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I N THE COURT OF APPEALS

FILED
October 2, 1996 Cecil Crowson, Jr. ) ) ) ) Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l a nt s ) ) ) ) ) ) vs . ) ) ) ) ) ) ) RI VERSOUND LI M TED PARTNERSHI P, ) I W LLI AM S. NI X d/ b/ a W I SN ) ENTERPRI SES, GENERAL PARTNER, ) a n d DARYL W AGNER, ) ) De f e nda nt s - Appe l l e e s ) RI CHARD BRI GGS a nd STEPHANI E R. BRI GGS, KNOX CI RCUI T C. A. NO. 03A01- 9603- CV- 0011 5
Appellate C ourt Clerk

HON. DALE C. W ORKM AN J UDGE

REVERSED AND REM ANDED

DAVI D N. GARST, Le wi s , Ki ng, Kr i e g & W l dr op, P. C. , Knoxvi l l e f o r a a pp e l l a nt .

DAVI D E. SM TH, Hodge s , Dought y & Ca r s on, Knoxvi l l e , f or Appe l l e e . I

O P I N I O N

M M r a y, J . c ur

The s i ngl e i s s ue i n t hi s c a s e i s whe t he r a r e mot e pur c ha s e r o f a h o me ma y ma i nt a i n a ne gl i ge nc e a c t i on a ga i ns t t he bui l de r o f t he h o me de s pi t e a l a c k of c ont r a c t ua l pr i vi t y. The t r i a l c o u r t

g r a n t e d s umma r y j udgme nt i n f a vor of t he de f e nda nt a nd t hi s a pp e a l r e s u l t e d. W r e ve r s e t he j udgme nt of t he t r i a l c our t . e

The Pl a i nt i f f s ,

Dr .

a nd M s . r

Ri c h a r d M Br i ggs , .

pur c ha s e d a

c o n d o mi ni um f r om t he De f e nda nt s , M . a nd M s . Edwa r d S. Al be r s i n r r Apr i l 1 9 93.
1

Da r yl W gne r Cons t r uc t i on Co. bui l t t he home i n 19 8 9 . a

Th e c o n domi ni um wa s a pa r t of a de ve l opme nt by Ri ve r s ound Li mi t e d Pa r t n e r s hi p, W l l i a m S. Ni x d / b/ a W Ent e r pr i s e s , Ge ne r a l Pa r t ne r . i SN The Br i g gs ' na me d t he s e pa r t i e s a s de f e nda nt s , a l l e gi ng ne gl i ge n c e i n t h e c ons t r uc t i on a dmi ni s t r a t i on, a c t ua l c ons t r uc t i on of t h e home . s upe r vi s i on, Spe c i f i c a l l y, i ns pe c t i on a n d t he p l a i nt i f f s

c l a i m t h a t t he i r home wa s da ma ge d due t o a l e a ky ba s e me nt , wh i c h wa s c a u s e d by be l ow gr a de hol e s i n t he ba s e me nt wa l l s a nd t h e

g e ne r a l f a i l ur e of t he c ont r a c t or t o i ns t a l l a de qua t e wa t e r pr oof i n g o f t h e ba s e me nt .

The Ci r c ui t Cour t f or Knox Count y gr a nt e d s umma r y j udgme n t t o Ri v e r s o und Li mi t e d , " t ha t W SN a nd Da r yl W gne r a Cons t r uc t i on, f i nd i n g

t h e Pl a i nt i f f s ha ve not

s t a t e d a c a us e of

a c t i on a ga i n s t

A s e t t l e me n t a g r e e me n t wa s r e a c h e d wi t h t h e Al b e r s , a n d a v o l u n t a r y n o n s u i t wa s e n t e r e d a g a i n s t Do n Du n c a n , d / b / a Fr o n t i e r Ho me I n s p e c t i o n s , wh o i n s p e c t e d t h e h o me f o r t h e Br i g g s p r i o r t o t h e i r p u r c h a s e .

1

2

t he s e de f e nd a n t s b e c a us e t he Cour t

f i nds t he y owe d no dut y t o a

r e mo t e pur c ha s e r of a bui l di ng t he y c ons t r uc t e d t o e xe r c i s e d u e car e in t he c ons t r uc t i on to pr e ve nt s ubs e que nt da ma ge to or

d e t e r i o r a t i on of s a i d pr ope r t y. "

The Br i ggs ' c o n s i d e r a t i on:

a ppe a l

a nd pr e s e nt

t h e f ol l owi ng i s s ue f or o u r

W t he r a n owne r of a r e s i de nc e who l a c ks pr i vi t y he wi t h t he bui l de r t he r e of ma y ma i nt a i n a n a c t i on a ga i ns t t he bui l de r f or ne gl i ge nc e i n t he c ons t r uc t i on of t he r e s i de nc e .

Be c a us e t he t r i a l c our t ba s e d i t s de c i s i on on a que s t i on o f l a w, our s c ope f or 715 of t he r e vi e w i s t r i al de novo wi t h no pr e s u mpt i on Ada ms v. of

c or r e c t ne s s Ro o f i n g Co. ,

c our t ' s 341 ( Te nn.

c onc l us i o n . Ap p . 1986) ;

De a n v.

S. W 2d .

Bi l l i ngt on

Cr o wd e r , 553 S. W 2d 590 ( Te nn. App. 1977) . .

Th e Pl a i nt i f f s '

a r gue t ha t s i nc e t hi s i s a ne gl i ge nc e c l a i m,

p r i v i t y i s not r e qui r e d t o ma i nt a i n t hi s a c t i on unde r Te nne s s e e ' s a n t i - p r i vi t y s t a t ut e , c odi f i e d a t Te nne s s e e Code Annot a t e d

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