Blount v. Sutton
Blount v. Sutton
Opinion of the Court
Mere ownership of an automobile does not render the owner liable for a collision occurring when it is driven by another person. Graham v. Cleveland, 58 Ga. App. 810 (200 SE 184). Nor is the fact that the operation of an automobile is with the consent and permission of the owner sufficient to establish that the driver is the agent or servant of the owner. Durden v. Maddox, 73 Ga. App. 491, 493 (37 SE2d 219).
We are aware that where an owner is present in an automobile being driven by another an inference may properly be drawn by the jury that the owner was in control of the operation of the automobile. Trawick v. Chambliss, 42 Ga. App. 333 (3) (156 SB 268). However, this inference only applies “where nothing else appears.” Yellow Cab Co. v. Nelson, 35 Ga. App. 694 (2) (134 SE 822). In other words, “There is a presumption, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, that an owner present in his car has power to control it.” Beam v. Pittsburgh it. Co., 366 Pa. 360 (77 A2d 634, 640); 8 AmJur2d 124, § 572; Pollard v. Grimes, 202 Okla. 118 (210 P2d 778); Nicosia v. Marangi, 13 N. J. Super. 550 (81 A2d 20). “The general theory of these cases is that the presumption or the inference is not evidence, but serves in the place of evidence until evidence to the contrary is adduced. It is created merely for purposes of administrative convenience, to be resorted to in the absence of evidence, to require the party most likely to have in his possession or knowledge the evidence of the real facts in issue, to produce such evidence in the first instance; that when such evidence is produced as to .the real facts, there remains no warrant to keep the presumption in the case and that in such case it disappears, and does not create a conflict with the defendant’s evidence so as to require its submission to the jury on the theory of conflict in the evidence; that in such event the plaintiff must introduce independent evidence to create a conflict with the evidence of the defendant to require its submission to the jury.” 5 ALR2d 204. See also, Atlantic C. L. R. Co. v. Drake, 21 Ga. App. 81 (4) (94 SE 65) ; Central of Ga. R. Co. v. Pitts & Espy, 16 Ga. App. 314 (84 SE 285).
The uncontradicted evidence of both the driver and the owner
Furthermore, “It is a well-established principle of substantive law that circumstantial evidence has no probative value in establishing a fact where such evidence is consistent with direct and unimpeached evidence showing the non-existence of such a fact.” Allgood v. Dalton Brick &c. Corp., 81 Ga. App. 189, 194 (58 SE2d 522); Frazier v. Ga. R. & Bkg. Co., 108 Ga. 807 (33 SE 996); Myers v. Phillips, 197 Ga. 536, 542 (29 SE2d 700).
The trial judge did not err in granting the defendant Sutton’s motion for summary judgment.
Judgment affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. 1. While the simple fact, standing alone, that one of the defendants was operating the automobile of the other defendant with such owner’s consent, is not sufficient to establish liability of the defendant owner for injuries to a third party occasioned by the negligence of the driver (Frankel v. Cone, 214 Ga. 733 (107 SE2d 819); Hines v. Bell, 104 Ga. App. 76 (4) (120 SE2d 892)); yet, where the owner is present in the automobile an inference may properly be drawn by the jury that the owner was in control of the operation of the automobile (Trawick v. Chambliss, 42 Ga. App. 333 (3) (156 SE 268)), even though control was not at the time being actually exercised by express directions.
The majority hold that this inference only applies “where nothing else appears” citing Yellow Cab Co. v. Nelson, 35 Ga.
The facts upon which the obiter dictum was based, followed by the majority here, are entirely different from the facts in the case before the court. Here the owner was in the automobile and the uncontradicted evidence showed that the driver often drove the car for the owner, not as a bailee, but as an agent or servant. Was the inference authorized by this evidence overcome by the mere separate expressions of the defendants here as to their intent? Even the rule as stated by the majority depends upon positive uncontradicted testimony that the bailment actually existed at the time in question. This latter proof never appeared.
In construing the language first italicized above we must reach the conclusion that where the inferences are reasonable but differ and conflict and depend upon circumstantial evidence (necessarily so since they are inferences) and even though there is no conflict in the direct evidence establishing the circumstances from which the inferences arise, then the jury, and- only the jury, is privileged to resolve the differences. This decision and this ruling of the Supreme Court is controlling here.
In my opinion the evidence adduced on the motion for summary judgment did not demand a finding for the defendant owner and the order granting the summary judgment should be reversed.
I am authorized to state that Judge Frankum concurs in this dissent.
Reference
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