Opinion

Seelig v. Phillips County

  • 129 Ark. 473
  • 196 S.W. 456
  • 1917 Ark. LEXIS 655
Court
Supreme Court of Arkansas
Filed
Jun 11, 1917
Status
Published
Author
McCulloch
On the bench
McCulloch, Wood
Cited by
5 cases
Authority
More cited than 1.4%

The opinion

McCulloch, C. J., (concurring). I am willing to say, as is so clearly set forth in the opinion of the majority, that it was within the province of the county court, and of the circuit court on appeal, to hear the testimony for the purpose of establishing what the rights of the parties were, even to determine whether the written contract failed, under such circumstances as a court of equity would have granted relief by reformation of the written contract, to express what the parties intended to agree upon.

I would be willing to hold, too, that the contract, properly interpreted, required the construction company to put in the heating, plumbing and lighting apparatus for the gross sum stipulated for the completion of the building. But I do not think the contract is ambiguous so as to let in parol testimony to show what was really intended. The contract is unambiguous, and either did or did not embrace the heating, plumbing and lighting. I think it does include those items. At any rate, it was the duty of the court to construe the contract, and not to submit it to the jury to construe on oral testimony, Mann v. Urquhart, 89 Ark. 239 .

I concur, therefore, in the affirmance, but I am unable to agree to all that was said in the opinion.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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