Plaintiffs Alexander J. Orrock, Jr. and L. Charlene Orrock appeal from the order of the Circuit Court of Lincoln County sustaining the motion of defendant Crouse Realtors, Inc. for summary judgment in their
Prior to the filing of this petition, plaintiff filed a petition in St. Louis County against defendant Crouse, another real estate agency, and Crouse’s agent Michael Flynn. This petition alleged that defendant Crouse, acting through its agent Michael Flynn, breached a residential sales contract between the parties and made intentional and negligent misrepresentations with respect to the quality of the residence being purchased. On January 9, 1989, the plaintiffs took a default judgment against Flynn on the breach of contract count and the intentional misrepresentation count and dismissed all claims against Crouse and the other real estate company.
On November 21, 1990 plaintiffs filed this action in Lincoln County naming Crouse as the sole defendant. The Lincoln County petition again alleged that Crouse, acting through its agent Flynn, breached a residential sales contract between the parties and made intentional and negligent misrepresentations. Defendant Crouse moved for summary judgment on the grounds that the previous judgment against the agent constituted an election of remedies and thus barred the claim against Crouse as principal. Crouse did not allege in his motion that the judgment was satisfied and nothing else in the record indicates that the judgment was satisfied. Therefore, for the purposes of this motion, we assume the prior judgment is unsatisfied.
For their sole Point Relied On, plaintiffs claim the trial court erred in “sustaining the motion for summary judgment because genuine issues of material fact existed in the lawsuit at the time the motion was sustained and defendant was not entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” This point states only an abstract proposition of law. It fails to state wherein and why the trial court erred and thus does not comply with Rule 84.04(d). Thummel v. King,
On review of summary judgment, we view the record in the light most favorable to the party against whom summary judgment was granted, determine if any genuine issue of material fact exists which would require trial and determine if the judgment is correct as a matter of law. If the judgment is sustainable as a matter of law under any theory, it will be affirmed. Kutz v. Cargill, Inc.,
The prior judgment was based upon one count of intentional misrepresentation and one count of breach of contract. We first consider whether the entry of judgment against the agent on the intentional misrepresentation count constitutes an election of remedies which bars a subsequent action for intentional misrepresentation against the principal for misrepresentations made by that agent. The applicable rule is that if there is election to pursue one of two inconsistent theories, mere entry of judgment bars suit on the second theory. However, if there is an election between two consistent theories, only satisfaction of a judgment bars proceedings under the second theory. Davis v. Hauschild,
This case does not involve an election of inconsistent remedies. The test of inconsistency is that one theory of recovery must allege what the other denies, or that the theory of one must be repugnant to the other. Johnson v. Hyster Co., 777 S.W.2d
Since the remedies against the principal and agent were consistent, only satisfaction of the claim against the agent would bar an action on the same claim against the principal. Davis,
We next consider the breach of contract count. Defendant Crouse argues that the action against it was barred by the entry of judgment against its agent, citing Stambaugk v. Wedlan,
Where the principal is disclosed, other rules govern the effect of the previous judgment. See Restatement (Second) of Agency § 184 comments a, b (1957); Lubbock Feed Lots, Inc. v. Iowa Beef Processors, Inc.,
The judgment of the trial court is reversed and the case is remanded.
