Case Name: Coburn H. Johnston, Plaintiff, v. Paul Berlin et al., Defendants
Court: New York Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1901-05
Citations: 35 Misc. 146
Docket Number: 
Parties: Coburn H. Johnston, Plaintiff, v. Paul Berlin et al., Defendants.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 35
Pages: 146–147

Head Matter:
Coburn H. Johnston, Plaintiff, v. Paul Berlin et al., Defendants.
(Supreme Court, New York Special Term,
May, 1901.)
Principal and agent — The latter cannot sue in equity for an accounting of commissions — Complaint, when dismissed.
An agent cannot maintain an equitable action against his principal for an accounting of commissions alleged to have been earned by him but should sue at law.
Where he does not ask that his equitable action be retained by the court for the purposes of relief at law, it must be dismissed, but without prejudice to an action at law.
Action for an accounting.
Franklin Bien, for plaintiff.
Nathan, Leventritt & Perham (Edgar M. Leventritt, of counsel), for defendants.

Opinion:
Blanchard, J.
This action is brought to secure an accounting for certain commissions plaintiff claims to be due him from defendants, upon certain alleged sales and duplicate orders, under an agreement whereby plaintiff was employed by defendants as a salesman, and to recover the amount ascertained by such an accounting. Defendants contend that the action is one of which equity cannot take cognizance; that the allegations of the complaint and evidence given upon the trial disclose no relationship between plaintiff and defendants save that of salesman and employers, and that such a relationship will not support an action in equity for an accounting and that, accordingly, the action must be dismissed. This contention is sustained. by the authorities. Smith v. Bodine, 74 N. Y. 30; Chaurant v. Maillard, 56 App. Div. 11; McCullough v. Pence, 85 Hun, 271; Skilton v. Payne, 18 Misc. Rep. 332.
The position of the plaintiff, so far as the retention of the case for the purpose of awarding him legal relief, is concerned, is precisely the same as in Skilton v. Payne, supra. Plaintiff has not asked for such retention. He stands upon his right to equitable relief, and upon the authority of that case and the cases there cited, the complaint must be dismissed, with costs, but without prejudice to an action at law.
Complaint dismissed, with costs.