Shell v. . Aiken

71 S.E. 230, 155 N.C. 212, 1911 N.C. LEXIS 374

• Court: Supreme Court of North Carolina
• Decided: May 11, 1911
• Status: Published

Opinion

Clark, O. J.

Tbe plaintiffs, Shell & Southerland, a partnership, sold their livery business to the defendants, who were husband and wife, taking a note, signed by them both, in the sum of $600, upon which this action is brought. The husband pleaded as a counterclaim that subsequently to the above sale the plaintiffs sold him a surrey for $142 and warranted the same; that the surrey proved to be worthless, and he sets up damages for the breach of warranty as a counterclaim. The jury assessed the counterclaim at $100, which was deducted from the amount which was admitted to be due upon the note.

The plaintiffs present several exceptions, but in their brief they are practically reduced to two propositions. They contend that the counterclaim wás due to the husband only, and therefore judgment should have been rendered against the wife for the full amount of the note. But, as the note was joint and several, any credit allowed thereon in the judgment rendered against one of tbe obligors will, of course, be a payment as to tbe other. Tbe note sued on was due to tbe partnership, and tbe counterclaim was owing by tbe partnership, and was therefore properly allowed as a counterclaim.

Tbe second contention of tbe plaintiffs is that tbe counterclaim was for a tort, and inasmuch as it did not arise out of tbe same transaction it could not be set up as a counterclaim. Eevisal, 481. Tbe answer to this is that tbe damages for breach of warranty arise out of contract, and are therefore a proper counterclaim. Even if tbe counterclaim bad been for fraud and deceit, and therefore an action ex delicto under tbe old procedure, tbe defendant could waive the tort and sue in contract. Bullinger v. Marshall, 70 N. C., 526.

No Error.