Eads v. Southern Surety Co.
Eads v. Southern Surety Co.
Opinion of the Court
The Southern Surety Company, a non-resident corporation, made a deposit of securities with the State treasurer
The act of 1896 (Ga. L. 1896, p. 58), as amended by the act of 1897 (Ga. L. 1897, p. 60), provides as follows:
“Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, that from and after the passage of this act solvent guarantee companies, surety companies, fidelity-insurance companies, and fidelity and deposit companies incorporated and organized under the laws of this State, or any other State of the Hnited States,
“Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, that such companies may be taken as the sole surety upon all attachment bonds, whether such companies have or do not have real estate in this State.
“Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, that in case of default upon any bond upon which such companies as sureties, then the city, county, and State authorities shall have all the remedies against the principal and sureties upon said bonds as are now provided by law, including the right to issue fi. fas. instanter as now provided by law.
“Be it further enacted, that all companies herein described, chartered by this State or other States or foreign governments, now doing business in this State or hereafter doing business in this State, which offers or undertakes to become security upon any bond required by law of city, county, and State officers, before being accepted as surety thereon, shall be required to deposit with the treasurer of this State bonds of the United States or bonds of this State, which, according to the acts and resolutions of the General Assembly, are valid and which amount according to their face value to twenty-five thousand dollars, which funds shall be receipted for by the State treasurer and especially deposited by him in the vaults of the treasury; and whenever such company ceases to do business in this State and has settled up all claims against it, as hereinafter provided, and have been released from all the bonds upon which they have been taken, said bonds shall be delivered up to the proper party on presentation of the treasurer’s receipt. While said bonds
“That whenever any loss insured against occurs, the insured, in order to secure his recovery, may give notice to the State treasurer of the pendency of said loss and of the amount claimed, after which time the State treasurer shall be bound to retain, subject to the order of the court trying any suit that may be brought for the recovery of such loss, a sufficient amount to pay the judgment in said ease, in the event of recovery; when suit is ended, and the amount ascertained for which said party sued may be liable is not paid in ten days, then said plaintiff may file an application with the judge of the superior court of the county where the case was tried, for a receiver to take charge of so many bonds as shall be necessary to satisfy the aforesaid judgment. When said receiver is appointed by the judge, who shall always require bond and security of him for the faithful performance of his duty, said State treasurer, on his application, shall deliver to him bonds sufficient in their market value, if in his custody, to satisfy said judgment. Said receiver’s receipt shall be a complete discharge to said treasurer and the State of Georgia. Then said receiver shall apply to the judge of said superior court for an order of sale, and in pursuance of said order sell said bonds. After deducting such expenses and commissions as shall be allowed by said judge, he shall pay over to the plaintiff, or his attorney, a sufficient amount to satisfy the said judgment, and if there remains any residue in the hands of such receiver, he shall pay over the same to the agent of the company, taking his receipt for the same, which shall be filed and recorded with the other papers in the case. If there are conflicting claims, then the State treasurer shall deliver over to the receivers, in the order of their application, the aforesaid bonds, and if there is any contest between creditors which can not be settled in this mode, then the party not receiving sufficient bonds through the receiver appointed in his behalf may become a party to the other case and make known his claim to the other receiver by making affidavit of the claim and filing.the same with him, and then the receiver shall report such claim to the judge of the superior court appointing him, who shall by order provide for a bill of interpleader, as in cases in equity.
“Whenever, by means of the provisions of this act, the amount of bonds so deposited are reduced, said treaurer shall at once notify the insurance commissioner in writing, who will give notice to the company depositing, and require more bonds to be deposited, so as to always maintain the original amount, and if the company so notified by the insurance commissioner fails to comply within thirty days, the right of the company to do business in this State shall be revoked, and said insurance commissioner shall at the same time give notice, by publication in a newspaper published at the capital, of the fact of such failure and revocation of license, and shall mail written or printed notice to the several ordinaries of this State, the cost of which publication shall be paid by the company failing to comply with the provisions of this act; and when any company, having made the deposit required by this act, has assumed any liability^, by suretyship or otherwise, on which no losses have accrued, and which company wishes to withdraw its deposit, before being allowed to do so said company shall have itself released from such obligation, whether suretyship or otherwise, and give notice of its intention to withdraw from this State, and of the fact that it has satisfied all losses and the claims against it, and have been released from all obligations assumed by it, which notice shall be published in a newspaper to be designated by the insurance commissioner of the State, and at the expense of said company; and it is hereby provided, that any claims of the citizens of this State must, whether for losses accrued or upon obligations thereinbefore assumed by said company (where no losses have occurred), be fully settled before said deposit shall be withdrawn."
While this law was in effect the act to provide for the establishment of a Department of Insurance was adopted (G-a. L. 1912, p. 119). Section 27 of that act provides as follows: “Be it further enacted, that before any surety or bonding company shall write any bonds in this State, it shall be required to deposit the sum of
The other rulings in the headnotes do not require elaboration.
Judgment reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- EADS v. SOUTHERN SURETY COMPANY
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published