Jones v. Pingree

273 P. 303, 73 Utah 190, 1928 Utah LEXIS 104
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 13, 1928
DocketNo. 4661.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 273 P. 303 (Jones v. Pingree) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jones v. Pingree, 273 P. 303, 73 Utah 190, 1928 Utah LEXIS 104 (Utah 1928).

Opinion

HANSEN, J.

Plaintiff brought this action in the district court of Weber county, Utah, to recover a judgment against the defendant on account of alleged fraud practiced by the defendant upon the plaintiff in a transaction whereby the plaintiff purchased from the defendant 50 shares of the capital stock of the National City Bank of Salt Lake City, Utah. *193 In his complaint plaintiff alleges in substance that on October 15, 1920, the defendant falsely and fraudulently stated to the plaintiff that the capital stock of the National City Bank was worth $250 per share; that the bank was financially sound and solvent; that the bank had been paying regular annual dividends on its stock of 10 per cent upon the basis of $170 per share; that it was financially able to continue to regularly pay such dividends; that such representations were made by the defendant to the plaintiff with intent to cheat and defraud the plaintiff and to induce him to purchase 50 shares of the stock of said bank at $170 per share; that plaintiff, relying upon such statements, purchased 50 shares and paid therefor the sum of $8,500'; that the statements and representations so made by the defendant were false; that in truth and in fact the bank was insolvent when the defendant made the statements and when the plaintiff purchased the stock; that in the year 1922 the bank was declared insolvent by the Comptroller of Currency of the United States; that a receiver was appointed for the bank; that an assessment of $100' per share was levied upon the stock purchased by the plaintiff, and he was required to pay such assessment in the sum of $5,000. The plaintiff prays judgment against the defendant in the sum of $13,500, together with legal interest thereon, and costs.

The defendant answered, denying generally the allegations of fraud set out in plaintiff’s complaint.

The action was tried to a jury. The jury found for the defendant. Judgment was duly entered upon the verdict. Plaintiff appeals.

The appellant assigns 29 errors. Four of the assignments of error are based upon claimed irregularity and illegality of the proceedings had for the purpose of taking the deposition of the plaintiff before the trial began. Numerous documents, consisting of petitions, affidavits, orders, letters, subpoenaes, motions, and officers’ returns, are contained in the bill of exceptions. Just what *194 bearing these documents can possibly have upon the questions we may review upon this appeal is not made to appear. What purports to be a deposition of the plaintiff is also contained in the bill of exceptions. So far as appears, the deposition was not offered or received in evidence. It is contended by counsel for appellant that, because he was required to attend the taking of the deposition of his client, he could not properly prepare for trial of the main action. A complete answer to such contention is the fact that when this case was called for trial, so far as the record discloses no request was made for a continuance and no claim made that plaintiff was not ready to proceed with the trial. A party to an action may not go to trial without objection and then upon appeal be heard to complain that he was not ready for trial.

During the trial defendant called witnesses who testified over timely objections and exceptions that the directors and officers of the National City Bank had good reputations for business ability, honesty, and integrity. Two of plaintiff’s assignments of error are founded upon the reception of such evidence. Plaintiff offered evidence at the trial tending to show that the defendant stated to the plaintiff as an inducement for plaintiff to purchase the bank stock that the directors and officers of the bank were very competent. Apparently that evidence was offered in support of plaintiff’s claim of fraud. In such case it was not error to permit the defendant to show that the statements were true.

Four of appellant’s assignments of error relate to'the admission and rejection of evidence affecting the solvency of the National City Bank at the time plaintiff purchased the stock which is involved in this action. It is alleged in plaintiff’s complaint that the bank was insolvent in October, 1920, when the plaintiff purchased 50 shares of its capital stock. This allegation is denied by the defendant. The pleadings thus clearly made an issue which was a proper subject-matter of inquiry.

*195 It appears that on February 3, 1922, Ed. E. Jenkins was appointed receiver of the National City Bank. On May 31st following he filed in the United States District Court in and for Utah a report of the financial condition of the hank from 1917 to the time Jenkins was appointed receiver. Jenkins was called as a witness by plaintiff. He was examined as to the financial condition of the bank. The report so filed by Jenkins was then offered in evidence. Defendant objected to the admission of the report in evidence. The objection was sustained. Complaint is made of such ruling. The ruling was clearly right.

Defendant offered evidence tending to show that the bank was solvent at the time plaintiff purchased his stock. Complaint is also made that such evidence was improperly received. The contention is without merit. The fact that the court approved the report of the receiver did not, as contended by the plaintiff, establish as a matter of law binding upon the defendant the financial condition of the bank. So far as appears, the defendant was in no sense a party to the receivership proceedings or in privity with any of the parties thereto. The defendant was therefore not bound by such proceedings. Taylor v. Barker (Utah) 262 P. 266, 55 A. L. R. 1032.

One of the instructions given to the jury was as follows:

“The court instructs the jury that these are the elements of fraud which the plaintiff must show before you would be entitled to find a verdict for the plaintiff. First, that the defendant, Joseph Pingree, made the representations claimed by the plaintiff. Second, that the representations, if they were made, were false. Third, that when the representations were made, if they were made, the said defendant, Joseph Pingree, knew them to be false, or made them recklessly without any knowledge of their truth and as a positive assertion. Fourth, that he made the representations, if any were made, with the intention that they should be acted upon by the plaintiff, E. H. Jones. Fifth, that the plaintiff acted in reliance upon said representations, if they were made, and the plaintiff was thereby injured. Each of these elements must be proved with reasonable certainty, and all of *196 them must be found from the evidence to exist. The absence of any of these elements is fatal to the plaintiff in the case.”

The plaintiff objected and excepted to that portion of the foregoing instruction which reads: “Each of these elements must be proved with reasonable certainty, and all of them must be found from the evidence to exist. The absence of any of these elements is fatal to the plaintiff in the case.” No complaint is here made, nor was any objection made or exception taken in the court below, to the remainder of the instruction. We are unable to see wherein the words complained of constitute error.

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Bluebook (online)
273 P. 303, 73 Utah 190, 1928 Utah LEXIS 104, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jones-v-pingree-utah-1928.