Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. v. Matlock

111 S.W.2d 500, 195 Ark. 159, 1937 Ark. LEXIS 174
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedDecember 13, 1937
Docket4-4851
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 111 S.W.2d 500 (Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. v. Matlock) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. v. Matlock, 111 S.W.2d 500, 195 Ark. 159, 1937 Ark. LEXIS 174 (Ark. 1937).

Opinions

Baker, J.

The judgment from which this appeal comes was rendered in the circuit court in a suit for penalties under the provisions of § 10251, Crawford & Moses’ Digest, now § 14261 of Pope’s Digest, wherein there was an alleged discrimination in failure and refusal to render telephone service to the appellee, an attorney.

Frazee & Chester had offices in the Southern building at Little Rock and occupied a suite of three rooms. They rented one of these rooms to Matlock, who made application to the appellant company for telephone service to he rendered under what is known or termed in telephone parlance as “joint user” service, that is to say this application.was such that it was made by Frazee & Chester who were already subscribers to permit Mat-lock to be listed as a subscriber having the use of the telephone of Frazee & Chester and to be so listed as having the same telephone number. We do not understand that this contemplated necessarily an extension of another instrument, though- it may have done so. That matter has not been- fully developed, and in the-view we take of this case is immaterial.

A statement of the facts as they may have been reasonably found by the jury without a detailed statement of the evidence will be sufficient. 'However, should any' matter of evidence be necessary to be stated in this discussion such statement will be inserted as may be required for the understanding.of the issues. It will perhaps somewhat simplify this- discussion by -referring to' the appellant as the telephone company and' to the ap-pellee as Matlock, or appellee, and to Frazee & Chester as the main subscriber.

At the time of the application for the telephone service, Matlock had made arrangements with the main subscriber to occupy one of the three rooms of the suite. He desired telephone service. The telephone company was advertising the fact that its list, for its next directory, would be closed on November 25, 1935. On November 24 Matlock went to the telephone office, applied to the proper desk or office for this service, told what he desired and an employee, a lady in charge of the office, used one of the blank forms prepared by the telephone company, filled in the blanks necessary to obtain the service desired and directed Matlock to take it to the main subscriber, Frazee & Chester, for the signature of this main subscriber. It is stated and not disputed that this application had no blank for Matlock’s signature, and it was not contemplated that one making the demand for this service should sign any application. The main subscriber Avas regarded as sole applicant for this joint user service. Matlock was directed that, after this application had been signed by Frazee & Chester, it should be returned to the office or desk from which he had obtained it. The application was duly signed by the main subscriber, and it was also signed by Matlock, who delivered it on November 25 as he had been directed to do the day before.

It is argued by the telephone company and we presume, because the application was so prepared, that the telephone company was not interested in Matlock, or, in such instances, in the party who would make joint use of the telephone, as this service was made available upon the application of a main subscriber only, who became responsible to the telephone company for all additional charges that might be rendered incident to the joint user service; that no account was to be made or charged to Matlock, or other such parties for whose benefit, or in whose favor, joint user service might be extended. Upon the return of the application signed by the main subscriber, and, also, signed as above stated by Matlock, who had delivered this paper in person, Mat-lock was asked to wait a moment; then during this interval the employee in charge made an examination of records available. After her examination she advised Matlock that she would not be warranted in granting this service because the telephone records disclosed the fact that he was then indebted to the telephone- company in a sum of money of $14.77, and that before the service applied for could be rendered this bill would have to be paid or satisfactory arrangements be made for its payment by installments. Matlock insisted the representative of the telephone company should note upon the application that it was rejected. The agent of the telephone company insisted that he should see Mr. White, her superior, but he was not available just at that moment. She then noted upon the application the following’: “Unpaid bill of $14.77 of Mr.' M. A. Matlock. I do not feel justified in listing* name in January 1, 1936, directory until bill is paid or satisfactory arrangements made to pay it on installments.” No objection was made because Matlock’s signature was not required or unnecessary, but the demand was refused because Matlock was the party who would make joint use of the telephone facilities. She returned to Matlock this application and he took it away. When the new directory was issued on January 1,1936, Matlock’s name was not listed among the subscribers. He perhaps did not expect it to be listed, but immediately after the issuance of the directory he wrote the telephone company and called attention- to- the fact of his application, and the failure to grant him the joint user right with proper listing.

A short time thereafter, Mr. White, representing the telephone company, called at the office of the main subscriber, where he says that the room occupied by Mat-look was separated from the other two rooms or offices occupied by the main subscriber; the connecting door being closed and locked. A desk with books thereon was placed against this door effectually closing it. He testified that he called Matlock’s attention to this fact, and consequently that he was not entitled to the joint user service because this service is extended only to those who occupy the same room, or office, or office suite. Later on, however, perhaps in February, he again visited the office of Matlock and at that time offered to grant the joint user service, upon what was termed “informational listing,” that is to say, that the information department of the telephone company would list the name of the appellee so that, when he was called for, “Information” would give the correct number so that the person calling might call the proper number to reach the attorney. This was declined and. Mr. White urges that Matlock advised him at the time that he preferred to wait out the period within which he should have been listed and sue for and recover such penalties as are provided by law for the alleged discrimination in the failure or refusal to grant to him the telephone service asked for. A verdict was rendered for $100 and $5 a day from January 1, 1936, the date on which a new directory was issued. Before the suit was tried Matlock, by letter, again made demand of the telephone company for this joint user service, including listing in the directory, and in what is called the “classified section” or yellow sheets of the new directory to be issued September 1.

Upon the issuance of the September directory, it was found that Matlock’s name was listed properly, except that it did not appear in the “classified section.” His complaint was amended, alleging this failure or refusal on the part of the telephone company to place his name in the classified list as a further discrimination or refusal to give him the same service yielded to others in similar or like situation.

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Bluebook (online)
111 S.W.2d 500, 195 Ark. 159, 1937 Ark. LEXIS 174, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/southwestern-bell-telephone-co-v-matlock-ark-1937.