Shoup v. Clemans

31 N.E.2d 103, 28 Ohio Law. Abs. 467, 14 Ohio Op. 522, 1939 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1149
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 20, 1939
DocketNo 391
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 31 N.E.2d 103 (Shoup v. Clemans) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shoup v. Clemans, 31 N.E.2d 103, 28 Ohio Law. Abs. 467, 14 Ohio Op. 522, 1939 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1149 (Ohio Ct. App. 1939).

Opinion

OPINION

By THE COURT:

This matter is before this court upon appeal on questions of law from an order of the Court of Common Pleas overruling the motions of The Buckeye Union Casualty Company, for a directed verdict, motion for new trial, and for judgment non obstante, and awarding judgment against it in favor of plaintiff.

Plaintiff below filed a petition against Clifford A. Clemans, of South Solon, Ohio, alleging that a collision occurred between his car and that driven by Clemans, by reason of which his automobile was damaged, and he himself suffered personal injuries.

It is alleged that the injuries and damages were directly and proximately caused by defendant’s negligence in matters set out in the petition, and that he suffered the injuries therein described.

This cause was tried before a jury. Summons was issued to the sheriff of Madison County, which was returned showing residential service.

On July 15, 1936, the defendant not appearing or being represented by counsel, the cause was submitted to a jury which assessed the amount due the plaintiff from the defendant, Clifford A. Clemans, in the sum of $10,000.00.

On October 3, 1936, leave was granted by the court to plaintiff to file a supplemental petition making The Buckeye Union Casualty Company, of Columbus, Ohio, a party defendant, said supplemental petition being filed the same day.

The supplemental petition, for a cause of action, states that the defendant, The Buckeye Union Casualty Company, is a corporation engaged in the business of writing insurance, and that on the 21st day of May, 1934, it wrote a policy of insurance for one Katherine Coil, of Bookwalter, Ohio; that under the terms of said policy, said defendant insured Katherine Coil in the sum of $5,000.00, for bodily injuries inflicted on any one person, and for property damage caused by the automobile of the said Katherine Coil, and agreed to pay on behalf of said Katherine Coil, for loss or expenses resulting from the claims upon Katherine Coil for damages, for which the said Katherine Coil may be legally liable by reason of the ownership or use of said insured automobile; that the policy contained a further clause known as the “extened cov[469]*469erage clause”, by the terms oí which the defendant agreed that any insurance granted, should in addition to the assured named therein, to-wit, Katherme Coil, inure to the benefit of any person, excepting chauffeurs and domestic servants, legally operating the automobile, provided said use was with the permission of the named assured, who if an individual, might give such permission through an adult member of her household.

It is further alleged, that on the 12th day of January, 1935, while said policy of insurance was in force, one Clifford A. Clemans was legally driving the automobile described in the policy and belonging to Katherme Coil, with her permission and also with the permission of her son, Edmond Coil, who was then an adult member of her nousehold.

The plaintiff pleads the recovery of a judgment against said. Clifford A. Clemans, in the sum of $10,000.00, alleges that no part thereof has been paid, and prays judgment against The Buckeye Union Casualty Company, in the sum of $6,200.00, being $5,000.00 because of bodily injury, and $1,200.00 for loss or damage to tangible or intangible property, with costs and interest.

The defendant was properly served with summons, and filed an answer to the supplemental petition, admitting that it is a corporation engaged in the business of writing insurance, and that it wrote the policy of insurance for Katherine Coil, and denies all other allegations of the petition, and prays that it be dismissed.

On March 27, 1937, a jury returned a verdict against the Buckeye Union Casualty Company, in the sum of $6,000.00. The defendant filed motions ior directed verdict, in arrest of judgment and for new trial. These motions were overruled and judgment entered according to the verdict. Notice of appeal was filed, and bond fixed, and a cash deposit permitted and made in lieu of bond, and the case was lodged in this court.

Appropriate assignment of errors was filed by The Buckeye Union Casualty Company, sixteen grounds of error being asserted.

The basis of an important error complained of is that the judgment against Clemans was not a final judgment, in' that he was sued as an adult when in fact he was, at the time, a minor.

Sec. 9510-4, GC, the statute under which a recovery may be had against the Insurance Company, has this opening clause—

“Upon the recovery of a final judgment etc.” It is claimed by counsel for the Insurance Company that the defendant in the original action, Clifford Clemans, being a min- or, the judgment recovered against .him was not- “final” in that no guardian ad litem had been appointed for him, and that under §11603 GC, he would have a year after majority within which to set aside the judgment.

• The judgment taken against the infant, Clemans, was not void but voidable, and in our judgment was a final judgment until it may have been set aside by the infant or the court. All judgments are subject to review, and all may be set aside, but that does not establish the fact that such judgments are not final. We hold that there was no error in permitting the action against the Insurance Company.

This disposes of kindred assignments asserted by defendant, and they need not be noted in detail.

It is of no consequence whether the Insurance Company is a direct party in interest or whether its attack upon the judgment by reason of the minority of Ciemans is direct or collateral.

By virtue of the omnibus clause, the insurance could be extended, under certain conditions, one being the permission for the use of the car through an adult member of the assured’s household.

It needs no argument to sustain the claim that this provision must be construed in harmony with the, words used. If there is no ambiguity, no construction is required.

The clause provides in substance that any insurance shall, in addition to the assured named, inure to the benefit of any person legally operating the automobile, provided that such use is with the permission of the named assured, who “if an individual, may give such permission through an adult member of his household.”

It appears from the evidence that the son of Mrs. Coil was not at the time of the accident an adult, being less than twenty-one years of age, and as a consequence any permission that he may have given to Clemans did not bind the Insurance Company under the terms of the policy. Mrs. Coil, the insured and owner of the car, could not appoint her minor son as a person who could bind the Insurance Company, for the reason that the terms of the policy' did not make the policy inure to the benefit- of the person who might be [470]*470operating the car, unless such person does ■so with the permission of the assured acting as an individual, or through some adult member of her household. This excludes any other agency through which the permission may be granted.

The supplemental petition alleges that ■Clemans was legally driving the automobile belonging to Katherine Coil with her permission, and also with the permission of her son, Edmond Coil, who was then an adult member of her household.

■ We conclude that' Edmond Coil could not give such permission by reason of his minority.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 N.E.2d 103, 28 Ohio Law. Abs. 467, 14 Ohio Op. 522, 1939 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1149, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shoup-v-clemans-ohioctapp-1939.