Case Name: BOSTON INSURANCE COMPANY v. HARMON et al.
Court: Court of Appeals of Georgia
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Decision Date: 1941-10-06
Citations: 66 Ga. App. 383
Docket Number: 29135
Parties: BOSTON INSURANCE COMPANY v. HARMON et al.
Judges: Affirmed. Broyles, G. J., concurs.
Reporter: Georgia Appeals Reports
Volume: 66
Pages: 383–397

Head Matter:
29135.
BOSTON INSURANCE COMPANY v. HARMON et al.
Decided October 6, 1941.
Adhered to on rehearing December 16, 19, 1941.
Smith, Smith & Bloodworth, Estes Doremus, for plaintiff in error.
Charles H. Kirbo, Vance Custer, contra.

Opinion:
Gardner, J.
J. C. Harmon, as the insured, and Gunn-Drake Motors Inc., as the loss payee, brought an action against Boston Insurance Company, under a policy insuring against fire and other named hazards, to recover the principal sum of $157.50 as the alleged total loss by fire of an automobile. Following the introduction of testimony of only one witness and of certain documents consisting of the policy, the retention-title contract, two notes, one for $50 and the other for $107.50, secured thereby, and the fifth allegation of the petition alleging demand for payment together with the answer admitting demand, the court directed a verdict for the plaintiffs. The defendant excepted.
As succinctly stated in the brief of the plaintiff in error, the assignments of error present the following issues: "Plaintiff in error contends that the verdict and judgment is contrary to the evidence, without evidence to support it; it is decidedly and strongly against the weight of the evidence and contrary to law and the principles of justice and equity. The policy sued on required sole and unconditional lawful ownership in the insured, J. C. Harmon, there being no proof of ownership, nor was there any proof of the value of the property claimed to have been destroyed on the date of the loss. Plaintiff in error contends that the direction of said verdict for the plaintiffs was error and hurtful and harmful to it because of the facts hereinabove set forth. Said policy sued on further provided that all claims for loss and damage should be forfeited by the failure of the insured to furnish sworn proofs of loss within sixty days after the loss. Plaintiff in error shows that it affirmatively appears from the record that such requirement had not been complied with, that no proofs had been filed, nor was there any evidence tending to show that there was a waiver of proofs of loss, nor was there any evidence on the part of the plaintiffs as to why proofs were not filed. Plaintiff in error contends that in the light of these facts the court erred in directing a verdict for the plaintiffs, and error is assigned thereon."
For a consideration of these assignments of error reference must be had to the brief of evidence, and there are no assignments not requiring such reference. The oral testimony was as follows: "On or about January 27th, 1940, I was employed by GunnDrake Motors. I checked up on an automobile sold to J. C. Harmon which is described in retention-title contract, held by Gunn-Drake Motors. The motor number of the automobile was K6324156. On the date mentioned I found this automobile had been burned and that it would be called a total loss." This testimony was adequately briefed. The documentary evidence, however, comprised twenty pages of typewritten space, were verbatim copies of the documents, and consisted of about eighteen pages of foreign, irrelevant, and immaterial matter, resulting only in surplusage and a flagrant violation of Code § 70-305. "We illustrate with excerpts, which have no relevancy for proper identification of the documents or materiality to the issues presented, but which go only to the violation of the rule. First as to the policy, we quote: "Breakage of glass and damages caused by tornado, cyclone, windstorm, hail, falling aircraft or parts thereof and damage from theft, earthquake, explosion, riot, riot attending a strike, insurrection or civil commotion, shall not be deemed a loss caused by collision or upset." From the retention-title contract, we quote: "To further secure payment of this obligation I hereby mortgage and convey to the Gunn-Drake Motors Inc., the following property: (none)." As to the notes, we quote: "Each of us, whether principal, security, guarantor, endorser or other party thereto, hereby severally waive and renounce each for himself and family all right of homestead, short homestead or other exemption rights, either of us or the family of either of us, may have under or by virtue of the constitution or laws of Georgia, or any other State, or the United States, as against this debt or any renewal thereof."
Under the foregoing rulings, there being no assignment of error which does not require for determination a reference to the brief of evidence, the judgment must be
Affirmed. Broyles, G. J., concurs.