Catlett v. Burke
Catlett v. Burke
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
Appellant thus stated his case:
“This was an action tried in the Court of Common Pleas for Spartanburg county, which resulted in a verdict and judgment for plaintiff for $600.00. The action was for the recovery of one thousand dollars damages alleged tO' have been suffered by plaintiff on account of being wrongfully discharged by the defendant, for whom he claims he was working under a contract for one year’s services, commencing August 29, 1910, at one hundred dollars per month and expenses. Plaintiff claims, and it is admitted, that after he had been employed for two months he was discharged by defendant on October 29, 1910.
Defendant set up as defenses (in addition to- general denial) the statute of frauds and justification for the discharge. Defendant claims, first, that he was justified in discharging him, because of his inefficiency and dilatoriness; and second, that the contract was not in writing, was for a year’s services, to begin at a future date, and within the statute.
The appeal questions his Honor’s rulings in refusing to strike out evidence; in overruling motion for nonsuit; in overruling motion for direction of verdict; and in the charge to the jury. These subjects will now be discussed in their order.”
Exception I. “This questions the action of the Judge in refusing to strike out the oral testimony of pláintiff in relation to the contract, it appearing that the contract was for services to begin at a future date, and to last for one year, and that the contract was not in writing, as required by the statute.”
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II. Exception II. “This raises the .question as to whether a nonsuit should have been granted.” What was said under the first exception, applied here and this exception is overruled.
III. Exception III. “Is based on refusal to direct a verdict is dependent upon the foregoing argument and facts.” This exception is overruled for the same reason.
This exception is overruled. Even if the jury came to the conclusion that the parties did agree upon the terms of the contract some weeks before, and it was therefore void under. the statute, there is no authority to which we have been referred and nothing in law that suggests itself to this Court that prevents the parties, who have made a contract that is void as to form, from curing the formal defects. If the proposition contended for by appellant were correct, then the parties could not have made a valid contract even in writing.
To illustrate: A agrees to sell B a tract of land for five thousand dollars. B pays the money. The contract to convey is void under the statute, but A subsequently makes a conveyance in writing. It certainly could not be held that the deed was void because the original contract was void.
If they had attempted to make a contract before, it was void; that is, no contract. Even if they had made a valid contract, they had the right to change it and make a new contract and the new contract would be the contract. For subsequent difference they would stand on the substituted contract. If the substituted contract were valid, it would bind the parties. If invalid, it would not.
His Honor charged the jury: “I charge you that if the plaintiff failed to carry out his part of the contract, then the defendant was justified in discharging him. It is essential for you to determine what were the terms of the contract. If the plaintiff failed to- comply with those terms as you find them, then the defendant had the right to discharge him.” This charge was more favorable to the appellant than the request. The request limited the right of discharge to a failure that tended to injure the defendant’s business or interest. The charge allowed a discharge for any failure to perform the terms of the contract.
This exception is overruled for the reasons heretofore stated. The parties had a perfect right to make a contract on the 29th of August, to be performed within the year. Did they make such a contract? That was a question for the jury.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Catlett v. Burke.
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- Syllabus
- 1. Contracts — Statute op Frauds — Issues.—In an action on a breach of a parol contract for personal services, where there is a controversy as to when the contract was made, it is proper to admit parol evidence as to the making of the contract and send to the jury the issue of when it was made. 2. Ibid. — Ibid.—Where such parol contract is void because to commence at a future day, the parties can, on the day it is to begin, restate or make again the same contract which would then be valid. 3. Ibid. — The master may discharge the servant if he fail to carry out his part of the contract.