Lead Opinion
The only question addressed
Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (the power authority) hired the architectural firm of John R. Thomas and Associates, P.C. (the firm) to design plans for a construction project. On May 14, 1992, through a separate agreement, the power authority hired Karen Carris (the contractor) to perform construction work on the project. The contractor’s contract required that the construction work be done according to the designs and specifications which were prepared by the firm.
After the contractor began working on the project, a dispute arose over the construction of a wheel chair ramp. At this juncture, the firm and the contractor differ on the facts. The contractor’s version is that Brad Thomas (Thomas), an employee of the firm who is not a licensed architect, designed the plans for the project and represented himself to be an architect. She insists that she discussed the problem with the plans for the ramp with Thomas, and that he instructed her to continue the construction of the ramp. The firm and Thomas contend that Thomas neither reprеsented himself to be an architect nor designed the plans. Rather, that the plans were designed by John R. Thomas who was an architect. It is undisputed that the contractor built the ramp, and that it did not comply with the plans and specifications prepared by the firm. As a result, the power authority insisted that the contractor reconstruct the ramp at her expense. She did not. Subsequently, the power authority hired someone else to reconstruct the ramp, and it refused to pay the contractor for any of her work on the project.
The contractor, invoking an arbitration clause in her contract with the power authority, requested arbitration. She alleged that the power authority breached the contract and she sought to recover the entire amount of the contract. The power authority counterclaimed for damages which arose as a result of the construction delays. In the arbitration proceeding, the contractor maintained that she could not hаve built the ramp according to the plans which were prepared by the firm and Thomas. On March 31, 1993, the arbitrator awarded the contractor a portion of the money due her under the contract. The arbitrator also awarded the power authority partial damages on its counterclaim. Although the firm and Thomas participated as witnesses in the arbitration proceeding, they were neither parties to the contraetor/power authority contract nor to the arbitration proceedings.
On July 27, 1993, the contractor filed a lawsuit against the firm and Thomas, alleging that the plans for the project were negligently prepared, and that Thomas fraudulently represented himself to be a licensed architect. The firm and Thomas denied the allegations and moved for summary judgment. The trial court granted summary judgment to the firm and Thomas on December 29, 1993. It found that: 1) the contractor could not split her previously arbitrated breach of contract claim against the power authority from hеr negligence and fraud claims against the firm and Thomas; 2) the arbitrator determined what damages the contractor was entitled to receive; and 3) the arbitration award which had been paid and satisfied determined all of the issues in the negligence and fraud suits. The contractor appealed. On June 28, 1994, the Court of Appeals affirmed, finding that the contractor was es-topped from litigating damages against the firm and Thomas because she had a full opportunity to litigate the issue of damages in the arbitration proceeding. We granted certiorari on October 3, 1994.
UNDER THE FACTS PRESENTED, THE CAUSE IS NOT PRECLUDED BY THE DOCTRINES OF CLAIM OR ISSUE PRECLUSION.
The contractor argues that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment because: 1) she had multiple claims against two different defendants; 2) she could not resolve her tort claims against the firm and Thomas through arbitration because they were not parties to the contract and they did not agree to arbitration; and 3) neither claim nor issue preclusion should apply to the present case. The firm and Thomas counter that: 1) only оne controversy exists which would allow the contractor to recover damages; and 2) the contractor’s previous attempt to recover damages through arbitration precludes her
Thomas and the firm cite Brigance v. Velvet Dove Restaurant,
Cain, City of Wetumka, Powell, and Brigance all involved plaintiffs who were attempting to recover damages which resulted from injuries caused by joint tort-feasors. In these cases, we recognized that because an injury caused by a joint tort gives rise to one cause of action, a plaintiff who brings a suit sounding in tort to recover damages which results in a final judgment is barred from bringing a second action against another tort-feasor who was jointly and severally liable for the same damages. In the instant case, the contractor alleged injury by two separate defendants asserting that each is independently liable to her because she was not paid for the completed construction project. The contractor’s claims against the power authority for refusing to pay her pursuant to the construction contract are contractual.
a.
claim preclusion
An arbitration award has the same force and effect as a judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction for claim preclusion purposes.
b.
issue preclusion
The firm and Thomas cite Anco Mfg. & Supply Co., Inc. v. Swank,
In French v. Jinright & Ryan, P.C., Architects,
Here, like the facts in French, the arbitration awаrd does not clearly reflect exactly what issues were actually determined or whether all the issues raised were disposed of by the arbitrator. The award does not set forth any fact findings with respect to any claims made by either party in the arbitration proceeding. Nor does it set forth any reasons for rejection of any claim which either party may have made.
The recovery of damages is a jury question.
CONCLUSION
Summary judgment is proper only when the pleadings, affidavits, depositions, admissions or other evidentiary materials establish that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.
Where formal barriers prevent full presentation of remedies or theories of relief in one action, a party is not precluded from bringing another claim in a subsequent action which arose out of the same set of facts as the first action.
CERTIORARI PREVIOUSLY GRANTED; COURT OF APPEALS OPINION VACATED; TRIAL COURT REVERSED.
