Holland v. Morrison

14 Tenn. App. 73, 1931 Tenn. App. LEXIS 19
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedNovember 21, 1931
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 14 Tenn. App. 73 (Holland v. Morrison) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holland v. Morrison, 14 Tenn. App. 73, 1931 Tenn. App. LEXIS 19 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1931).

Opinion

*74 CROWNOVER, J.

This action was brought by C. D. Holland, Administrator of Odell Hooper, deceased, to recover damages for the wrongful death of Odell Hooper as the result of a collision of a log truck with the truck in which the deceased was riding. The action was brought ■ against Louis Morrison and Jewell Sanford, partners, doing business as the Yellow Truck Line, whose truck caused the wrongful death, and the Employers’ Liability Assurance Corporation, Limited, of London, England, which company had insured the Yellow Truck Line against liability for accidents caused by its truck hauling freight. This policy had been secured by the Truck Line to comply with chapter 729 of the Private Acts of 1925 and chapter 58 of the Acts of 1929.

Defendant Insurance Company’s special pleas having been stricken and its demurrers overruled, it pleaded not guilty. Defendants Morrison and Sanford pleaded not guilty.

The ease was tried by the judge and a jury. At the conclusion of plaintiff’s proof in chief defendant Insurance Co. moved the court to direct a verdict in its favor and to dismiss the action as to it, which motion was sustained by the court and the action dismissed as to the Insurance Co.

The jury returned a verdict for $2000 against the other defendants, but they did not appeal.

Plaintiff’s motion for a new trial having been overruled, he has appealed in error to this court and has assigned as error the court’s action in sustaining said motion for a directed verdict and in dismissing said action as to the Insurance Co.

Louis Morrison and Jewell Sanford, partners, doing business under the name of the Yellow Truck Company, operated a truck line for the hauling of freight for hire between Springfield, Tennessee, and Nashville, Tennessee, and between Springfield and Clarksville, Tennessee, over highway No. 11.

Chapter 729 of Private Acts of 1925 provides that in all counties having a population of more than 110,000 (Davidson County) . . • “it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to operate any motor vehicle, not running on fixed tracks, for the transportation of passengers or property for hire, between fixed termini, or over a regular route even though there may be periodic or irregular depatures from said termini, without executing bond or providing insurance . . .” “That every person, firm or corporation operating public motor conveyances as aforesaid, shall execute, file and keep with the Clerk of the County Court of the county in which the business, or any part thereof, is to be carried on, a bond, or insurance policy, which shall be renewed annually, payable to the State of Tennessee, with surety approved by the Judge, or Chairman of the County Court, in the sum of $3000 for each car operated in *75 freight service, and $5000 for each ear operated in passenger service, which, said bond or insurance policy shall be for the benefit of the public and shall bind the principal and obligor or insurer to make compensation for injury to persons whether passengers or not, and loss of, or damage to property, resulting from the negligent operation of such motor vehicles, and any person injured, or whose property is damaged by such operation of said vehicle, shall have the right to institute suit jointly in the courts Of this State against the owner, or operator, of said vehicle and the obligor or insurer.”

Chapter 58 of the Acts of 1929 provides that ‘ ‘ no person, firm, corporation . . . shall operate any motor propelled vehicle . . . for the transportation of persons or property for compensation on any public highway in any town, city or county in this State, without having first obtained from the Railroad and Public Utilities Commission of the State of Tennessee a certificate declaring that the public convenience and necessity warrant such operation . . . ” “Provided, however, that nothing in this Act contained shall apply to motor vehicles while used exclusively for transporting persons to or from schools, Sunday Schools, churches, religious services, of any kind, upon special prearranged excursions under the auspices of any religious or charitable organization.” . . . “That no motor vehicle shall be operated upon any such public highway in this State for the purpose of transporting passengers or property for hire by virtue of such certificate until there shall have been filed with the Commission a bond, indemnity undertaking, or policy of insurance. . . . ”

The Yellow Truck Line secured certificates of public necessity and convenience for the operation of its truck line on highway No. 11 between Springfield and Nashville, and between Springfield and Clarksville, and took out a policy of liability insurance in the Employers’ Liability Assurance Corp., Ltd., of London, England, which was filed with the Clerk of the Railroad and Public Utilities Commission. The policy was dated May 18, 1929, and expired Nov. 18, 1929.

The policy, among other things, provides:

“EXCLUSIONS. Agreement VI. This Policy shall not cover;
(a) when any of said automobiles are being
(4) used for renting or livery use or the carrying of passengers for a consideration. ’ ’

*76 Item 1 of Declarations in the Application reads: “Named Assured’s business is Truck line operator.” Item 2: “The automobiles covered hereby are principally maintained and garaged in the city or town of Springfield, Tennessee, and will be principally used in the city or town of Springfield, Tennessee, and its vicinity.” Item 7: None of the automobiles herein described is or will be rented to others or used to carry passengers for a consideration during the period of this Policy.”

Attached to said policy is a rider, which is as follows:

“ENDORSEMENT
“ (Tennessee)
“AUTOMOBILES AND BUSSES
“Anything in the policy to which this endorsement is attached to the contrary notwithstanding, it is agreed that said policy insures the owner of the Motor Vehicles therein described and the State of Tennessee for the benefit of the public and binds the insurer to make compensation for loss of or damage to property resulting from the negligent operations of the Motor Vehicles therein described; and that any person injured or'whose property is damaged by such operation of said vehicles shall have the right to institute suit jointly in the courts of Tennessee against the owner or operator of said vehicles and the insurer.
“Said policy and this endorsement are issued to comply with House Bill No. 1325, Chapter 729 of the Private Acts of Tennessee, year 1925. All terms and provisions of the policy to remain in full force applicable.
“All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.
“Attached to and forming a part of Policy No. 569898 issued by the Employers Liability Insurance Company to Yellow Truck Line.
“Agent P. II. HICKS COMPANY,
“Signed P. II. Hicks Co.,
“By John J. Brady.”

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Overton Square, Inc. v. Home Insurance Co.
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233 F. Supp. 643 (E.D. Tennessee, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
14 Tenn. App. 73, 1931 Tenn. App. LEXIS 19, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holland-v-morrison-tennctapp-1931.