€Ritteróóó ó,€912€S.W.2d€at€130.ÌÌÓÓò òòòRobinsonó óóó,€952€S.W.2d€at€427.€€Ìà àAs€many€as€three€of€the€aforementioned€elements€are€not€satisfied€in€theÏpresent€case.€€In€order€for€Hall€to€be€liable€in€the€instant€case,€he€must€haveÏfurnished€to€the€plaintiff€ð ðfaulty€information.ðð€€ò òòòId.€ó óóó€Trice€presented€no€proof€atÏtrial€demonstrating€that€Hallððs€survey€was€inaccurate.€€Testifying€as€an€expert€onÏbehalf€of€Trice,€Eddie€Coleman€(Coleman)€expressly€stated€that€although€he€hadÏnot€personally€surveyed€the€land,€he€did€not€observe€any€problem€with€HallððsÏsurvey€plat.€€Coleman€stated€that€marking€traverse€lines,€as€was€done€in€thisÏcase,€is€necessary€and€customary€in€the€industry.€€According€to€Coleman,€HallððsÏsurvey€plat€did€not€indicate€that€a€boundary€line€had€been€marked€on€theÏproperty,€and€marking€a€boundary€line€on€the€property€would€not€be€necessaryÏin€the€absence€of€a€request€by€the€customer.× ƒ5 ××  ×€€€€Ìà àWhen€questioned€by€Triceððs€counsel€at€trial,€Coleman€testified€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àQà àNow,€after€thatððs€done€and€the€points€are€found,Ïyou€remove€those€traverse€points?ÌÌà8 àà8 àAà àIððd€like€to€tell€you€that€we€do€that,€butÏsometimes€we€forget€to€do€that€and€sometimes€we€failÏto€do€that.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQà àIs€that€right€or€wrong€not€to€do€that?ÌÌà8 àà8 àAà àAh,€thereððs€a€reason€why,€I€guess,€two€reasonsÏwhy€we€donððt€remove€all€of€our€access€surveying,€otherÏthan€whatððs€on€the€boundary€line.€€One€of€them€is,Ïsometimes€we€feel€like€we€may€need€to€use€thoseÏpoints€somewhere€in€the€future.€€And€so€we€keepÏthem,€where€we€can€come€back€and€readily€find€themÏand€we€might€use€them€to€start€off€another€survey€orÏto€identify€some€other€work.€€And,€then€the€other€is,Ïah,€oh,€itððs€just€a€matter€of€time€of€getting€back€andÏtaking€them€down.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQà àIs€5€months€a€long€time€or€a€short€period€ofÏtime?ÌÌà àà àAà àWell,€for€the€removal€of€a€traverse€line?ÌÌà8 àà8 àQà àYes.ÌÌà8 àà8 àAà àI€would€say€itððs€sufficient€time.€€If€you€had€anÏintent€of€removing€a€random€traverse€line,€itððsÏsufficient€time€to€get€it€down.€€Iððm€sure€that€Iððve€gotÏsome€that€are€probably€still€in€existence.€€I€hope€itÏhasnððt€caused€the€problems€itððs€caused€here€today.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQà àBut,€they€can€cause€problems?ÌÌà8 àà8 àAà àEvidently€they€can,€yes,€sir.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQà àThatððs€why€you€go€back€and€try€to€take€them?ÌÌà8 àà8 àAà àWell,€yes,€sir.€€And,€try€not€to€leave€it€tooÏobvious€that€youððve€done€something€different€fromÍthe€location€of€the€boundary€[sic]€lines€.€.€.€.€.€ÌÌà8 àà8 àQà àBecause€lay€people€such€as€Mr.€Kelly€and€Mr.ÏTrice€would€rely€on€those€as€being€.€.€.€.€.€.ÌÌà8 àà8 àAà àWell,€they€could.€€There€could€be€situations€orÏstipulations€where€that€it€would€be€obvious€that€theyÏshouldnððt€be€relied€upon,€but€I€could€see€whereÏsomeone€could€do€that,€yes.ÌÌÓÓà àSignificantly,€Coleman€did€not€testify€that€Hall€had€deviated€from€theÏstandard€of€care€required€of€surveyors€under€the€circumstances€of€this€case.€ÏMoreover€Coleman€noted€that€Hallððs€survey€plat€indicated€the€boundary€lineÏwas€a€straight€line.€€He€testified€that€the€deviation€of€the€flags€from€a€straightÏline€should€alert€a€person€ð ðthat€there€is€something€wrong.ððÌ€€à àEssentially,€Trice€attempts€to€assert€that€Hall€failed€to€ð ðexerciseÏreasonable€care€in€.