Maynard v. Dorner
Maynard v. Dorner
Opinion of the Court
This appeal follows a judgment rendered in favor of plaintiff and against Bonnie Dorner as guardian of Charles R. Dorner, mentally incompetent, and Bonnie Dorner, individually.
Defendant Bonnie Dorner, individually, has appealed and has set forth in her brief the following claimed facts. The plaintiff, Gilbert Maynard, was a jobber for auto polish sold by Charles R. Dorner, doing business as (d/b/a) Dorner Products, Dorner Laboratories, Liquid First Class Auto Polish Company, Liquid Glass Auto Polish Company, and Glass Wax Company. The various names of the companies were changed from time to time. Plaintiff started out as a small salesman in the business, but worked his way up to the point where he would be considered a distributor of the product.
The primary claim in this particular case, however, arises out of a transaction that commenced on or about July 7, 1965, when the plaintiff placed an order with the defendant, Charles R. Dorner, for 728 cases of auto polish. On that date, the plaintiff placed an order for that amount of polish and enclosed with his letter a certified money order for $7,150 which he claimed represented payment for that amount of polish, along with certain bonus sheets that allegedly entitled plain
Because Mr. Dorner did not immediately fill the order, but cashed plaintiff’s check and because plaintiff was unhappy with what was shipped, plaintiff commenced suit in Calhoun County against Charles R. Dorner, also known as (a/k/a) C. R. Dorner, a/k/a Dr. C. R. Dorner, and Bonnie Dorner, d/b/a Dorner Products, Dorner Laboratories, Liquid First Class Auto Polish Company, Liquid Glass Auto Polish Company, and Glass Wax Company. While that suit was pending in Calhoun County, Charles R. Dorner was declared mentally incompetent and committed as mentally ill to the Kalamazoo State Hospital. Bonnie Dorner, his wife, was appointed guardian of Charles R. Dorner. That suit was dismissed for lack of progress.
After the dismissal by the court in Calhoun County, this suit was commenced in Wayne County against Charles R. Dorner, a/k/a C. R. Dorner, a/k/a Dr. C. R. Dorner, and Bonnie Dorner, d/b/a Dorner Products, Dorner Laboratories, Liquid First Class Auto Polish Company, Liquid Glass Auto Polish Company, Glass Wax Company, and Bonnie Dorner, guardian of C. R. Dorner, mentally incompetent, jointly and severally, praying for damages in the amount of $64,990.10.
Because Charles R. Dorner was still under the
Plaintiff introduced two exhibits that contained the name of Bonnie Dorner, along with letterhead bearing her caricature, an advertising brochure which contained her picture, and a magazine article that carried a story indicating that Charles Dorner and Bonnie Dorner were a successful husband and wife team. There was no testimony from either Maynard, Sevrans, or Shields that at any time had they relied upon any of these particular items believing that Mrs. Dorner was involved in the business.
Mrs. Dorner testified that she was aware of the fact that her husband had purchased a rubber stamp which was used to stamp material that was sent out of his office indicating that she was the circulation manager. She indicated, however, that Mr. Dorner had done this with other family member names and had put his father’s name down on
It was her claim that she played no part in the transaction upon which this suit was founded; and other than the advertising material and the stamped name, she did not have any connection with the business whatsoever, except after 1968; that none of the three businessmen who testified indicated that they had relied upon the stamp with Mrs. Dorner’s name imprinted thereon, any printed material carrying her name, those items that carried her photograph, or the article that had been written about her husband and herself; that all of the testimony, and specifically the testimony of plaintiff, concerned itself with the business relationship with Charles R. Dorner and his various companies.
The plaintiff-appellee claims that both Charles
The trial judge after hearing the testimony, rendered an opinion which in pertinent part reads as follows:
"It is the finding of this court that the defendants have converted to their own use monies of the plaintiff in the sum of $7,150 sent them on July 7, 1965 with an order for 728 cases of Liquid 1st Class Auto Polish, which polish was not received by plaintiff.
"Further, that there is due plaintiff under defendants’ sales program the following:
"(1) A commission of $1,878.
"(2) Freight charges in the sum of $138.32.
“(3) Refund of check erroneously cashed by defendants in the sum of $479.76.
"The claims of plaintiff for $5,169.60 for 359 replacement cases at $14.40 per case, and for $20,000 alleged loss of business have not been substantiated by the proofs offered and are not allowed.
"Also, it is the finding of this court that there was a holding out to the general public that the businesses*574 operated by defendants were in fact operated by both of them as a highly successful husband and wife team.
"Accordingly, plaintiff may have judgment against CHARLES R. DORNER, a/k/a C. R. DORNER, a/k/a DR. C.R. DORNER and BONNIE DORNER d/b/a/ DORNER PRODUCTS, DORNER LABORATORIES, LIQUID 1ST CLASS AUTO POLISH CO., LIQUID GLASS AUTO POLISH CO., GLASS WAX COMPANY and BONNIE DORNER, GUARDIAN of C. R. DORNER, M.I., Jointly and Severally, in the sum of $9,646.08 plus interest computed as being $2,740.82, costs and attorney fees.”
In considering this appeal we find it necessary for a proper review and determination of the matter to remand to the trial court for proper findings of fact and conclusions of law. This is the requirement of GCR 1963, 517.1 which reads in pertinent part as follows:
"In all actions tried upon the facts without a jury or with an advisory jury, the court shall find the facts specially and state separately its conclusions of law thereon and direct the entry of the appropriate judgment. It will be sufficient if the court makes brief, definite, and pertinent findings and conclusions upon the contested matters without over elaboration of detail or particularization of facts.”
There were contested issues of fact not resolved by the opinion, viz.: plaintiff claimed that defendants conducted assumed name businesses; Mrs. Bonnie Dorner denied she had any interest in any of the businesses, nor was she an owner therein. She further asserted that the testimony of plaintiff and his witnesses failed to show any business with her or reliance on any claimed assertion that she was a part of the businesses. The business relationship, if any, between Mr. and Mrs. Dorner is a question of fact which was not determined.
There were also no conclusions of law contained
On remand the Honorable Harry J. Dingeman, Jr., Circuit Judge, shall reexamine the original record and will prepare and certify to this Court, within 60 days, such new findings of fact, together with conclusions of law as were at the conclusion of the nonjury trial called for by GCR 1963, 517.1. Dauer v Zabel, 381 Mich 555; 164 NW2d 1 (1969).
Costs to abide final result.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I do not agree with my colleagues. The lower court opinion does resolve the essential contested factual and legal issues with "brief, definite and pertinent findings and conclusions”. GCR 1963, 517.1. The Dorners’ relationship is immaterial since, as the evidence clearly shows, defendants held themselves out to the public as operating a business, an act to which Mrs. Dorner consented. A joint and several judgment is not improper in these circumstances. We do not substitute our judgment in a nonjury case unless the facts show an opposite result must be reached. Leidig v Rockwood & Co, 48 Mich App 248; 210 NW2d 257 (1973).
I vote to affirm the trial court.
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