Sasnett v. Owen

26 S.E.2d 640, 69 Ga. App. 741, 1943 Ga. App. LEXIS 181
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedJuly 8, 1943
Docket30086.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 26 S.E.2d 640 (Sasnett v. Owen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sasnett v. Owen, 26 S.E.2d 640, 69 Ga. App. 741, 1943 Ga. App. LEXIS 181 (Ga. Ct. App. 1943).

Opinions

Stephens, P. J.

E. P. Sasnett as guardian of Asa Shannon McCoy, incompetent, filed a return in the court of ordinary of Butts County, and Yaux Owen as next friend of said incompetent filed a caveat. After hearing the case the ordinary allowed the -return as amended, and ordered the same to record. The caveator entered an appeal. On the trial of the ease in the superior court the appellee moved to dismiss the appeal, on the ground that the appeal bond was invalid, for the reasons that it was executed by T. A. Nutt, as attorney in fact for the American Surety Company, and *742 in the power of attorney attached thereto there was not contained a description of the nature of the obligation or bond to be executed by T. A. Nutt, as required by the resolution of the executive committee of the board of trustees of the American Surety Company of New York and relied on as authority for issuing the power of attorney, which provided that '“the nature of such bond or undertaking to be in each instance specified in such power of attorney;” and further that the bond was signed by T. A. Nutt, as attorney in fact for the American Surety Co., whereas, the purported power of attorney to him was not from the American Surety Co., but was from the American Surety Company of New York.

It is provided in the resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees of the American Surety Company of New York, at the company’s office in the City of New York, on August 20, 1912, as follows: “and one of the resident vice-presidents and one of the resident assistant secretaries of this company, at Atlanta, in the State of Georgia, be and they are hereby authorized and empowered to make, execute and deliver, in behalf of the company, unto such person or persons in the States of South Carolina, Florida, Alabama and Georgia, as they may select, its power of attorney constituting and appointing each such person its attorney in fact, with full power and authority to make, execute and deliver for it, in. its name and in its behalf as surety, any particular bond or undertaking that may be required in the said states [the states named above], the nature of such bond or undertaking to be in each instance specified in such power of attorney.” Pursuant to the authority of this resolution, the power of attorney issued and executed October 13, 1941, by “American Surety Company of New York, by E. 11. Brown, resident vice-president,” and attested by W. H. Turner, resident assistant secretary, constituted and appointed T. A. Nutt of Jackson, Georgia, the true, sufficient and lawful attorney of the American Surety Company of New York, with full power and authority to make and execute and deliver for it, in its name and behalf, 'as surety, “a bond or undertaking as follows: [here is a blank space unfilled] hereby giving its said attorney full power and authority to do everything whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done for the purpose of making, executing and delivering such obligations as fully as the officers of said American Surety Company of New York could do . .” etc. The appeal bond *743 which was given by the appellant, Asa Shannon McCoy, incompetent, by his next friend, Vaux Owen, was an obligation “for such further costs as may accrue by reason of such appeal.” It was executed October 14, 1941, and was signed by Vaux Owen as principal, and by “American Surety Company,” by T. A. Nutt, attorney in fact, as security.

The appellant made the following motion to amend the bond: “Now comes the appellant and moves the court to amend his cost appeal bond to show that T. A. Nutt, Jackson, Georgia, is true, .sufficient and lawful attorney for the American Surety Company, with full power and authority to make, execute and deliver for it, in its name and in its behalf as surety a bond -or undertaking as follows: Appeal cost bond in the case entitled Asa Shannon McCoy, incompetent, by his next friend, Vaux Owen, appellant, vs. E. P. Sasnett, guardian, appellee, for such cost as may accrue by reason of the appeal in said case; that the Eesident Assistant Secretary of the American Surety Company, on October 13, 1941, authorized its agent, T. A. Nutt, to execute the cost bond that was given by its agent on the 14th day of October, 1941, and also the authority of W. H. Turner, resident assistant secretary, attested the execution of this instrument of the American Surety Company, as per letter attached. Wherefore the appellant prays that he be permitted to insert in the original bond herein after the words 'as follows’ the words costs, appeal bond in the above stated case and for such further costs as may accrue by reason of said appeal in said case.” The attached letter referred to, as of the date of October 13, 1941, directed to T. A. Nutt agent, Jackson, Georgia, and signed “E. M. Brown resident assistant secretary,” reads as follows: “Mr. Allen of the Veterans Administration informs us it may be necessary to give a cost bond in connection with an estate of Asa Shannon McCoy, incompetent of which we understand Mr. E. P. Sasnett is guardian. The bond probably would be in behalf of Vaux Owen, Chief Attorney of Veterans Administration, next friend of Asa Shannon McCoy. If Mr. Allen or a representative of the Veterans Administration should call on you for the bond it will be in order for you to execute such a bond. We are enclosing a special Power of Attorney with a wafer seal, and should the bond be required this Power of Attorney must be attached thereto and the wafer seal should be put on the bond. Copy of *744 the bond should be sent to us and we will arrange your execution fee.” The amendment was allowed over the objection of the appellee, that the bond and power of attorney were void and could not be amended as proposed by the appellant. The motion to dismiss was renewed, and was overruled.

The exception is to the judgment overruling the motion to dismiss the appeal, and allowing-the amendment.

The right and power of the local agent, T. A. Nutt, to execute in behalf of the American Surety Company of New York the particular appeal bond in this case is within the scope of the written power of attorney executed by the resident officers of the surety company who executed'the power of attorney in behalf of the surety company. The written power of attorney, which was executed in behalf of the American Surety Company of New York, recites that the American Surety Company of New York “has made, constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby make, constitute and appoint T^ A. Nutt, Jackson, Georgia, its true, sufficient and legal attorney, with full power and authority to make, execute and deliver for it, in its name and behalf, as surety, a bond or undertaking as follows:” here follows a blank space as appears from the power of attorney as copied in the record. In the power of attorney, following this blank space, it is recited that “hereby giving its said attorney full power and authority to do everything whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done for the purpose of making, executing and delivering such obligations as fully as the officers of said American Surety Company of New York could do if personally present,” etc. In so far as it appears from the actual contents of the power of attorney, T. A. Nutt was empowered, in behalf of the American Surety Company of New York, to execute and deliver, for it, in its name and behalf as surety, “a bond or undertaking.” The appeal bond here given which was executed by American Surety Company by T. A.

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Bluebook (online)
26 S.E.2d 640, 69 Ga. App. 741, 1943 Ga. App. LEXIS 181, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sasnett-v-owen-gactapp-1943.