Wright v. Robinson
Wright v. Robinson
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from a judgment rendered on a partnership accounting.
The main question presented for consideration is the right of one partner to a salary for the management and conduct of the business. By its judgment the trial court awarded defendant Hulihan an allowance for .such services, and it is the claim of the appellant that the evidence does not support the findings and judgment in this particular.
*463 express agreement both Robinson and Hulihan were to receive salaries for their labor and services until such debts were paid, when the salaries were to cease, and thereafter the partners were to divide the profits between themselves share- and share alike. The debts were paid, and Hulihan acquired the interest agreed upon. Mrs. Wright, who knew nothing of this transaction, went to Taft some time thereafter for the purpose of investigating her business, as she had not received any profits therefrom or heard from Robinson, her. partner, for several months. She then learned for the first time of the actions of Robinson from Hulihan. After negotiations between the parties Mrs. Wright agreed that Hulihan should retain his one-half interest, and she further agreed with Robinson that they would own the remaining one-half in the business between them. The evidence discloses the fact that the defendants Hulihan and Sill acted in entire good faith in the transaction and knew nothing about Mrs. Wright’s interest in the business and property, as the same stood of record in Robinson’s name alone. After the agreement between the parties to become partners, as above indicated, Hulihan continued to manage the business- until July 1, 1918, when by operation of law it ceased to exist. At the time of the new arrangement and when plaintiff was recognized as a partner by Hulihan nothing was said between the parties as to the payment of a salary to anyone, and there is no evidence from which the existence of any such agreement can be inferred, the agreement simply being that Mrs. Wright thereafter was to receive one-quarter of the profits of the business. This being so, the case falls within the rule that in the absence of an agreement a partner is not entitled to compensation for services rendered to the partnership. Defendant Hulihan having custody of the partnership assets, is accountable to plaintiff for her full share in the same, freed from any deductions on account of his claims for services.
For the reasons given the judgment is reversed.
Waste, P. J., and Richards, J., concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MABEL WRIGHT, Etc., Appellant, v. SEYMOUR H. ROBINSON Et Al., Respondents
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published