Opinion ID: 445711
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Disclosed Principal

Text: 16 Burke first argues that he acted as an agent for a disclosed principal (U.S. Agro) rather than in an individual capacity when he revisited plaintiffs' farm and entered into the second transaction with plaintiffs for shipment of 106 heifers to the Korean Agricultural Cooperative. Under Kansas law, only the disclosed principal is liable on a contract executed by its agent with a third party; the agent of the disclosed principal is not liable on the contract. See, e.g., State ex rel. Carlton v. Triplett, 213 Kan. 381, 517 P.2d 136, 139 (1973); Kirkpatrick v. Seneca National Bank, 213 Kan. 61, 515 P.2d 781, 785 (1973) (a well-established principle of agency law); Service Iron Foundry, Inc. v. M.A. Bell Co., 2 Kan.App.2d 662, 588 P.2d 463, 470 (1978) (the general rule in Kansas); see also Restatement (Second) of Agency Sec. 320 (1957). 17 We are satisfied that the jury reasonably could have rejected Burke's argument that he acted for a disclosed principal rather than for himself 2 . Mackey testified that Burke and Rhee never told him that they were working on behalf of U.S. Agro. Mackey stated that his only knowledge concerning U.S. Agro came from the paperwork associated with the two transactions. V R. 33-34, 43, 45-46. Mackey also took actions consistent with his belief that Burke and Rhee were acting in their individual capacities and not on behalf of U.S. Agro. For example, Mackey checked on the individual credit of Burke and Rhee before accepting the checks in the two transactions. Id. at 38-39, 44-45. Mackey also recorded the transactions in the company's financial records in their individual names. Id. at 54-55. Although Burke relies on other evidence to support his claim that he acted for a disclosed principal, we are convinced on the basis of all of the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, that the jury properly could have found Burke liable in his individual capacity.