Barnes v. Didschuneit
Barnes v. Didschuneit
Opinion of the Court
Since we must consider the cross-bill of exceptions and because that ruling bears on the consideration of the question presented in the main bill, we will first consider the cross-bill. In his cross-action, the defendant J. C. Barnes alleged; “3. Defendant shows that in 1946 he entered into an agreement with the plaintiff by which the defendant was to' devote his time and services in locating real estate to be purchased with the money furnished by the plaintiff; that the defendant was to locate said property, secure the purchasing price, handle the pinchase, and that said property would be resold through real-estate brokers; that the profit realized upon said property and its resale was to be divided equally between the plaintiff and your defendant. 4. In accordance with said agreement, the defendant using the plaintiff’s money on three separate occasions did purchase one lot on each of said occasions; said property being located on Altedena Place, S. W., Atlanta, Georgia, said transactions taking place during the years 1946, 1947 and 1948. 5. On the above said sales the profit from same was divided equally between plaintiff and defendant. The credit of $83.29 (applied by the plaintiff against the total indebtedness
The demurrers to the cross-action were on the grounds (1) that no cause of action was shown, and (2) that the cross-action showed that the defendant was a real-estate broker, and since it was not alleged that he was licensed under the Georgia law as a real-estate broker, he could not collect the alleged commissions sued for.
The plaintiff contends that no cause of action was shown in the cross-action because the contract sued on was too vague and indefinite to be enforceable. This contention is without merit. While the facts alleged may not show an enforceable executory contract covering all the transactions, it does allege single instances of offer and acceptance. See Code (Ann.) § 20-108, catchword, “Offer and Acceptance.” While an agreement or contract lacking in mutuality is nudum pactum (Code § 20-301), “a nudum pactum becomes binding when one party performs his part and the other party gets the benefit of such performance. Bishop on Contracts (2d), § 87; Strachan v. Burford, 173 Ga. 821 (162 S. E. 120); Whitley v. Powell, 47 Ga. App. 105 (169 S. E. 766).” Webb v. Pullman Co., 57 Ga. App. 772, 775 (196 S. E. 477). “While the contract as originally entered into might not have been enforceable, on the ground that it was without consideration and unilateral, the part performance of the contract and the services rendered in the business by the petitioner, as set forth and alleged in his petition, supplied the lack of mutuality and rendered the contract enforceable and a breach of it actionable. The defendant could not take advantage of the offer of the petitioner, as set forth in the pleadings of the latter, and receive the benefit of his services and then breach the contract, without rendering himself liable.” Brown v. Floding, 173 Ga. 400, 404 (160 S. E. 604).
Since the defendant introduced evidence that he was not acting solely for the plaintiff but for the plaintiff and himself under the agreement, and since his proof otherwise supported his allegations, the award of the nonsuit was not authorized. Gray v. Schlapp, 92 Ga. App. 261 (1) (88 S. E. 2d 536).
The court did not err in overruling the demurrers to the cross-action.
The court erred in granting a nonsuit.
Judgment affirmed on cross-bill of exceptions; reversed on the main bill.
070rehearing
On Motion for Rehearing.
The defendant in error strongly contends that the ruling in Hazlehurst v. Southern Fruit Distributors, 46 Ga. App. 453 (4) (167 S. E. 898) controls this case. In that case the plaintiff sued in two> counts. The first count was upon a quantum meruit and the second count was upon an express contract. The trial court in that case sustained a demurrer to the second count and the case was tried on the first count. In that case the evidence conclusively shows that there was no agreement to pay the plaintiff anything. It therefore follows that nothing said by the court in that case could be related to the issues in the instant case.
Motion for rehearing denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BARNES Et Al. v. DIDSCHUNEIT; And Vice Versa
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published