Central Loan, Inc. v. Farmers & Merchants Bank

162 N.E.2d 205, 81 Ohio Law. Abs. 142, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 993
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 26, 1957
DocketNo. 579
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 162 N.E.2d 205 (Central Loan, Inc. v. Farmers & Merchants Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Central Loan, Inc. v. Farmers & Merchants Bank, 162 N.E.2d 205, 81 Ohio Law. Abs. 142, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 993 (Ohio Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

OPINION

By HORNBECK, PJ.

This is an appeal on questions of law from an order of the trial court sustaining defendant’s motion for new trial after the court had instructed the jury to return a verdict for plaintiff in the sum of $2,286.59 with interest and costs.

Plaintiff’s action was predicated upon the following facts. On and prior to December 1954, plaintiff and Fairborn Appliance, Inc., for which Randall E. Hedrick was authorized to act, were depositors in defendant bank.

On December 22, 1954, Hedrick gave to plaintiff a check payable to it drawn upon the Xenia National Bank, Xenia, Ohio, in the sum of $435.00. On December 23, 1954, plaintiff deposited this check in the defendant bank and the amount thereof was credited to the account of the plaintiff in defendant bank. This check is plaintiff’s Exhibit B.

On December 29, 1954, plaintiff was payee on another check drawn on defendant bank made by Fairborn Appliance, Inc. over the signature of Randall E. Hedrick in the sum of $2,488.00.

On December 30, 1954, plaintiff deposited this check in defendant bank which was credited in the amount thereof to its account. This check is plaintiff’s Exhibit A.

On December 31, 1954, Fairborn Appliance, Inc. over the signature of Randall E. Hedrick, made and delivered to plaintiff a check drawn on defendant bank for $1,055.30, which on January 4, 1955 was deposited with defendant bank and plaintiff was credited in that amount in its account. This check is plaintiff’s Exhibit C.

Plaintiff claims that the defendant had accepted check, Exhibit B by allowing more than 24 hours to elapse from the presentment for payment before debiting plaintiff’s account.

It further appears and is pleaded that on January 5, 1955, defendant debited plaintiff’s account in its bank in the amount of $3,978.30, the sum total of the foregoing three checks, claiming that the checks were not good and that the defendant had the right to charge the amount thereof back to plaintiff’s account.

On January 10, 1955, defendant credited plaintiff’s account in the amount of $1,691.71 partial payment of the total debit against it and applied this sum in full payment of check Exhibit B, $435.00 and $1,055.30, thé amount of the second check, Exhibit C and applied the sum of $240.00 the balance remaining of the $1691.71, to Exhibit A, $2,488.00, leaving a [144]*144balance of the debit against plaintiff, according to the computation of defendant bank, in the amount of $2,286.59 for which sum plaintiff prayed judgment.

Plaintiff claims that as all checks were accepted by defendant bank and the amounts thereof were credited to plaintiff’s account in said bank, it constituted payment of said checks. against which the debit against its account could not legally be made.

Defendant answering says that it admits that the plaintiff maintains a checking account in its bank. That the checks were issued as set out in the petition. That it debited the plaintiff’s account in the amount of $3,978.30, the sum total of the three checks. That it thereafter, on January 10, 1955, credited plaintiff in the amount of $1,691.71: avers that it had the right to charge the account of said three checks back to plaintiff’s account. Other allegations of the petition were generally denied.

The cause came on to be tried to a jury and the evidence developed the facts on behalf of plaintiff substantially as alleged in its petition. Defendant offered as a part of its case the testimony of Mr. Scarborough, Cashier of defendant bank, “that check, Exhibit B, $435.00, was deposited with defendant bank on December 23 and sent through its normal channels for collection and on January 3 returned by the Xenia National Bank through the Fifth Third Union Trust Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, “Drawn against uncollected funds.” This testimony was accepted. Then, defendant proferred the testimony of its officer to the effect that on January 3, 1955, he called Mr. Wilson, who is the Manager of plaintiff company, and “informed him that Check Exhibit B had been returned and that Mr. Wilson directed him to hold the check or that he would get in touch with Mr. Hedrick of Fairborn Appliance, and have him come and make the deposit or he himself would come in and sign a debit memo and pick the check up.” The trial judge refused to accept this testimony.

Defendant also offered to show that on each of the other checks within 24 hours after presentment to the bank, plaintiff, through its General Manager “was notified by telephone by the Cashier of the defendant bank and that on January 5, 1955, the General Manager of the Plaintiff initialed debit memos charging the plaintiff’s account with the three checks set forth in the petition; that on January 10, 1955, Fairborn Appliance’s account had a balance of the credit shown in plaintiff’s petition which credit was given to plaintiff’s debits.” Apparently, this testimony was not received.

The deposit slips with which the checks were deposited with defendant bank were offered by both parties and admitted. It was further developed that at the time the checks were debited against the account of plaintiff, the Fairborn Appliance, Inc. account with the defendant was overdrawn.

Defendant moved for a new trial on the grounds “that the final order and judgment is not sustained by the evidence or is contrary to law. Error of law occurring at the trial and excepted to by the defendant,”

[145]*145The trial judge upon consideration of the motion handed down an extended opinion quoting many of the statutes of the Commercial Transaction Title, of the Revised Code and reviewing many of the applicable authorities and granted the motion for new trial.

The contention of the appellant is that the trial judge abused his discretion in granting the motion. Webster v. The Pullman Co., 51 Oh Ap 131.

Appellant, in the trial court and here, cites and relies on Petrie v. Savings Bank, 8 Oh Ap 266; Providence Savings Bank and Trust Co., v. Hildebrand, 49 Oh Ap 207; First Farmers National Bank v. Gilbert, 13 Abs 514; Taft, et al. v. Guardian Trust Co., 17 Abs 54; Carter v. Tyler Bank & Trust Co., 132 Fed. Suppl 495, and certain sections of the Banking Act.

Appellee cites and relies upon The Elyria Savings & Banking Co. v. Walker Bin Co., 92 Oh St 406; The Smith & Setron Printing Co. v. The State, ex rel. Fulton, Supt. of Banks, 40 Oh Ap 32; §1305.12 R. C.

The trial judge in his decision granting the motion for a new trial was of the opinion that the deposit slip which was employed in each instance when the checks were deposited constituted a contract respecting the rights of the parties as to the handling of the checks and that upon the evidence which was accepted and that which was proferred by the defendant, there was a question of fact for determination of the jury.

The deposit slip reads:

“Farmers and Merchants Bank Fairborn, Ohio
“In receiving items for deposit or collection, this bank acts only as depositor’s collecting agent and assumes no responsibility beyond the exercise of due care. All items are credited subject to final payment in cash or solvent credits. This bank will not be liable for default or negligence of its duly selected correspondents nor for losses in transit. And each correspondent so selected shall not be liable except for its own negligence.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
162 N.E.2d 205, 81 Ohio Law. Abs. 142, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 993, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/central-loan-inc-v-farmers-merchants-bank-ohioctapp-1957.