Floore v. J. T. Burgher & Co.
Floore v. J. T. Burgher & Co.
Opinion of the Court
Appellees sued appellant to recover for services as brokers in procuring a party to lease for 10 years the lower floor of a building in Pt. Worth, Tex., belonging to appellant. This is the second appeal of this case; it having been reversed and remanded on the former appeal for want of proper parties plaintiff. 128 S. W. 1152. The last trial was on an amended petition, by which the proper parties were made plaintiffs; but it is insisted that the allegations were not sufficient for that purpose. The amended petition was not as full and explicit on that point as it should have been, but there was no exception thereto presented in the lower court, in the absence of which the allegations as to parties are sufficient.
The writer hereof is of the opinion that, while the charge is not as definite and explicit as it should be, yet the case should not be reversed for the reason stated. The idea in the trial court’s mind, I take it, was that the broker was acting in good faith in presenting Reeves, believing Ploore desired to enter into a lease contract, and that such presentation was made with no other object in view. I think, if this was error, it was harmless, in view of the full charge of the court. The recovery was predicated on appellant’s having contracted for the services of appellees in procuring a tenant for; the period of 10 years. Appellees produced testimony, if believed by the jury, to establish their cause of action. Apxiellant’s testimony was diametrically opposite. The court charged the jury to find for plaintiffs if they believed said contract was made and such party was presented by plaintiffs. On the other hand, the court charged the jury to find for the defendant as follows; “If you believe from the evidence that plaintiffs, through J. S. Caruthers, induced and procured William Reeves to see John W. Ploore, and that said Caruthers ■ did introduce Reeves to Ploore, but you further believe that John W. Ploore did not agree and consent to pay any commission to the plaintiffs or to Caruthers for them for the finding of *941 said lease, and did not accept the services of J. T. Burgher & Co. to secure said Reeves as a tenant, then you will find for the defendant, although you may believe from the evidence that the defendant afterwards did lease said property to William Reeves.” From this charge it will be seen that defendant would not be liable unless the contract was entered into as alleged and testified to by Caruthers, one of the plaintiffs, or appellant accepted their services.
It is evident to my mind that the jury, under this charge, believed that the contract for commissions as stated by Caruthers or the services of plaintiffs had been accepted by defendant, and did not take into consideration the fact that a lease had been made for three years with an option of 10 years longer, as the jury had been instructed not to consider the three-years contract.
So it appears, I think, that the language considered error by the majority of this court could not have proved prejudicial.
In accordance with the opinion of the majority, the judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.