Sterling v. Smith
Sterling v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
In her complaint, the plaintiff averred that, during a certain period, defendant was her confidential agent in purchasing and selling real estate and 'in transacting other business for her; that as such agent and for such business he received from her, during said period, the sum of $11,920, or thereabouts; that during said period he j>aid out and expended for her the sum of $6,225, or thereabouts, leaving a balance of $5,695, with interest, due her from him; and for this last sum she prays judgment. The defendant answered,. admitting the agency as alleged in the complaint, but denied that he had received of plaintiff's money more than $9,920.70. The court found that defendant had
With respect to respondent’s criticism of the findings, it is sufficient to say that, in our opinion, they are full
As to the merits of the case, it was not necessary for the respondent to prove or for the court to find expressly that the acts done by appellant were done with a fraudulent and wrongful intent; because the acts themselves were of such a character, considering the relationship of the parties, that the law imputes fraud. In Pomeroy’s Equity Jurisprudence, sec. 959, the rule, as between principal and agent, is stated as follows: “ Equity regards and treats this relation in the same general manner, and with nearly the same strictness, as that of trustee and beneficiary. The underlying thought is, that an "agent should not unite his personal and his representative characters in the same transaction; and equity will not permit him to be exposed to the temptation, or brought into a situation where his own personal interests conflict with the interests of his principal. In dealings without the intervention of his principal, if an agent for the purpose of soiling property of the principal, purchases it himself, or an agent for the purpose of buying property for the principal buys it from himself, either directly or through the instrumentality of a third person, the sale or purchase is voidable; it will always be set aside at the option of the principal; the amount of consideration, the absence of undue advantage, and other similar features are wholly immaterial; nothing will defeat the principal’s right of remedy, except his own confirmation after full knowledge of all the facts.” (See also Burke v. Bours, 92 Cal. 108.)
The objection that the findings are insufficient to support the judgment, because they do not contain an express statement that the respondent did not ratify the investment in the syndicate, cannot be maintained. The findings clearly go upon the theory that there was no such ratification; and, moreover, there was no evidence tending to show any ratification after respondent had learned all the facts about the transaction. Appellant was not entitled, upon the evidence, to a finding
Judgment affirmed.
De Haven, J., and Paterson, J., concurred.
Hearing in Bank denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MARGARET T. STERLING v. JAMES SMITH
- Cited By
- 37 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- Pleading — Avoidance of New Mattes in Answer—Evidence —Fraud not Pleaded. —Under section 462 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which provides that “ the statement of new matter im the answer, in avoidance or constituting a defense or counterclaim, must on the trial be deemed controverted by the opposite party,” a plaintiff is entitled to introduce on the trial any evidence which countervails or overcomes such new matter, and may introduce evidence of fraud, though no fraud is pleaded in the complaint. Principal and Agent—Investment of Principal’s Monet—Undisclosed Interest of Agent—Constructive Fraud — Rights of Principal. —Where an agent invests money belonging to his principal for the purchase of an interest in a syndicate, of which the agent is a member, and in which he holds an interest, and which is indebted in a large amount, . and, to induce the investment, leads the principal to believe that he is not a member of the syndicate, or interested therein, and represents that the principal will not have any calls to pay upon becoming a member thereof, the law imputes fraud on the part of the agent, and the principal may avoid the transaction and recover from the agent the amount so invested. Id.—Fraudulent Intent of Agent Immaterial.—In an action by the principal, in such a case, to recover the amount so expended by the agent, it is not necessary for the principal to prove or for the court to find expressly that the acts done by the agent were done with a fraudulent and wrongful intent. Id.—Trustee — Union of Personal and Representative Characters. — Equity regards and treats the relation of principal and agent in the same general manner and with nearly the same strictness as that of trustee and beneficiary. The underlying thought is, that an agent should not unite his personal and representative characters in the same transaction; and equity will not permit him to be exposed to the temptation or brought into a situation where his own personal interests conflict with those of his principal. Id. —Option of Principal— Right to Avoid Sale to Agent. —In dealings by an agent without the intervention of his principal, if the agent, ' for the purpose of selling property of the principal, purchases it himself, or for the purpose of buying property for the principal, buys it from himself, either directly or indirectly, the sale or purchase is voidable; it will always be set aside at the option of the principal; the amount of consideration, the absence of undue advantage, and other similar features being wholly immaterial. Nothing will defeat the principal’s right of remedy, except his own confirmation after full knowledge of all the facts. Id. —Ratification —Findings. —Where there is no evidence tending to prove any ratification of the sale by the principal after full knowledge of the facts, the judgment avoiding the sale will not be reversed for want of a finding upon the question of ratification.