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Reliable Constructors, Inc. v. CFJ Properties

Supreme Court of Virginia
Mar 1, 2002
263 Va. 279 (Va. 2002)

Summary

In Reliable Constructors, a subcontractor that had supplied labor and materials for plumbing and mechanical work to a travel plaza construction project filed a memorandum of mechanic's lien, which it sought to enforce.

Summary of this case from Smith Mountain Bldg. Supply v. Windstar Props

Opinion

Record No. 010535.

March 1, 2002.

A subcontractor supplied labor and materials for work associated with construction of a project. A memorandum of mechanic's lien affidavit claimed that the owner of the real estate on which the project was constructed and its purported agent are justly indebted to the subcontractor in the sum of $330,846. Included within the sum was an item for $250 that represented reimbursement for a fine levied for an occupational safety and health violation involving handwashing facilities on site. The defendants alleged that the mechanic's lien was invalid and unenforceable under Cede § 43-4 because the memorandum included the fine which related to labor supplied 212 days prior to the last day on which labor was supplied to the job. The circuit court agreed with the defendants and entered a final order that dismissed the subcontractor's bill of complaint to enforce the mechanic's lien. The subcontractor appeals.

1. Code § 43-15 states that no inaccuracy in the memorandum filed, or in the description of the property to be covered by the lien, shall invalidate the lien, if the property can be reasonably identified by the description given and the memorandum conforms substantially to the requirements of §§ 43-5, 43-8 and 43-10, respectively, and is not willfully false.

2. The subcontractor was entitled to present evidence to establish that its inclusion of the fine constitutes an inaccuracy within the meaning of Code § 43-15 and the circuit court should not have invalidated the lien on that basis.

3. The word "inaccurate" is defined as: "not accurate: as . . . containing a mistake or error: incorrect, erroneous. The circuit court should have permitted the subcontractor to present evidence to establish that its inclusion of the fine constituted an inaccuracy and that the inaccuracy was not willfully false.

Appeal from a judgment of the Circuit Court of Caroline County. Hon. Horace A. Revercomb, III, judge presiding.

Reversed and remanded.

William F. Jones ( William D. Bayliss; Williams, Mullen, Clark Dobbins, on brief), for appellant.

Thomas Wolf ( Patricia A. Collins; McCandlish Kaine, on brief), for appellees.

No brief or argument for appellee The Oakmont Corporation.


In this appeal, we consider whether the circuit court erred by invalidating a mechanic's lien without permitting the lien claimant to present evidence that its inclusion of a fine in the mechanic's lien memorandum was an error.

Reliable Constructors, Inc., a subcontractor, supplied labor and materials for plumbing and mechanical work associated with construction of a project located in Ruther Glen, Virginia. The Oakmont Corporation was the general contractor for the project, a travel plaza. CFJ Properties is the owner of the real estate upon which the project was constructed. Flying J, Inc., is CFJ's purported agent.

Wanda P. Souther, Reliable Constructors' corporate secretary, signed a memorandum of mechanic's lien affidavit that "CFJ Properties, Flying J Inc. is justly indebted to [Reliable Constructors] in the sum of $330,846.02, for the consideration stated in the foregoing memorandum [for mechanic's lien claimed by subcontractor]." Included within the sum of $330,846.02 was an item identified as "PCO-30 VOSH Department Fine to RCI Handwash [-] $250.00." Reliable Constructors admitted, in response to a request for admission, that its claim for $250.00 represented reimbursement for a fine that had been levied by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry's Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement Division. Reliable Constructors failed to provide "hand wash" facilities on site for its employees.

The "foregoing memorandum" stated that the $330,846.02 was for "[l]abor and materials furnished for plumbing and mechanical work associated with the construction of The Flying J Travel Plaza." (Emphasis added).

Reliable Constructors filed its bill of complaint to enforce the mechanic's lien against the Oakmont Corporation, CFJ Properties, and Flying J, Inc. The defendants filed responsive pleadings and a motion to dismiss. They alleged in their motion to dismiss that the mechanic's lien was invalid and, therefore, unenforceable because the mechanic's lien memorandum included a sum due for labor or materials furnished more than 150 days prior to the last day on which labor was performed or material was furnished to the job preceding the filing of that memorandum in violation of Code § 43-4. Specifically, the defendants alleged that "that portion of the claim consisting of [the fine] was for labor supplied 212 days prior to the last day on which Reliable supplied labor to the job."

The circuit court considered pleadings, exhibits, memoranda submitted by counsel, and argument. The court agreed with the defendants and entered a final order that dismissed Reliable Constructors' bill of complaint to enforce the mechanic's lien. Reliable Constructors appeals.

Reliable Constructors asserts in an assignment of error that the circuit court "erred in ruling without hearing evidence on the nature, timing, and details of the administrative fine" levied by the Department of Labor and Industry. Continuing, Reliable Constructors says that it committed an error by including the fine in its mechanic's lien memorandum and that pursuant to Code § 43-15, the circuit court should not have invalidated the lien. The defendants do not respond to Reliable Constructors' statutory argument.

[1-3] Code § 43-15 states:

"No inaccuracy in the memorandum filed, or in the description of the property to be covered by the lien, shall invalidate the lien, if the property can be reasonably identified by the description given and the memorandum conforms substantially to the requirements of §§ 43-5, 43-8 and 43-10, respectively, and is not wilfully false."

We agree with Reliable Constructors that it was entitled to present evidence to establish that its inclusion of the fine constitutes an inaccuracy within the meaning of Code § 43-15 and that the circuit court should not have invalidated the lien on that basis. The word "inaccuracy" is defined as: "the condition of being inaccurate."Webster's Third New International Dictionary 1139 (1986). The word "inaccurate" is defined as: "not accurate: as . . . containing a mistake or error: incorrect, erroneous." Id. We hold that the circuit court should have permitted Reliable Constructors to present evidence to establish that its inclusion of the fine constituted an inaccuracy and that the inaccuracy was not willfully false.

In this appeal, there is no contention that Reliable Constructors failed to comply with Code §§ 43-5, -8, and -10 which govern the sufficiency of the mechanic's lien memorandum, affidavit, and notice.

Accordingly, we will reverse the judgment of the circuit court and remand this case for further proceedings.

Reversed and remanded.


Summaries of

Reliable Constructors, Inc. v. CFJ Properties

Supreme Court of Virginia
Mar 1, 2002
263 Va. 279 (Va. 2002)

In Reliable Constructors, a subcontractor that had supplied labor and materials for plumbing and mechanical work to a travel plaza construction project filed a memorandum of mechanic's lien, which it sought to enforce.

Summary of this case from Smith Mountain Bldg. Supply v. Windstar Props
Case details for

Reliable Constructors, Inc. v. CFJ Properties

Case Details

Full title:RELIABLE CONSTRUCTORS, INC. v. CFJ PROPERTIES, ET AL

Court:Supreme Court of Virginia

Date published: Mar 1, 2002

Citations

263 Va. 279 (Va. 2002)
559 S.E.2d 681

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