Peffer v. Kenner

250 N.E.2d 122, 20 Ohio Misc. 163, 49 Ohio Op. 2d 252, 1969 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 278
CourtSummit County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedJune 5, 1969
DocketNo. 265473
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 250 N.E.2d 122 (Peffer v. Kenner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Summit County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peffer v. Kenner, 250 N.E.2d 122, 20 Ohio Misc. 163, 49 Ohio Op. 2d 252, 1969 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 278 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1969).

Opinion

Emmons, J.

On February 4, 1966, C & D Auto Sales, Inc., a corporation, hereinafter referred to as C & D, was engaged in the used car business and on that date sold a 1957 Cadillac to one Ervin Davidson. The payment for this car was financed by Davidson by means of a promissory note and a security agreement (chattel mortgage) in the amount of $728.28, payable in installments commencing March 17, 1966.

The promissory note was made payable to C & D, which company on February 4,1966, assigned the same with recourse to the First National Bank of Akron. The security agreement was also assigned to the bank on that date. This agreement contained a provision that in the event of default, the secured party could repossess the vehicle and resell it at public or private sale.

Davidson defaulted in his payments, and on June 21, 1966, one Nathan Edelblute, Jr., an adjuster for the bank, along with an employee of C & D, repossessed the Cadillac at Davidson’s home and the employee of C & D drove the car to the lot of C & D with permission of Edelblute and the same was there displayed for resale.

On the following day, Homer Kenner appeared on the lot of C & D and made arrangements to obtain the car from C & D for the sum of $200.00 down and the balance of about $295.00 to be paid in installments when the exact amount was to be determined.

At that time C & D did not have a certificate of title for the car, nor did the bank, the title still remaining in Davidson with a mortgage lien in favor of the bank. Kenner signed both the note and security agreement in blank.

.Ernie Hornack of C .& D Auto Sales, Inc., requested [165]*165Kenner to sign a power of attorney for him to make an application for a ten-day tag and memorandum for certificate of title, which Kenner did, and Hornack procured a ten-day tag for Kenner at Sandy Beach Marina. Later in the day Kenner returned with the $200.00 and made the down payment, was given a ten-day tag, the car was serviced, and he was given the keys and drove away.

On the following day, while driving his lady friend to a movie, and after he had driven the ear only for about fifteen miles from the time he took the car from the 0 & D lot he figured in an accident wherein Mary Peffer was seriously injured. These plaintiffs thereafter brought an action against Kenner and also notified the Ohio Farmer’s Insurance Company (the company that insured First National Bank), and the Orange Mutual Insurance Company (which insured C & D) of the. pendency of the action by serving each insurance company with a certified copy of the petition and summons.

There being no answer filed by Kenner, who was legally served with summons, a default was duly had against Kenner in the sum of $80,000.00 in favor of Mary Peffer and $10,000.00 in favor of Edwin Peffer, the plaintiffs in the action, and after 30 days, in conformity to law, a supplemental petition was filed against both insurance companies under Section 3929.06, Revised Code.

Thereafter this case came on for hearing on the supplemental petition and the answers of both insurance companies, and all parties having waived a jury, submitted the matter to the court sitting as a jury.

What are the controlling provisions of the policy which the First National Bank of Akron had with The Ohio Farmers Insurance Company and what is the reasonable interpretation of the same?

The pertinent provision of this policy is found under the heading of “Repossessed Automobile Coverage.”

“It is agreed that such insurance is afforded by the policy for bodily injury liability and for property damage liability with respect to an owned automobile, applies with respect to any automobile while being repossesed by the [166]*166named insured, or while being maintained or used in connection with resale following such repossession, subject to the following provisions:

“Exclusion: — This endorsement does not apply to any automobile while being used for other business purposes or for personal pleasure or family purposes * *

As I find from the evidence, C & D sold the car in question to Davidson, who signed a note and security agreement to C & D for the balance of the purchase price. This note, with the security, was discounted at the First National Bank of Akron with recourse. Davidson defaulted in his payment and an employee of the bank and one of C & D Sales together repossessed the automobile and put it on the lot of C & D for the purpose of sale. First National at no time relinquished its right in the car. Even though C & D was responsible to pay this note to the bank upon default by Davidson, the bank had to perform a certain function to vest title in the bank, which in turn could be titled in C & D upon payment of the note — thus the car was still in a period of repossession.

Section 4505.10, Bevised Code: “In the event of the transfer or ownership of a motor vehicle by operation of law * * * or repossession, is had upon default in performance of the terms of the security agreement as provided in Sections 1309.01 to 1309.50, inclusive, Bevised Code, the clerk of court of common pleas of the county in which the last certificate of title to said motor vehicle was issued, upon surrender of the prior certificate of title * # * and upon payment of the fee prescribed in Section 4504.96, Bevised Code, and presentation of an application for a certificate of title, may issue to the applicant a certificate of title to such motor vehicle. * * *”

The bank had a lot upon which it placed repossessed automobiles, but in this instance it saw fit to place the car on the C & D lot in order that there be a disposition of this car so that C & D could pay its obligation to the bank. Both parties had an interest in this transaction. One to be paid for the loan made to Davidson; the other to be put in a position to pay this loan.

Under the circumstances, the bank gave C & D per[167]*167mission to drive this car for demonstration purposes and impliedly consented for the permittee of the C & D to drive until such a time as C & D and/or the bank found itself in a position to give a prospective purchaser legal title to this car.

Brown v. Kennedy, 141 Ohio St. 457: “Where an insurance policy covers one who uses the specified automobile with the permission of the named insured, the insurance company is not relieved of liability by reason of the fact that while the permittee was using the automobile, it was being driven by another at the time of an accident.”

Webb v. Grimm, 116 Ohio App. 63: Syl. 4: “Where the named insured in a policy of automobile liability insurance authorizes another person to use the automobile for a particular purpose, such permittee has implied authority to extend coverage under the policy to a second permittee, if such use by the second permittee is in furtherance of the purpose of the original bailment and serves some purpose, benefit, or advantage of the first permittee.”

In North River Insurance Co. v. Connecticut Fire Insurance Co., 233 F. Supp.

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Bluebook (online)
250 N.E.2d 122, 20 Ohio Misc. 163, 49 Ohio Op. 2d 252, 1969 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peffer-v-kenner-ohctcomplsummit-1969.