Armstrong v. Security Life & Trust Co.
Armstrong v. Security Life & Trust Co.
Opinion of the Court
“ ‘Where a principal advances money to his agent on a drawing account against his commission to be earned as a salesman for selling merchandise, and his commission does not amount to the sum advanced, the employer can not, in the absence of an express or implied agreement, or promise to repay any excess of advances over the commissions earned, recover such excess from the employee. 2 Am. Jur. 229; Richmond Dry Goods Co. v. Wilson, 105 W. Va. 221 (141 SE 876, 57 ALR 31, 33); 2 CJ 787; 39 CJ 153. And see Fried v. Portis Hat Co., 41 Ga. App. 30 (152 SE 151).’ Smith v. Franklin Printing Co., 54 Ga. App. 385 (2) (187 SE 904.) See also Valdosta Roofing &c. Co. v. Lawrence, 89 Ga. App. 168 (79 SE2d 10); and Foster v. Union Central Life Ins. Co., 103 Ga. App. 420 (1) (119 SE2d 289).” Roxy Furniture &c. Co. v. Brand, 106 Ga. App. 104, 105 (126 SE2d 295).
The contract signed by the parties on March 10, 1961, included language which related to any indebtedness which might be owed the company by the defendant at the time the agency relationship was dissolved. Therefore, it covered the same subject matter as the letter to the plaintiff which was attached to the petition (under the terms of which letter the defendant would be indebted to the plaintiff for all sums advanced less commissions, etc., earned), and if accepted by the plaintiff prior to the execution of the agency contract was merged into it by the express terms of such contract, and under the decision of this court in Foster v. Union Central Life Ins. Co., 103 Ga. App. 420, supra, the terms of the agency contract would not bind the defendant to repay advances in excess of commissions earned.
The letter of February 9, 1961, was not a contract however, which would be merged into the agency contract unless the defendant’s application for financial assistance was accepted
The agency contract did not, as a matter of law, supersede and void the express promise of the defendant to repay the advances made against commissions. The evidence authorized the judgment for the plaintiff and the trial court did not err in overruling the defendant’s motion for new trial.
Judgment affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.