Johnson v. Talley
Johnson v. Talley
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Plaintiff sued the defendant for $500, which she alleges, in her declaration, defendant promised-to pay her if she would dismiss her appeal from a decree against, her in favor of d fend ant. She alleges she complied with lier part of the agreement. The defendant denies that he made any such agreement, or that he owes her any thing.
Plaintiff obtained a verdict, which was set aside, then follow'd a mistrial, and finally verdict and judgment wore rendered in favor of defendant, and the court refusing a new trial, she has appealed in error to this court.
Tin' evidence for plaintiff is that defendant procured Joseph Johnson to make a proposition to Nancy Johnson to compromise the suit, by J seph Johnson paying her- $500, and said Talley paying her $500, “to which she agreed, with the exception that she would
Defendant proved that Nancy Johnson dismissed the suit freely and voluntarily, and that said Talley did not promise to give her any thing to dismiss it, and that Johnson never told him that Nancy Johnson accepted the alleged proposition, or that she expected any compensation from said Talley for the compromise.
Upon the foregoing evidence the court charged the jury if the promise was made, and the suit dismissed, plaintiff would be entitled to recover; that if Talley appointed Johnson his agent, he would be bound by his acts if the agent follows his instructions, if Talley did not agree to the modification by Nancy Johnson, be would not be bound. If he did agree to it he would be bound. If Talley .proposed to pay $500 the proposition was “ an entirety,” and the acceptance as to the payment by Talley, and rejection as to payment by Johnson, would not bind Talley unless he agreed to such modification.
The court charged correctly, as to the preponderance of evidence, and the credibility of witnesses.
The plaintiff in error insists that the court erred in this charge, because the refusal by plaintiff to hold Johnson liable, did not increase the liability of defendant, and could do him no injury.
It is undoubtedly correct that a proposition to contract, must he accepted as made, or rejected. But the
The charge of the court on this point was, therefore, erroneous, and the judgment must be reversed and the cause remanded for a new trial.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Nancy Johnson v. E. C. Talley
- Status
- Published