€.€.€communicating€the€information,ðð€and€that€Kelly€andÏSellers€ð ðjustifiably€reli[ed]ðð€on€the€information.€€ò òòòRobinsonó óóó,€952€S.W.2d€at€427.€ÏAs€mentioned€previously,€Trice€has€failed€to€demonstrate€that€the€informationÏfrom€Hallððs€survey€is€false.€€There€is€no€proof€that€Hall€breached€the€standard€ofÏcare€in€his€profession€by€not€retrieving€the€flags.€€In€any€event,€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€in€the€record€indicates€that€Kelly€and€SellersÏwere€not€justified€in€relying€on€the€flags€left€from€Hallððs€survey.€€The€flagsÏformed€an€uneven€line,€and€neither€Kelly€nor€Sellers€made€any€attempt€toÍconsult€Hall€or€his€survey€plat.€€Instead,€they€blindly€assumed€that€the€flagsÏmarked€the€boundary€line.€€Such€reliance€is€particularly€unjustified€in€light€ofÏthe€fact€that€Sellers€is€a€professional€timber€cutter.€€Moreover,€there€was€noÏreliance€by€Trice€on€any€representation€by€Hall.€€The€standard€articulated€inÏò òòòRobinson,€supra,ó óóó€requires€that€the€ð ðplaintiff€justifiably€rel[y]€upon€theÏinformation.ðð€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€€While€Trice€sustained€damages,€he€did€not€sustain€damageÏas€a€result€of€ò òòòhisó óóó€personal€reliance€on€Hallððs€survey.€€Therefore,€the€second,€third,Ïand€fourth€prongs€of€the€ò òòòRobinsonó óóó€standard€are€not€satisfied.€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€€Ìà àOur€Supreme€Court€has€recognized€the€strict€parameters€that€should€beÏobserved€in€cases€involving€negligent€misrepresentation.€€In€ò òòòJohn€Martin€Co.€v.ÏMorse/Diesel,€Inc.ó óóó,€819€S.W.2d€428€(Tenn.€1991),€the€Court€said:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à€€€€Years€ago,€òòUltramaresóó€recognized€the€potentialÏpitfalls€of€an€unlimited€action€in€tort€based€uponÏnegligent€misrepresentation€in€commercialÏtransactions.€€The€burden€is€always€upon€the€plaintiffÏto€establish€that€the€supplier€violated€his€duty€toÏexercise€due€care€and€competence€in€obtaining€orÏcommunicating€the€information.€€Foreseeability€byÏthe€provider€of€the€information€and€reliance€by€theÏuser€of€the€information€are€important€safeguards.€ÏNegligence€by€the€user€of€the€information€may€be€aÏbar€to€recovery.€€Each€of€these€principles€providesÏreasonable€protection€against€the€proliferation€ofÏlitigation€in€this€area€of€tort.€€The€Restatement€(2d)Ïprovisions€adopted€in€òòTarteraóó€suggest€a€properlyÏbalanced€approach.ÌÌÓÓò òòòId.ó óóó€at€435€(citing€ò òòòUltramares€Corp.€v.€Toucheó óóó,€174€N.E.€441€(N.Y.€1931);Ïò òòòTartera€v.€Palumboó óóó,€224€Tenn.€262,€453€S.W.2d€780€(1970)).Ìà àIn€sum,€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€finding€that€Hall€providedÏfalse€information€in€a€business€transaction€which€was€justifiably€relied€upon€byÏeither€Kelly,€Sellers,€or€Trice.€€Therefore,€Hall€was€not€guilty€of€negligentÏmisrepresentation,€and€the€trial€court€erred€in€awarding€judgment€against€him.€ÏAccordingly,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€against€Hall€is€vacated,€and€the€caseÏis€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€such€further€proceedings€as€may€be€necessary.€ÏCosts€of€the€appeal€are€assessed€against€Appellee.€€ÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ó óÌÌò òCONCUR:ÌÌÌ____________________________________ÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEó óÌÌ____________________________________Ìò òDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óœÔ€Ô