Christy v. Prestige Builders, Inc.

I

The principal issue in this case is whether a vendor landowner has a common-law duty to subvendees of his vendee to avoid negligent behavior. We hold that this landowner had no such duty and reverse the jury verdict against him of common-law negligence. However, there is an allegation in the plaintiffs’ complaint, well supported by trial proofs, that this landowner violated *688a statutory duty to them. But since that statutory violation was not pleaded, submitted to the jury, or argued on appeal as a separate cause of action, we decline to grant relief on this basis. Instead, a majority of this…