South End Construction, Inc. v. Tom Brunton Masonry, Inc.

Filing 36

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge James C. Turk on 2/25/13. (sas)

CLERK' OFFI U. DI COURT
S
CE S. ST.
ATROANOKE,
VA
FI
LED

I TH E U M TE D STAT ES D ISTR ICT CO U R T
N
FO R TH E W E STER N D I
STR I O F V I G I I
CT
R N A
R O A NO K E D I I O N
V SI

SOUTH END CONSTRUCTI
ON,I ,
NC.

FEB 25 2 1
23
J A C. DLEY CL
ULI D
ERK
BY:
PtR CL
l
ERK

Ci lA c i N o.7: 2- vvi t on
1 c 390
Pl ntf ,
ai if
M EM O M ND U M O PI I N
N O
TO M BRU N TO N M A SO N RY ,I C.
N ,
D e endant
f
.

By:H on.
Jam e C.Tur
s
k
Se orUnie St t Dit i tJudge
ni
t d a es s r c

I t s c r t diput bewee Sout End Consr ci (l ut End' o
n hi ontacual s e t n
h
tu ton ç h
so
' r

ç an ifl a g n r l c n rco- a d To Br no M a o y (ç u tn M a o r ' o
s itf 'pl
e ea o ta tr n
m u t n s nr s n o
Br
s n y' r
ç eenda l as onta t ,Brmt Mas yalege t tSout Endunlwf lyrti dtn
r f nf'- ubc rcor t on onr l s ha
h
a ul eane e
pe c oft r qu r d pr es pa
r ent he e ie ogr s ymen s owe t Brmt M a onr whe a Vig ni sa u e
t
d o t on s y
n
r i a ttt
lm ist l w f r t i ge t fve pe c nt So h End has a it t ti r t i d f
i t he a ul e a na o i
r e . ut
dm ted ha t e a ne unds i e e s
n xc s

of t sa ut y alowa ,but a gues i is M o i n t Dimi s Co mt V oft Count cai
he tt or l nce
r
n t
to o s s t
he
er l m

( No. 0 t a t v oae sau ed sno c nana e rs prv t rg to a to a dt a
ECF
3 ) h t he i ltd ttt oe t o ti n xp e s iae ih f ci n n h t
t s Co ts d not i y one.Def nda has fl d a Bref i Opposto ECF No.35 i
hi ur houl
mpl
e nt
ie
i n
ii n,
,n
whih i a g t tt Cot ts ul i y aprvae rg ofaci --or i t at r tve t t
c t r ues ha he u' ho d mpl
i t i ht
ton
, n he le na i - ha
t tve pe ce saut y r t i e lm i wa i or aed it t co r c by ope ai oflw .
he i
r nt t t or e anag i t s nc por t n o he nta t
r ton a
Pli tf e e t d no t fl a Re y.Bo h pa te ha i c t d a de ie t pr e wihouta
a n if l c e t o ie
pl
t ri s ve ndia e
sr o oce d t
he rng a t m a tri now rpef diposton.
a i nd he te s
i or s ii
Fo t r s t tf l w,Pl ntf' M oton t Dimi si GR ANTED,butt Cour
r he ea ons ha olo
ai ifs
i o s s s
he
t
w il gr Def
l ant
endant l
eave t tl a Second A m ended Col t cl m t r pl Count V as a
o ie
m er ai o e- ead

br a h of c r c cai bec us t fve pe c nt r t nag lm i was i om or t d i t t
ec
onta t l m
a e he i
r e e ai e i t
nc
a e n o he
co r c by Ope a i Oflw .
nta t
r ton a
1
.

BA CK G R O U ND A ND A NA LY SI
S

Thi diput a ie o oft br c ofa co t di c r c co e ni a a ton t
s s e rs s ut he ea h
nsnz on onta t nc r ng n ddii o
t W yt Cot y Ofi es i W yt vil Vigi a Sout End i t ge a c r t f t
he
he mt fc n
he le, r ni .
h
s he ner l ontacor or he

a dto a d s b o ta td wih Br no M a o r t p o d t ma o r wok f rt p oe t
d iin n u c nr ce t u tn s n y o rvie he s n y r o he rj c .
As i t ca ewih man s nta ta ee nt ,Br o M as y woul pe i c l pr e
s he s t
y ubco r c gr me s unt n
onr
d rodialy es nt
pr r spa nta plc tonst So h End,whih wo d i t s e am og e spa ntfom
og es yme p i ai o ut
c
ul n um e k
r s yme r
W yt Cot y.W hen W yt Cot y m a pr es pa
he mt
he mt
de ogr s ymen s t So h End,Sout End woul
t o ut
h
d

