Smith v. Paragould Light & Water Commission

Robert H. Dudley, Justice.

Judith M. Bradley owned a home in Paragould. The City of Paragould, by ordinance, required all residents within 300 feet of a sewer line to connect their residences to the City’s sewer system. To meet this requirement, Bradley asked her realtor, B.C. Lloyd, to arrange for the connection to be made. B.C. Lloyd contracted with Doyle Lawrence, a plumber, to connect Bradley’s residence to the city sewer system. Doyle Lawrence hired appellant, Paul Smith, a backhoe operator, as an independent contractor on an hourly basis to dig a trench for the connecting pipes. After…