Farr v. Trust Company Bank of Savannah, N. A.
Farr v. Trust Company Bank of Savannah, N. A.
Opinion of the Court
Nancy Farr brought the underlying defamation action against Bud’s Wholesale
“The measure of damages for failure to exercise ordinary care in handling an item is the amount of the item reduced by an amount which could not have been realized by the use of ordinary care, and where there is bad faith it includes other damages, if any, suffered by the party as a proximate consequence.”
OCGA § 11-1-201 (29) defines the word “party” as a “person who has engaged in a transaction or made an agreement within this title.” It is uncontroverted Farr drew the check in question on her bank and made it payable to Bud’s Wholesale in the amount of $79.50. Bud’s Wholesale, in turn, deposited the same in its Trust Company account for collection. Farr does not dispute that her check was a negotiable instrument. Having used a negotiable instrument she may be deemed to have done so in contemplation of its presentment for payment upon the action of a collecting bank. Under these circumstances, Farr’s assertion that she has not engaged in a transaction governed by the UCC is without merit. See OCGA § 11-3-104 (2) (b) (a check is a writing constituting a negotfable instrument “if it is a draft drawn on
The UCC is clear. As a collecting bank, Trust Company “[is] required to exercise ordinary care under O.C.G.A. § 11-4-202 and thus has the right to invoke the damage limitation of O.C.G.A. § 11-4-103 (5).” Alimenta (U.S.A.), Inc. v. Stauffer, 568 FSupp. 674, 678 (N.D. Ga. 1983). Accordingly, we deem this enumeration of error to be without merit.
Judgment affirmed.
Bud’s Wholesale is not involved in this appeal.
The court interpreted an identical statute in Marcoux v. Van Wyk, 572 F2d 651 (8th Cir. 1978). There the court explained that “[w]hen a bank handles an item carelessly, it is liable for the damages caused by its negligence in the amount of the item reduced by the amount that could not have been collected in any event. [Cit.] In other words, the plaintiffs’ measure of damages is the amount they could have collected had the Bank returned the unpaid drafts seasonably; conversely, if the amounts due were uncollectible in any event, the Bank’s negligence caused no damage.” (Emphasis supplied.) Id. at 653.
Concurring Opinion
concurring specially.
I fully agree that the partial grant of partial summary judgment is not erroneous for the reason assigned by plaintiff Nancy C. Farr. I further agree that OCGA § 11-4-103 (5) would limit the liability of Trust Company of Georgia Bank of Savannah, N. A. (“Trust Company”) as a collecting bank, but only with respect to any direct pecuniary consequences of Trust Company’s negligent handling of the check plaintiff Nancy C. Farr drew and which defendant Bud’s Wholesale deposited with Trust Company for collection. But I do not see how that limitation applies to the case sub judice. “An action for wrongful dishonor of checks sounds in tort. Fidelity Nat. Bank v. Kneller, 194 Ga. App. 55, 61 (2c) (390 SE2d 55) (1989). ‘This kind of action may be analogized to an action of libel or slander. . . .’ Hilton v. Jesup Banking Co., 128 Ga. 30, 32 (1) (57 SE 78) (1907).” Associated Writers Guild &c. v. First Nat. Bank of Atlanta, 195 Ga. App. 820 (1) (395 SE2d 23). I recognize in the case sub judice that Trust Company is a collecting bank and not the drawee or payor bank. Nevertheless, the essence of Count 3 is defamation.
Plaintiff’s check was presented by Trust Company to her bank in the form of a facsimile, containing the affidavit that the original had been “lost, stolen, or destroyed while in the regular course of [Trust Company’s] collection.” Wachovia paid on this facsimile, and a stop-payment order was issued for the original, in accordance with Trust Company’s instructions accompanying the facsimile. Trust Company collected, and the Bud’s Wholesale account was credited. Nevertheless, the original was subsequently presented to plaintiff’s bank for collection by Trust Company. When Wachovia refused payment, Trust Company returned the check to Bud’s Wholesale, indicating “the check was not paid[.]” Bud’s Wholesale then swore out a “criminal warrant after [plaintiff’s] check was returned to Bud’s Wholesale marked Insufficient Funds[.]”
The complaint alleged that Trust Company, acting as a depository bank, “undertook to collect instruments such as [plaintiff’s] check . . . , negligently signed the statement/affidavit indicating that
The trial court also deniéd partial summary judgment in part based on the affidavit testimony indicating that Judy Griffin, Trust Company’s officer, “agreed to straighten out the problem of the second presentment and to inform . . . Bud’s Wholesale that the check was not dishonored and that Bud’s Wholesale had been paid.” The trial court reasoned that these promises were “not governed by the Uniform Commercial Code.” Since the net result is that a jury will determine whether Trust Company defamed plaintiff, I concur in the judgment.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.