f wa d t f
or r he unds d t Br nt M as nr ls a c ran pe c nt ge,c le ç eai ge,'ço
ue o u on
o y, e s e ti r e a
a ld l t na ' ç
r
t

e tr f t u pef ma eoft conr t'Va. deAnn.j2. 43334 .
nsle aihf l ror nc he tac ' Co
2a)
The pa te 'c r c s cii t tV igi a l w gove nst pr s nta ton.Se ECF N o.
ri s ont a t pe fes ha r ni a
r he e e c i
e

1 1 Ex. 1 a 1 Th Vigna P b i P o l e n Ac (VPPA' - whih g v r s p bl
-,
t . e r ii u lc r cz me t t ç
r
$
'
)
c o en u i
c
conta i i t Comm o at lm ist pe c nt ge ofm o y owe t as onta t rt t
r ctng n he
nwe lh- i t he r e a
ne
d o ubc r c o ha
a ge r c r c ormay r t n fom ea ne i t lme pr r s pa e st fve pe c nt Se
ne al onta t
eai r
r d nsal nt og e s ym nt o i
re . e

Va.Cod Ann.j 2. 433349.Sout End hasa te t ti t ra ty wihhed tn pe c nt
e
21
h
dmitd ha t t r nl t l e r e
e
( 0. rti ge, rt r t n t fve pece ( 0%) pemitd by t Vigi a Publc
1 0%) eana ahe ha he i
r nt 5.
r te
he r ni
i

Pr c me tAc . ECFNo. 9 M s rt Co ne cam !2 .
o me n t'
'
2 , we o u tr li 4
Br nt n M as y c e t t t s Co t s d i y a prva e rg of aci n t
u o
onr ont nds ha hi ur houl mpl
i t i ht
to o

rme t svi ai ofj 2. 4333.The i i to howe r ofprvaerghs ofacin by
e dy hi olton
2mplcain,
ve ,
i t i t
to
f de a c t i dif vor d.Se A & E Suppl Co. I v. ai
e r l ours s s a e
e
v s nc. N tonwi M u .Fie l .Co. 798
de t r ns
,

F.d 6 9 6 4 (t Ci.1 6 Ci se ea c rs s o l b r lca tt ra p i ae rg t o
2 6 , 7 4 h r 98 ) l d rl ou t h u d e eu tn o e d rv t ih s f
l
ac i n i o s a e l s w he e s a e co t a s a e l gi l t es ha no done s W ihoutc e r
to nt t t aw
r t t ur s nd t t e s a m
ve t
o. t
la

a s ctc e de of lgi ltve i e ,t c e ton ofa prva e rg ofaci by a f r l
nd pe ii vi nce e sai nt nt he r a i
i t iht
ton
ede a
c ta oga esbot t pr r tvesoft poltc br nc sa t o ousa ho iy o saes
our br t
h he e oga i
he iial a he nd he bvi
ut rt f tt

t sul t c e ofsae lw.) Be us t r i no e smi t rgh ofa to i t
o c pt he ontnt tt a ' . ca e hee s xmes vae i t cin n he
'
saut,no ha a Vigi a c ti id a prvae rghtof a ton t rmed a j 2. 4333
tt e r s ny r ni our mple
it i
ci o e y
2vi a i t Cour G R AN TS t M oton t D i m i s Cot tV oft Col t c ai i is c r nt
ol ton, he
t
he
i o s s
m
he m er l m n t ur e

fr .
om
Thi l k ofa i ple rghtofa ton doe no l a Br nt M a o y wihoutar med ,
s ac
n m id i
ci
s t e ve u on s m
t
e y

howe r be aus t fve pe c ntr t nag lmi wa i om or t a a mate of1 w i o t
ve , c e he i
r e eai e i t s nc
aed s
tr a nt he
c r c .The Supr m e Cour of Vigi a has sa e t t t VPPA i û nc or t d ...
onta t
e
t
r ni
tt d ha he
s t om a e
i
by
ope a i n of l w ' i o publc pr lr m e co r c s whe e ispr s ons a e r l va .Se Envt.
r to
a ' nt
i oc z e nt nt a t
r t ovi i
r e e nt e
l

stfi Acquiii Cor v.B & R Cons.M c . I ,725 S. 2d 550,554,554 n. (
afng
ston p.
t mts nc.
E.
3 Va.

