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2 F. Cas. 464

Baker v. Herty

U.S. District Court

Decided July 15, 1805

U.S. District Court · decided 1805-07-15

At law. Indebitatus assumpsit and quantum meruit, [by Samuel Baker against Thomas Herty,] for work and labor done as extra work; a special contract under seal haying been made for building a house of a certain plan and description, which contained the following clause: “And it is mutually agreed upon that in case any misunderstanding shall take place in relation to the bill of particulars or any other misconception or want of appropriate words to convey the true intent and…

Decided 1805-07-15

THE COURT

¶1overruled the objection and admitted the testimony.

¶2Mr. Key offered evidence of a third story extra, and of other alterations made in the plan in the two lower stories.

¶3Mr. Hewitt, having offered the agreement in evidence, objected to all the evidence given by the plaintiff, of extra work, alleging that it was provided for by the aforesaid clause in the agreement, and prayed the court to instruct the jury that they ought not to regard such evidence, it not being legal.

¶4THE COURT refused. KILTY, Chief Judge, doubting as to the evidence respecting alterations in the two first stories, the original agreement being for a two-story house.

CRANCH, Circuit Judge.

¶5The whole extra work, whether it consist in alterations or additions to the original plan, or bill of particulars, is within the covenant; but as no persons have been chosen to ascertain the value of the extra work under that covenant, the plaintiff is not deprived of his original cause of action on a quantum meruit, and can only resort to the covenant for damages against the defendant for not appointing a person .on his part to ascertain the value of the extra work. The defendant, in not paying for such work, has not committed any breach of that covenant.

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