19 Ala. 54 | Ala. | 1851
When one party has entered into a special contract to do certain work, or perform a specified service, and the work is done, but not in conformity with the terms of the contract, _yet if it be accepted, and is beneficial to the party for whom it was to be performed, the party performing the work, or rendering the service, may recover on a quantum meruit as much as the work or service is reasonably worth, notwithstanding it be not performed according to the terms ,of the special contract. This principle we consideras well settled by authority as it is in consonance with the principles of justice.—Hayward v. Leonard, 7 Pick. 191; Greenl. Ev. vol. 2, § 104, and the Gases by him cited; Thomas & Trott v. Ellis & Co., 4 Ala. 108; Taylor v. Merriweather, 15 Ala. 735.
But we have seen no case that holds the law to be, that a party may abandon the work without cause or reason, before it is finished, and recover on a count for work and labor. Such a principle would enable a party to violate his contract with impunity, and still recover for the service rendered, or labor performed. — In the case of Givhan v. Darley, adm’r., 4 Ala. 336; the contract was, that Darley should serve Givhan, the defendant, as overseer for the year 1839, for which service he was to receive six hundred dollars ; Darley died in about two months after the service was commenced, and his administrator brought assumpsit for work and labor done, and contended that he should be allowed to recover a pro rata part of the sum agreed to be paid for the year’s service. But this court held after a full examination of the authorities, that the administrator could recover nothing. In the course of the opinion, it is said, <£it may be regarded as a settled principle of law, that where one has under-
Let the judgment be reversed, and the cause remanded.