Struksnes v. Kevin's Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
Decision Date | 23 December 1997 |
Docket Number | No. 970203,970203 |
Citation | 572 N.W.2d 815 |
Court | North Dakota Supreme Court |
Parties | Harold STRUKSNES and First American Bank West, as Co-trustees of the Christ H. Struksnes Trust, Plaintiffs and Appellees, v. KEVIN'S PLUMBING & HEATING, INC., Defendant and Appellant, and J & D Refrigeration, Inc., & Northwestern Electric, Inc., Defendants. Civil |
Michael A. Bosh, of Pringle & Herigstad, P.C., Minot, for plaintiffs and appellees.
Robert S. Rau, of Bosard, McCutcheon & Rau, Ltd., Minot, for defendant and appellant.
¶1 Kevin's Plumbing & Heating, Inc. has appealed judgments declaring it has no estate or interest in, lien or encumbrance upon two lots in Minot, in a quiet title action brought by Harold Struksnes & First American Bank West, as co-trustees of the Christ H. Struksnes Trust. We affirm, concluding the Trust's sublessee was not its agent in having repairs made to its property.
¶2 The Trust owned Lots 1 and 2, Struksnes Addition to the City of Minot. The Trust leased the land to Food Host, U.S.A., Inc. The lease provided:
¶3 Food Host sublet the property to Resdak, Inc. In 1995, Resdak had Kevin's Plumbing make some repairs and replace a water heater. When Kevin's Plumbing was not paid, it served a mechanic's lien notice on the Trust. The Trust served a notice advising Kevin's Plumbing the Trust "has not authorized any improvements or repairs" to the property and "this objection is being made within five (5) days after knowledge of the improvement was received by the owner." On February 20, 1996, Kevin's Plumbing filed a mechanic's lien.
¶4 The Trust sued to quiet title. Kevin's Plumbing moved for summary judgment. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the Trust and against Kevin's Plumbing. A judgment entered against Kevin's Plumbing and two other defendants provided:
Another judgment entered against Kevin's Plumbing provided:
"The Mechanic's Lien claimed by Kevin's Plumbing & Heating, Inc. against Lot 1 & 2, Struksnes Addition to the City of Minot is adjudged null and void and deemed satisfied, with Kevin's Plumbing & Heating, Inc. having no estate, or interest in, or lien or encumbrance upon, said property."
¶5 The district court had jurisdiction under N.D. Const. Art. VI, § 8, and N.D.C.C. § 32-17-01. The appeal was timely under N.D.R.App.P. 4(a). This Court has jurisdiction under N.D. Const. Art. VI, §§ 2 and 6, and N.D.C.C. § 28-27-02.
¶6 Summary judgment is a procedural device for disposing of a controversy without a trial "if either party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, if no dispute exists as to either material facts or the inferences to be drawn from undisputed facts, or if resolving disputed facts would not alter the result." Earthworks, Inc. v. Sehn, 553 N.W.2d 490, 493 (N.D.1996). The parties agree there are no material facts in dispute. "Summary judgment is appropriate if the only questions to be decided are questions of law." American St. Bank & Trust Co. v. Sorenson, 539 N.W.2d 59, 61 (N.D.1995).
¶7 N.D.C.C. § 35-27-02 provides, in part:
"Any person who improves real estate by the contribution of labor, skill, or materials, whether under contract with the owner of such real estate or under contract with any agent, trustee, contractor, or subcontractor of the owner, has a lien upon the improvement and upon the land on which it is situated or to which it may be removed for the price or value of such contribution."
Under N.D.C.C. § 35-27-01, improvements include repairs. N.D.C.C. § 35-27-07 provides:
¶8 The Trust argues the last sentence of N.D.C.C. § 35-27-07 unambiguously limits the creation of mechanics' liens against a lessor for repairs made at the instance of a lessee. Kevin's Plumbing argues the statute only applies to situations where property is sold under contract and others improve the property for the purchaser.
¶9 "The North Dakota mechanic's lien law is remedial, and should be liberally construed to effectuate its purpose ... to protect those persons who improve real estate by the contribution of labor, skill, or materials." Nesdahl Surveying & Eng'g, P.C. v. Ackerland Corp., 507 N.W.2d 686, 689 (N.D.1993). Our "primary goal in construing a statute is to ascertain the intent of the Legislature." Medcenter One, Inc. v. North Dakota St. Bd. of Pharmacy, 1997 ND 54, p 13, 561 N.W.2d 634. "If the language of a statute is clear and unambiguous, the legislative intent is presumed clear from the face of the statute." Medcenter One. The last sentence of N.D.C.C. § 35-27-07 shows the legislature intended the statute to deal with both contract vendors and lessors. See Mid-America Steel, Inc. v. Bjone, 414 N.W.2d 591, 596 (N.D.1987) ( ). The last sentence of N.D.C.C. § 35-27-07 clearly and unambiguously deals with leases. We conclude N.D.C.C. § 35-27-07 applies to situations in which repairs are made to a lessor's property at the instance of his lessee.
¶10 Kevin's Plumbing contends the Trust had knowledge of the repairs through Resdak, its agent, and through the lease, which "specifically directed and authorized the repairs to be performed."
¶11 A person is presumed to act for himself, rather than as the agent of another. Hector v. Metro Centers, Inc., 498 N.W.2d 113, 118 (N.D.1993). Agency is a matter of fact, and a party alleging the existence of an agency relationship must establish it by clear and convincing evidence. Hector. The mere existence of a landlord-tenant relationship...
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