Opinion ID: 1347305
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: agreement to repay loan

Text: The undersigned hereby promises to pay to the order of Joseph N. Garbarino the sum of $12,963.63 dollars, payment of which shall be made at the time of the closing of the transaction involving the sale of the assets of the undersigned in consideration of which the payee hereby agrees to execute the minutes of any meeting of the board of directors or stockholders authorizing the sale of the assets of this corporation. It is specifically understood that upon the payment of the aforesaid sum of money, the payee will execute and deliver all outstanding stock certificates of the corporation to Lee C. Miller Company. It is further agreed that the check evidencing the sale of the assets of the corporation will be delivered to Griffin, Emery & Seely, attorneys, and that the corporation will deposit such check in its account from which it will draw upon said account the said sum of $12,963.63 dollars payable to the order of the payee in satisfaction of the loan. LEE C. MILLER COMPANY, a Michigan Corporation, By (Sgd.) LEE C. MILLER, SR., President (Sgd.) PAULINE C. MILLER, Secretary (Sgd.) JOSEPH N. GARBARINO It does not appear in the record on this appeal that the trial judge passed upon any of the controverted issues  i.e., whether plaintiff's status was that of a stockholder in the corporation or a creditor of the corporation, whether plaintiff was entitled to an accounting for the value of his services as bookkeeper, or for his alleged loss incident to the motor vehicle transaction. Hence those issues are not before us for review. But under the record it was within the discretion of the circuit judge to order reference to the circuit court commissioner for an accounting as to any claim proven by plaintiff. The circuit judge had not finished the hearing of the instant case or rendered a final decision therein before making the order of reference to the circuit court commissioner from which defendants took this appeal. Unless otherwise provided by statute, a judgment, decree or order, in order to be appealable as of right, must be a final one. 7 Callaghan's Michigan Pleading and Practice, § 53.12. In the instant case the order of reference was not a final order. Defendants' appeal taken as a matter of right was premature and improperly taken. They are not entitled to have plaintiff's bill of complaint dismissed, as prayed. The relief sought by appellants on this appeal is denied, and the cause remanded for further proceedings therein. Appellee will have costs of this appeal.