Kuniansky v. Williams
Kuniansky v. Williams
Concurring Opinion
concurring specially. I concur in the principles of law as stated in the majority opinion, but do not agree that they are entirely applicable in this case, in that the evidence shows an abandonment of the contract by all parties.
“Parties may by mutual consent abandon an existing contract between them so as to make it not thereafter binding and the contract may be rescinded by conduct, as well as by words. Hennessy v. Woodruff, 210 Ga. 742 (82 S. E. 2d 859); Shoup v. Elliott, 192 Ga. 858, 861 (16 S. E. 2d 857). . . An abandonment by both parties of an existing contract between them precludes either from complaining of a breach of the contract. Haigler v. Adams, 5 Ga. App. 637 (63 S. E. 715); Eaves & Collins v. Cherokee Iron Co., 73 Ga. 459.” Dowling v. Southwell, 95 Ga. App. 29 (96 S. E. 2d 903). “Where there is a special contract between the parties, a recovery on quantum meruit cannot be had.” Thomas McDonald & Co. v. Elliott, 92 Ga. App. 409 410 (88 S. E. 2d 440).
Applying the above stated law to the facts in this case the finding of the trial court, acting without the intervention of a jury was authorized. Since there was evidence of an abandonment by both parties to the express contract, and under such circumstances the plaintiff would not be entitled to recover under either count, the judgment of the trial court was not error.
Opinion of the Court
The court was authorized to find that the agreement under which the property was listed for sale with the broker provided that the sale was to net the defendant owner
“A broker’s commissions are earned when, during the agency, he finds a purchaser ready, able and willing to buy, and who actually offers to buy on the terms stipulated by the owner.” Code § 4-213; Sikes v. Markham, 74 Ga. App. 874 (41 S. E. 2d 828); Waring v. John J. Thompson & Co., 76 Ga. App. 494 (46 S. E. 2d 364); Atlanta Realty Co. v. Campion, 94 Ga. App. 136 (93 S. E. 2d 781). The finding that negotiations were not still pending between the broker and prospective purchaser was clearly authorized from the evidence that the broker had returned the earnest money and stated to the prospective purchaser that he could not make the deal, which facts were communicated to the owner by the broker. Although the facts in that case are different the rule is well stated in Tidwell v. Hines, 28 Ga. App. 806 (3) (113 S. E. 48). In substance the rule is that where the broker has failed to procure an offer to buy upon the terms stipulated and the owner has not relinquished his right to sell the property himself to authorize a recovery of commissions it must appear that the owner negotiated the sale directly to the customer procured by the broker with a fraudulent intent to deprive the
The court did not err in denying the motion for a new trial.
Judgment affirmed.
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