BROWN CONTRACTING INC v. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (2022)

Plaintiff Brown Contracting, Inc. (Brown) appeals the supplemental judgment in which the trial court granted summary judgment in favor of defendant Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). ODOT hired Brown to retrofit sidewalk ramps and corresponding sidewalks and driveways. This dispute arises from Brown's claim for payment for some of that work under Bid Item #0240 of the contract it had with ODOT. When ODOT denied the claim, with the understanding that it had paid Brown for the work under Bid Item #0290, Brown brought this breach of contract action. ODOT moved for partial summary judgment, arguing that there was no material dispute of fact that ODOT had paid Brown under the terms of the contract. Brown responded that the contract was ambiguous as to whether it should be paid under Bid Item #0290 or Bid Item #0240. The trial court sided with ODOT, and Brown reraises its argument on appeal that the contract was ambiguous.

We have concluded that the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment to ODOT. We have reached that conclusion after having reviewed the summary judgment record, drawing all reasonable inferences in Brown's favor, Whalen v. American Medical Response Northwest, 256 Or. App. 278, 280, 300 P.3d 247 (2013); reviewing the issue for legal error, Yogman v. Parrott, 325 Or. 358, 937 P.2d 1019 (1997) (whether contractual provisions are ambiguous is a legal question); and applying our principles of contract interpretation, Yogman, 325 Or. 358, 937 P.2d 1019; Batzer Construction, Inc. v. Boyer, 204 Or. App. 309, 129 P.3d 773, rev. den., 341 Or. 366, 143 P.3d 239 (2006). Once those standards are applied, there is no genuine issue of material fact (ORCP 47 C) as to whether Brown had been paid for the work for which it sought payment under Bid Item #0240, and ODOT was entitled to summary judgment.

Affirmed.

PER CURIAM