Skip to main content
DRAFT FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW — NOT FINAL

Tolliver v. 5 G Homes, LLC, 563 S.W.3d 827 (2018)

Citation
Tolliver v. 5 G Homes, LLC, 563 S.W.3d 827 (2018)
Parent Document
Tolliver v. 5 G Homes, LLC, 563 S.W.3d 827 (2018)
Jurisdiction
Missouri (state)
Effective Date
2018-11-27

Other Sections in This Document (30)

Full Text

1,065 chars
On appeal, the Missouri Supreme Court addressed the enforceability of exculpatory *833clauses in contracts. The Court found that such clauses must contain "clear, unambiguous, unmistakable, and conspicuous language in order to release a party from his or her own future negligence. The exculpatory language must effectively notify a party that he or she is releasing the other party from claims arising from the other party's own negligence." Id. at 337. The Court established a bright-line test, easy for courts to apply: "The words 'negligence' or 'fault' or their equivalents must be used conspicuously so that a clear and unmistakable waiver and shifting of risk occurs. There must be no doubt that a reasonable person agreeing to an exculpatory clause actually understands what future claims he or she is waiving." Id. at 337-38. Based on the language of the exculpatory clause at issue, the Court concluded Vic Tanny was not entitled to a directed verdict because the clause was ambiguous and did not meet the requirements of the bright-line test. Id. at 338.