Crozier v. Goldman

111 S.E. 666, 153 Ga. 162, 1922 Ga. LEXIS 44
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedMarch 18, 1922
DocketNo. 2780
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 111 S.E. 666 (Crozier v. Goldman) 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
Crozier v. Goldman, 111 S.E. 666, 153 Ga. 162, 1922 Ga. LEXIS 44 (Ga. 1922).

Opinion

Hines, J.

(After stating the foregoing facts.)

1. There was sufficient evidence to support the verdict; and a new trial should not be granted upon the formal grounds of the motion for new trial.

2. In the first ground of the plaintiff’s amendment to his motion for new trial it is alleged that the court erred in admitting in evidence, over objection of plaintiff, the following testimony of John Crozier Sr., on cross-examination: “ I didn’t get the money from the sale of that house. Jack got it. Monk hadn’t got none up to that time as I know of.” It is alleged in this ground that the witness referred to the disposition of part of the proceeds of a place which was not involved in this suit. The objection to this testimony was that it was irrelevant, and did not elucidate any issue involved in the trial of this case. Ordinarily the admission of irrelevant testimony is not cause for the grant of a new trial, unless, from its peculiar nature, or from statements in the assignment of error, it is shown to have had a prejudicial effect on the party complaining. Travelers Ins. Co. v. Thornton, 119 Ga. 455 (8), 457 (46 S. E. 678); Thompson v. Thompson, 77 Ga. 692 (7), 700 (3 S. E. 261). It is not pointed out in this ground of the motion, however, that this testimony, if irrelevant, was prejudicial to the plaintiff, and prejudice does not appear from the peculiar nature of this evidence. So we-can not say that the court erred in admitting this evidence.

3. In the second ground of the plaintiff’s amendment to his motion -for new trial it is alleged that the court erred in permitting Hogan Goldman, the administrator- of Wilkes Goldman, one of the parties to the ease, over objection by the plaintiff, to testify as follows: “He wanted me to take it and put it in my place.” It is alleged that the evidence referred to a conversation the witness had with his deceased father, as to what the deceased said he wanted to do with his money. The objection to this testimony was that it was irrelevant; and further, that it was a conversation between the witness and his father, who had subsequently died, the witness being interested as an heir at law in the estate of his deceased father, which was involved in the case on trial. What is said in the preceding section of this opinion disposes of the [164]*164question whether a new trial should be granted because this testimony is irrelevant. It is not alleged how or in what manner it is prejudicial, and prejudice does not appear from the nature of this evidence. The second objection to the admission of this testimony is not sufficient to raise the question of the competency of this witness. The objection made is to the admissibility of tbps testimony, and not to the competency of the witness to testify. So we' can not consider this objection as raising the question of the competency of the witness.

4. In the third ground of the plaintiff’s amendment 'to his motion for new trial it is alleged that the court erred in overruling his motion to rule out all the testimony of Hogan Goldman, the administrator, in regard to the. conversation had with his deceased father in regard to what disposition his father wanted to make of his money, as contained on page 2-7 of the brief of evidence, and the testimony of all other witnesses, who were heirs at law of said deceased, in regard to conversations or transactions had with him in regard to the disposition he desired to make of his money, or intended to make of it. This motion was based upon the ground that these witnesses were interested in the estate of said deceased, and could not be permitted to testify as to conversations or transactions had with him, he having since died.

An assignment of error upon the admission of evidence, which does not literally or in substance set forth the evidence referred to, is without merit and can not be considered by this court. Rucker v. State, 97 Ga. 205 (22 S. E. 921); Denton v. Ward, 112 Ga. 532 (37 S. E. 729).

5. It is complained in the fourth ground of plaintiff’s amendment to his motion for new trial that the court erred in admitting in evidence, over objection of the plaintiff, a promissory note, dated January 12, 1920, due November 15, 1920, for the principal sum of $500, signed by John Crozier Sr., and Jack Crozier, and payable to the order of Wilkes Goldman. The objection to .the admission of this testimony was that it did not elucidate any issue involved in the trial of this case, and because said note was in no way involved in the gift which the plaintiff was claiming, but was made by his brother and father, and under no theory could the same be relevant or admissible in this case. What has been said in the second and third sections of this opinion disposes of this objection, [165]*165if this testimony was in fact irrelevant; but we are of the opinion that the same was relevant to the issue being tried. The plaintiff not only asserted that his father had given him this certificate of deposit, but had also given him this note to be delivered to his mother as a gift. This evidence illustrated the reasonableness of the plaintiff’s claim and testimony.

Doubtful evidence is to be admitted rather than excluded. The current of authority in this State is to admit it, leaving its weight and effect to be determined by the jury. Dalton v. Drake, 75 Ga. 115 (3); Thompson v. Thompson, supra; S., F. & W. Ry. Co. v. Flannagan, 82 Ga. 579 (9 S. E. 471, 14 Am. St. R. 183).

6. In the fifth ground of this amendment it is complained that the court erred in charging the jury as follows: I charge you that if you believe, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the deceased . . gave to Mr. Dick Crozier (John Crozier Jr.) the certificate of deposit either actually or symbolically, that it was done by Mr. Goldman in contemplation of death, when he was in peril of death, during his last illness, and intended by him to be an absolute gift only in the event of death, and that . . Mr. Goldman died without revoking such gift from himself to Mr. Crozier, then the title would vest in Mr. John Crozier, and it would be your duty to. find for John Crozier. On the other hand, if you do not believe that the deceased . . gave to Dick Crozier the certificate of deposit in fee simple, that he delivered it to him either actually or constructively, that it was not done by Mr. Goldman in contemplation of death, when he was in peril of death during his last illness, that he intended it as a gift and that it was accepted by Dick Crozier, then it would be your duty to find for Mr. Goldman, the administrator of the estate of Wilkes Goldman.” The error alleged in this charge is that it is confusing, vague, indefinite, and not a clear statement of the law. It is further alleged that the use of two negatives in the last sentence of this charge gives to it an entirely different meaning from that intended to be conveyed, making the instructions in this part of the charge conflict with that contained in the first sentence thereof.

There is no difficulty about the portion of the charge embraced in the first sentence of the above extract. Counsel for plaintiff lays great stress upon' the second sentence, which embraces, as he alleges, a confusing, vague, and indefinite statement of the law. [166]

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Bluebook (online)
111 S.E. 666, 153 Ga. 162, 1922 Ga. LEXIS 44, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crozier-v-goldman-ga-1922.