LEWIS QUINN, APPELLANT,
v.
ADVANCED LIGHTING PRODUCTS, INC., A NORTH CAROLINA CORPORATION, APPELLEE

Fla. 4th DCA | 1976-12-17
Nos. 75-1061 and 75-1644
MAGER, C. J., DOWNEY, J., and STEWART, JAMES R., Jr., Associate Judge, concur.
340 So. 2d 1213 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (1976) Positive Treatment
Cited by 4 cases

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Synopsis

Lewis Quinn appealed from summary judgment dismissing his quantum meruit claim based on res judicata, after a jury had previously found against him on his breach of oral contract counterclaim. The court held that a quantum meruit claim is not barred by res judicata when a prior action on an express contract fails because the contract was invalid, not proved, or not fully performed.


Holding

The court held that a quantum meruit claim is not barred by res judicata when the prior action on an express contract was defeated because the contract was invalid, not proved, or not fully performed. However, the doctrine may bar such a claim where an express contract was established or where services were found not to have been rendered or were performed negligently and worthlessly.


Headnotes

[1] A prior judgment for a defendant on an express contract claim does not bar a subsequent action by the plaintiff on a quantum meruit theory if the prior action was defeate…

[2] A quantum meruit action may be barred by a prior judgment if an express contract was shown in the prior action or if the prior decision found that no services were render…

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Key Quotes

“The general rule that a judgment for defendant will not bar a subsequent action by plaintiff based on a new and more correct theory applies where plaintiff, in an action to recover on an express contract for services to be rendered or goods to be furnished, has been defeated on the ground that the contract was invalid, or was not proved, or had not been fully performed, and he may thereafter sue on the theory of an implied contract or quantum meruit.”

Establishes the core rule permitting quantum meruit claims after failed express contract actions

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Facts & Procedural History

Quinn filed two actions against Advanced Lighting Products. In the first case, Advanced Lighting sued Quinn for damages and loaned money; Quinn counte…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

Upon due consideration of the briefs and record in this consolidated appeal from a final judgment entered pursuant to a jury verdict in Case No. 75-1061 and an order granting summary final judgment in Case No. 75-1644, we are of the opinion that the order granting appellee, Advanced Lighting Products, Inc.’s motion for summary judgment based upon the doctrine of res judica-ta was error. In appeal No. 75-1644, the appellant Lewis Quinn, who was the plaintiff below, filed an action against the appellee seeking damages predicated upon the theory of quantum meruit.1 In appeal No. 75-1061, the appellee, who was the plaintiff below, filed an action seeking compensatory and punitive damages, injunctive relief and repayment of money allegedly loaned by appellee to appellant. In that suit appellant counterclaimed alleging a breach of an oral contract.

The jury found against the appellee as to its damage claim and found against the appellant as to its counterclaim for contractural services. Although appellant contends that the trial court erred in not allowing proof of performance of an alleged oral contract or an amendment of the pleadings to allege a claim of recovery under the theory of quantum meruit, it is unnecessary to consider these contentions in light of our reversal in appeal # 75-1644. In this regard, based upon the facts and circumstances of these cases, the action seeking recovery on quantum meruit was not barred by the doctrine of res judicata. Although there is no Florida case directly on point, the following statement appears in 50 C.J.S. Judgments § 649, p. 92: See also, Universal Const. Co. v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 68 So. 2d 366 (Fla.1953); Super Service Products Corp. v. North Store Corp., 214 So. 2d 664 (Fla.3d DCA 1968). “ . . . The general rule that a judgment for defendant will not bar a subsequent action by plaintiff based on a new and more correct theory applies where plaintiff, in an action to recover on an express contract for services to be rendered or goods to be furnished, has been defeated on the ground that the contract was invalid, or was not proved, or had not been fully performed, and he may thereafter sue on the theory of an implied contract or quantum meruit.

However, a suit on such other theory may be barred where an express contract was shown, or where the ground of the prior decision was that no such services were rendered or goods furnished or that the services were performed so negligently as to be worthless. . . . ” Accordingly, having found no other reversible error, the final judgment in appeal No. 75-1061 is affirmed and the order granting summary final judgment in Case No. 75-1644 is vacated and set aside and the cause remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent herewith.

MAGER, C. J., DOWNEY, J., and STEWART, JAMES R., Jr., Associate Judge, concur. . The quantum meruit action was filed after the rendition of a jury verdict in the action alleging breach of oral contract.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Tyson v. Viacom, Inc., 890 So. 2d 1205 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005)
    …-blower claim are different from those essential to the fraudulent inducement or breach of contract claims. In addition to those cases cited by the majority, two opinions directly support this conclusion. Quinn v. Advanced Lighting Products, Inc., 340 So. 2d 1213 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976), was a case where Quinn did not prevail at a jury trial on a breach of oral contract claim against a corporate defendant. After the rendition of the verdict, Quinn filed a “quantum meruit action” against the same defendant. The t…
  • Quality Type & Graphics v. Guetzloe, 513 So. 2d 1110 (Fla. 5th DCA 1987)
    …t failed to prove an ac [*1112] count stated and then at a subsequent trial, sues on the theory of quantum me-ruit, whether or not the subsequent suit is barred by the theory of splitting causes of action. Quinn v. Advanced Lighting Products, Inc., 340 So. 2d 1213 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976) involved a similar situation wherein Quinn sought recovery based on quantum meruit in a separate suit, after a jury had found against him in a counterclaim based on breach of oral contract. Citing to 50 C.J.S. Judgments § 649, p.…

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