2 2 (o cu i t a j22 4 3 o te VPP wa ic r o ae it a r lv n c nr c b
01 ) c n ldng h t .- 3 7 f h
A s n o p rtd n o ee a t o ta t y
opeain oflw a quotng M a v v.Am.Ca .Co.23 S. 2d 221 223 ( 1 ,f t
rto
a nd
i
xe
s , E.
,
Va. 942) or he
pr ii t ttl)pe tne saut i asmuc apa toft c r tasi i weei por td
oposton ha ta ri nt tt e s
h r he ontac f t r nco ae
i i.) M orove ,ç conrc t pef r a a tpr bie by a saut i voi 'Paumbo v.
n t' . e r & ta t o ro m n c ohi td
'
a
tt e s d.' l

Be n t 40 S. 2 1 2 1 3 ( .1 91 . cin 22 4 3 i drcl o p ita t pe itd
n et 9 E.d 5 , 5 Va 9 ) Se to .- 3 3 s ie ty n o n s o nnte
r ti
e anage i a publc pr ur m e c r c , whih Sout End has not d s e The Cour
n
i oc e nt onta t
c
h
iput d.
t

t rf e c l t t j 2. 4333 wa i omortd by o rton oflw i o t c r c
heeor oncudes ha
2s nc ae
peai
a nt he onta t
be wee Sout End a Bnmt M a onr Thi saut r pr vii r plce t r e nt voi
t n
h
nd
on s y. s t t o y o son e a d he elva , d
s c i oft c r c t tpu pore t al Sout End t r t n t n pe c ntoft pr r s
e ton
he onta t ha r td o low
h
o eai e r e
he og e s
paym ent
s.

Furhemor,Bnmt M a p y di notwave t pr ecins of j 2. 4333 whe i
tr e
on s nr d
i he ot to
2n t
a ee t t t pe c tr t i gei t c r c . Supr m eCour ofVigi aha sae
gr d o he en r en e a na n he onta t The
e
t
r ni s tt d:

Th s i i ce r t a t e ( A) i t q e b c us i t e a e o p b i
u , t s la h t h VPP s miu e a e n h r a f u lc
pr tr m e ,t sat o y s he baanc many co tng i e e t a c e s
ocle nt he t ut r c me l es
mpei nt r ss nd onf r
c ran rght a
e t i i s nd oblgai ns upon cii ns of t Com monwe lh,
i to
tze
he
at
no ve n nt c r c or ,a go m me a e ii s Be us oft s t q
ngo r me al onta t s nd ve
nt l ntte . ca e
hi mi ue
s he i t a e ofe i i sa ut y a horza i ce t n rg sc
c me, n he bs nce xplct tt or ut i ton, rai i ht anno b
t e
wai d by co r c .I t Ac we e t be co t e t pe m i a c r t r ora
ve
nta t f he t r o
nsnz d o r t ontac o
gove n nt le iy t wa vece t n rg s t n t e wave sm i fusr t t
r me a ntt o i
rai i ht , he hes i r ght r ta e he
g st tt Ge r lA s e y s htt a hive by e c i t Ac .
oal ha he ne a s mbl oug o c e
na tng he t

W . .S hose CopI c v.Bd o Su r o F ifx Cnv. 4 8 S. 2 91 ,9 2 ( .1 9 )
M c l sr . n .
. f p's f ara t , 2 E.d 9 2 Va 9 3 .
The e beng no l xplci saut y a horzai n' alowi wai r of t r ai ge lmi,t
r i
i i t t t or ut i to ' l ng
e
ve
he et na i t he

Cour f t rco l t tt pr e tonsofj2. 4333we enotwave byBnl onM as y.
t urhe ncudes ha he otci
2r
i d
nt
onr

Bec us j 2. 4333 was i r r t i o t c r c a is prtctons wee not
a e
2ncopo aed nt he onta t nd t oe i
r
waved,t Cour wilgr ntla t Brmt M as y t a e a r - e d CountV oft
i
he
t l a e ve o t on
onr o m nd nd e pl a
he
Cot e cai a abr ac ofco r c c am .
mt r l m s e h
nta t l i

W

E E T i 7f dyo F bur,0 3
NT R: hs * a f eray 2 1 .
'

.
.

.
/
'
:

.
T

Hon. esC.Ttr
lk
Se orU nie St t D i t i tJ
ni
t d a es sr c udge

4