Brogdon v. Hogan

191 Ga. 647
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedFebruary 13, 1941
DocketNo. 13448
StatusPublished

This text of 191 Ga. 647 (Brogdon v. Hogan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brogdon v. Hogan, 191 Ga. 647 (Ga. 1941).

Opinions

Reid, Chief Justice.

On the former appearance of this case we reversed the judgment for the trial court’s refusal to sustain the demurrer to the cross-action of the defendants, and did not consider the assignment of error relating to the refusal to grant a new trial. Brogdon v. Hogan, 189 Ga. 244 (5 S. E. 2d, 657). Afterward the case was tried again. Amendments were offered; and the demurrer being reurged to the cross-action as amended, the same was overruled. The jury again found in favor of the defendants.. A motion for new trial was made, presenting only the insistence that the verdict was contrary to law and to the evidence. This was overruled. Error is assigned on the allowance of the amendments, the refusal to sustain the demurrer, and the denial of the motion for new trial. 'The amendments cured the defects in the cross-action, unless it was •still demurrable on the ground that no definite date of the contract was given. The original petition stated that the agreement relied on was made “in December, 1930.” One of the grounds of the original demurrer was that it was not alleged “when and where said alleged agreement was made.” Other grounds of demurrer raised the question of the vagueness and the indefinite and uncertain character of the alleged contract. Among other things we ruled that “The petition in the instant case did not with precision give the terms of the contract, or its date.” On the second trial an amendment was offered and allowed, which recited: “That their contract, as heretofore alleged with their deceased uncle, E. M. Hogan, was made in the month of December, 1930, the exact date •of the month being unknown to defendants.” (Italics ours.) This court did not on the first appearance of the case rule that the imere absence of an allegation as to the particular day in December, 1930, would in and of itself render the pleading demurrable, but ■only pointed out the lack of precision in setting forth the terms of the contract, and, as a further lack of precision, the absence of a definite date. It is true that as against a special demurrer the petition should allege “the time and place with such precision, certainty and clearness, that the defendant, knowing what he is called upon to answer, may be able to plead a direct and unequivocal defense.” Bond v. Central Bank of Georgia, 2 Ga. 92, 100; Warren v. Powell, 122 Ga. 4 (49 S. E. 730). However, “This court is not [653]*653an expounder of theoretical law, but it administers practical law, and corrects only such errors as have practically wronged the complaining phrty.” Brown v. Atlanta, 66 Ga. 71, 76. One of the reasons for naming a precise date is that if the alleged contract be barred by the statute of limitations, it is only fair that such fact be disclosed. We are not concerned with anything of that kind here. Another reason is, that a date helps to identify and to make certain the particular contract relied on. When on the second trial the defendant in other respects amended his cross-petition and reasserted the month and year when made, and added, “the exact date of the month being unknown to defendant,” judgment will not be reversed for the trial court’s failure to sustain a demurrer based on the ground that no date was alleged, when on an examination of the record as a whole it is plain that no harm has thereby resulted to the opposite party. Compare Hudgins Contracting Co. v. Redmond, 178 Ga. 317 (4) (173 S. E. 135); Hudson v. Hudson, 90 Ga. 581 (4) (26 S. E. 482); Gordon v. Spellman, 145 Ga. 682 (8) (89 S. E. 749, Ann. Cas. 1918A, 852).