Notes
. Because the cаuse is remanded, the issue raised by the contractor's amended petition in error regarding expert fees need not he addressed here.
. An action for recovery for a breach of a promise, express or implied, is contractual. Shebester v. Triple Crown Insurers,
. The contractor's fraud claim is based on allеgations that Thomas held himself out and acted as an architect and that she relied on his representations to perform work under the construction contract. , The contractor's negligence allegations arise from the firm and Thomas' alleged breach of duty. The duty allegedly exists by virtue of the construction contract which the firm and Thomas were not parties. The issue of whether the evidence will support the request for relief under either of the contractor's theories of recоvery against the firm and Thomas is not before us. Neither party disputes whether a cause of action can arise from a breach of duty which exists by virtue of a contract in which there is no privity or that the power authority as a principal was liable for the acts of the firm and Thomas. Consequently, we will not address the issue. Peters v. Golden Oil Co.,
. In Wilson v. Kane,
"... All claims or disputes between the Contractor and the Owner arising out or relating to the Contract, or the breach thereof, shall be decided by arbitration ... Except by written consent of the person or entity sought to be joined, no arbitration arising out of or relating to the Contract Documents shall include, by consolidation, joinder or in any other manner, any person or entity not a party to the Agreement under which such arbitration arises, unless it is shown at the time the demand for arbitration is filed that ... such person or entity is not the Architect or any of the Architect’s employees or consultants ...” (Emphasis supplied.)
The arbitration clause excludes from arbitration any claims against the architect and specifically precludes the architect or any of the architect's employees from joining the arbitration proceeding. The contractor could not assert her tort claims against the firm and Thomas through arbitration. See also, discussion note 17, supra. Were the contractor not bound by the contract and the arbitration agreement, she could have litigated all possible damage issues by joining both the firm and Thomas and the power authority in one action, asserting the contract and tort claims as alternative theories of recovery. See,
"The courts of justice of the State shall be open to every person, and speedy and certain remedy afforded for every wrong and for every injury to person, property, or reputation; and right and justice shall be administered without sale, denial, delay, or prejudice."
. Wilson v. Kane, see note 4 at 722, supra; Erwin v. Frazier,
. Benham v. Plotner,
. Inglis v. Trickey,
. Dearing v. State ex rel. Comm'rs of Land Office,
. Dearing v. State ex rel. Comm’rs of Land Office, see note 8, supra; Bruce v. Miller,
. Dearing v. State ex rel. Comm'rs of Land Office, see note 8, supra; See also, Powell v. Chastain,
. We note that courts generally agree that the fact that a person was not a party to the arbitration proceedings does not prevent them from asserting claim or issue preclusion in a subsequent lawsuit as long as the party against whom the preclusion is being asserted was a party or their privy to the arbitration. See e.g., Chestnut Hill Dev. Corp. v. Otis Elevator Co.,
. See, Bras v. First Bank & Trust Co.,
. Bras v. First Bank & Trust Co., see note 12 at 333, supra; Oklahomans for Life, Inc. v. State Fair of Okla.,
. Anderson v. Falcon Drilling Co.,
. Bras v. First Bank & Trust Co., see note 12, supra; Laws v. Fisher,
. The arbitration award merely orders the power authority to pay the contractor individually $6,422.00 and Sunbelt Construction $337.00. The arbitration award requires Sunbelt to pay the power authority $1,433.00 for its counterclaim.
. The сontractor was prevented by the terms of the contract, see discussion note 4, supra, and the Uniform Arbitration Act,
. Park v. Security Bank & Trust Co.,
. The damages recoverable in contract and tort actions differ. ' The damages that the contractor would have been able to prove in arbitration were necessarily limited to the elements of damage recoverable in a contract action, whereas the elements of damage against the firm and Thomas would be the elements of damages for a tort action.
. For example, the trier of fact may have found that the firm was negligent and that Thomas defrauded the contractor and that as a result, she was unable to fully comply with the contractual terms.
. This does not mean however, that the contractor is entitled to double recovery. In Tate v. Browning-Ferris, Inc.,
. Buckner v. General Motors Corp.,
. Shannon v. Bridges,
. Park v. Security Bank & Trust Co., see note 18, supra; Complete Auto Transit, Inc., v. Reese, see note 18, supra; Hames v. Anderson, see note 18, supra.
. Wilson v. Kane, see note 4, supra; See also, Restatement (Second) of Judgments § 26 (1982).
. See discussion notes 4 and 17, supra.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting:
I must respectfully dissent from the majority opinion because I do not agree with its threshold position that contractor has an action in tort against the architectural firm and Thomas.
Addressing similar issues in MBA Commercial Const. v. Roy J. Hannaford,
Although it is admittedly a minority view on this Court, it is nevertheless my opinion that while an architect’s defective plans may support a cause of action in tort where they result in personal injuries or property damage, where those plans cause construction delays or increased costs to fellow contracting parties participating in budding the project, they will give rise only to an action based on contract principles.
I am authorized to state that Justice OPA-LA joins in part in the views expressed herein.
