Galleon Industries, Inc. v. Lewyn MacHinery Co., Inc.

279 So. 2d 137, 50 Ala. App. 334, 12 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1224, 1973 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 438
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Alabama
DecidedMarch 28, 1973
DocketCiv. 47
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 279 So. 2d 137 (Galleon Industries, Inc. v. Lewyn MacHinery Co., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Galleon Industries, Inc. v. Lewyn MacHinery Co., Inc., 279 So. 2d 137, 50 Ala. App. 334, 12 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1224, 1973 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 438 (Ala. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

WRIGHT, Presiding Judge.

Galleon Industries, Incorporated, and Central Bank and Trust Company, Incorporated, were defendants below in an action in detinue. From a verdict and judgment in favor of plaintiff 'for the property sued for, after denial of motion for new trial, defendants each have appealed.

Appellant Galleon assigns as error the overruling of its motion for new trial. Such assignment is a vicarious assignment of every well stated ground of the motion which is adequately brought forth and argued in brief. Hall Motor Co. v. Furman, 285 Ala. 499, 234 So.2d 37. The grounds of the motion for new trial presented and argued in bulk in appellant’s brief are that the verdict was contrary to the law and the facts, and the judgment was not sustained by the perponderance of the evidence.

Appellee has cited to us decisions of the Supreme Court of this State stating that when assignments of error are argued in bulk, if any one of them is without merit, the others are not to be considered. Cases cited are Aircraft Sales & Service, Inc. v. Gantt, 255 Ala. 508, 52 So.2d 388; Louisville & Nashville R. Co. v. State, 276 Ala. 99, 159 So.2d 458. We do not consider either of these cited cases authority for the proposition as stated by appellee.

The more proper proposition is that if unrelated assignments are argued in bulk and one assignment is not well taken, review of the remaining assignments will not be taken. Andrews v. May, 277 Ala. 248, 168 So.2d 619; State v. Selma Foundry & Mach. Co., 276 Ala. 161, 160 So.2d 1. When assignments of error are so related as to present a single question, it is proper to group them for argument, and rule that if unrelated assignments are argued in bulk and one assignment is not well taken, re *337 view of the remaining assignments may be pretermitted, will not be invoked. Auto-Owners Ins. Co. v. Stokes, 284 Ala. 537, 226 So.2d 320; Commercial Union Ins. Co. of New York v. Security General Ins. Co., 282 Ala. 344, 211 So.2d 477; Southern Electric Generating Co. v. Lance, 269 Ala. 25, 110 So.2d 627.

We consider the grounds of the motion for new trial argued in brief to relate to a kindred question, that is, that the evidence affirmatively showed that at the time the suit in detinue was filed possession of the property was not in defendant Galleon.

Though the ground that the verdict is contrary to law has been held to be too general to require consideration on appeal, it has been held that a ground in the motion for new trial that the verdict and judgment is contrary to law and the great weight and preponderance of the evidence requires the reviewing court to consider the evidence to determine if, after allowing all reasonable presumptions in favor thereof, the evidence is so against the verdict as to convince the court that it is wrong and unjust. McDuffie & Sons v. Weeks, 9 Ala.App. 282, 63 So. 739; Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. v. Carter, 46 Ala.App. 222, 239 So.2d 895; State v. McDaniel, 285 Ala. 310, 231 So.2d 878.

Defendant Galleon filed a disclaimer and issue was joined thereon as provided by Title 7, § 935, Code 1940. Thus the burden of showing possession by Galleon of the property sued for at the commencement of the suit was upon plaintiff. Plaintiff failed to carry this burden, as the evidence was that possession was in Central under foreclosure of a security interest at the beginning of suit. We can arrive at no other conclusion than that the state of the evidence is not merely insufficient to show possession of the property sought to be recovered in Galleon, but rather affirmatively shows possession in another at the commencement of suit. Therefore the verdict and judgment for the property sued for against Galleon is contrary to law and the evidence, and has no foundation in the evidence. Such judgment must be set aside on appeal. State v. McDaniel, supra.

The judgment against appellant Galleon is reversed and remanded.

We come now to consider the appeal of defendant, Central Bank and Trust Company.

The facts giving rise to plaintiffs suit are generally as follows: A representative of Lewyn Machinery Company, with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, came to the place of business of Galleon Industries in Pell City, Alabama, and discussed the sale by Lewyn and purchase by Galleon of certain items of equipment. A decision was made as to the items to be purchased subject to arrangement of financing. Upon investigation of Galleon’s credit standing, Lewyn notified Galleon that no credit could be extended and that the items could be purchased for cash at Lewyn’s office in Atlanta and delivered to Galleon there. Galleon subsequently went to Lewyn’s office in Atlanta, paid cash, and accepted delivery of all items except one. This one item was a machine which Lewyn did not have on hand, but which was to be obtained by them from the manufacturer, J. M. Lancaster, located in North Carolina. Galleon was informed that when the machine was received by Lewyn he could return to Atlanta, pay cash, and accept delivery. The price was to be $2800.00. Through mistake or misunderstanding, the machine was subsequently shipped by the manufacturer, Lancaster, directly to Galleon in Pell City. Lancaster notified Lewyn of the shipment. Lewyn then sent to Galleon an invoice on the machine stating thereon the terms of “net 30 days.” Shipment by Lancaster to Galleon was shown to be June 22, 1970. Lewyn’s invoice was dated the same day. Actual receipt of the machine by Galleon was apparently about July 5, 1970.

On November 21, 1969, a security agreement had been entered into by Galleon with Central Bank & Trust Company. *338 This agreement included as collateral all equipment and inventory owned or to be thereafter acquired by Galleon. A financing statement was filed thereon on December 1, 1969. On July 13, 1970, the loan of Central being in default, Central foreclosed its security agreement and took possession of Galleon’s property, including the machine which is the subject of this suit.

Appellee’s testimony was that after notice of shipment by Lancaster to Galleon, Galleon was contacted by phone at least twice and a check for the machine was requested. Such check was promised but did not arrive. After several days the owner of Lewyn Machinery Company came to Pell City and learned of the taking of possession by Central. He retained counsel and brought suit in detinue against Galleon and Central.

For a plaintiff to recover in detinue he must show that at the commencement of the action he had a general or special property in the goods sued for, the right to immediate possession of the goods, and that the defendant had possession of the property. Brannon v. Cole, 40 Ala.App. 222, 110 So.2d 645.

Appellant has first assigned as error the failure of the trial court to give the jury its written requested affirmative charge. To determine if such failure constituted error to reverse we must apply to the evidence the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code of this State.

Plaintiff, Lewyn, presented his case on the theory that title to the machine did not pass to Galleon until it had been paid for and since Galleon never paid, the title, and thus the right to possession, remained in Lewyn. We consider that the vesting of rights, as required under § 9-204 of the Uniform Commercial Code, and not the passing of title (§ 2-401) is the question to be determined on this appeal.

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279 So. 2d 137, 50 Ala. App. 334, 12 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1224, 1973 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 438, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/galleon-industries-inc-v-lewyn-machinery-co-inc-alacivapp-1973.