As finally amended, the pleadings of the defendants allege the following as the terms of the contract which they assert was entered into between them and the plaintiff’s intestate, E. M. Hogan: “That in December, 1930, said E. M. Hogan, in order to have a place to stay and some one to take care of and look after him and his aged brother whom he wanted near him, agreed with these defendants, his nephew E. H. Hogan, and wife Mrs. Maude Hogan, that if they would give up where they were living and would go with him to Gordon County, Georgia, on the property described and make a home for him and his brother W. J. Hogan during their lifetimes, and look after them, cultivate, drain, and improve the property and make it livable and habitable as a home and a farm, he would buy the property for them; that the place was run down at the time, and E. M. Hogan stated that he could not on account of his old age attempt to build it up or manage it, and that if the defendants would make the property livable and build it up and maintain a home for him and his said old and crippled brother and keep them there together, he would purchase the property for them; that under the agreement and contract the legal title to said property was vested in Ered Hogan and Maude Hogan upon the death of E. M. Hogan; that their contract was made in [654]*654the month of December, 1930, the exact date of the month being unknown to defendants, and was to be terminated under the terms thereof upon the death of said F. M. Hogan; that under the said agreement and contract the legal title to said property was to be vested in said Fred Hogan and Maude Hogan upon the death of F. M. Hogan by deed or will.”

We have, although with some doubt as to the correctness of our conclusion, ruled that the amended allegations with respect to the terms of the contract met the rule that requires it to be so clear that neither party can reasonably misunderstand it. Compare Studer v. Seyer, 69 Ga. 125; Adcock v. Shaw, 167 Ga. 710 (146 S. E. 478); Blumenfeld v. Citizens Bank & Trust Co., 168 Ga. 322 (147 S. E. 581). But the burden which the law easts upon one seeking specific performance of an oral contract of this character continues, of course, beyond the pleadings; and as to the proof, the existence of the particular contract must be made out so clearly, strongly, and satisfactorily as to leave no reasonable doubt. Printup v. Mitchell, 17 Ga. 558; Gordon v. Spellman, 148 Ga. 394 (96 S. E. 1006); Lloyd v. Redford, 148 Ga. 575 (97 S. E. 521); Allen v. Allen, 151 Ga. 278 (106 S. E. 81); Hattaway v. Dickens, 163 Ga. 755 (137 S. E. 57); McDermott v. Lankenau, 170 Ga. 585 (154 S. E. 149); Ellis v. Reagan, 172 Ga. 181 (157 S. E. 478) ; Wall v. Wood, 174 Ga. 508 (163 S. E. 153); Pattilo v. Mangum, 176 Ga. 51 (166 S. E. 641).

An examination of all the testimony concerning the making and the existence of a contract discloses conversations with F. M. Hogan in which “he talked about some will or deed” that “was to be made to Fred and his wife;” that he wanted them to have the place, “but he didn’t know whether to make a will or deed to the place;” that he bought the place for them, and “was going to give that place to Fred and Mrs. Hogan;” “he [F. M.

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Related

Brogdon v. Hogan
5 S.E.2d 657 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1939)
Bond v. Central Bank
2 Ga. 92 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1847)
Chambers v. Collier
4 Ga. 193 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1848)
Printup v. Mitchell
17 Ga. 558 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1855)
Trustees of the Monroe Female University v. Broadfield
30 Ga. 1 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1859)
Russell v. Switzer
63 Ga. 711 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1879)
Brown v. City of Atlanta
66 Ga. 71 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1880)
Studer v. Seyer
69 Ga. 125 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1883)
Hudson v. Hudson
16 S.E. 349 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1892)
Hudson v. Hudson
26 S.E. 482 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1896)
Warren v. Powell
49 S.E. 730 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1905)
Gordon v. Spellman
89 S.E. 749 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1916)
Gordon v. Spellman
96 S.E. 1006 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1918)
Lloyd v. Redford
97 S.E. 523 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1918)
Allen v. Allen
106 S.E. 81 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1920)
Hattaway v. Dickens
137 S.E. 57 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1927)
Adcock v. Shaw
146 S.E. 478 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1929)
Blumenfeld v. Citizens Bank & Trust Co.
147 S.E. 579 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1929)
Blumenfeld v. Citizens Bank & Trust Co.
147 S.E. 581 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1929)
McDermott v. Lankenau
154 S.E. 149 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1930)

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Bluebook (online)
191 Ga. 647, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brogdon-v-hogan-ga-1941.