Court Opinion

ID: 9582979
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:33:26.341357+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:35:53.054724
License: Public Domain

Felton, C. J.,
concurring specially. Paragraph 6 of the defendant’s answer is as follows: “6. Defendant says further *665that on April 4, 1953, when the notes sued upon were executed and contemporaneously with the execution of said notes, and as part of the consideration for the execution of said notes, there was a separate and distinct verbal understanding and agreement between the plaintiff and the defendant that should the defendant pay the note that was due on October 4, 1953, and the said Willis failed to pay the payment due on the corresponding date to your defendant, petitioner would reimburse your defendant for any sums that your defendant had to pay on said note. A similar verbal agreement was made with reference to the execution of each note sued upon. No payments have been made to your defendant by the said Willis on the payments due to your defendant by the said Willis on the dates corresponding to the due dates of the notes sued upon. Therefore, should it be determined that defendant is indebted on said notes in any way, your defendant is entitled to and should receive a setoff from petitioner in the amounts determined to be due.” In my opinion this paragraph sets forth a valid ground of setoff against the notes sued on, alleging a valid agreement based on a valuable consideration. This paragraph does not contain any allegations which seek to vary or contradict the notes sued upon. I, therefore, think that the court was correct in overruling the demurrer to this paragraph and defense. However, the defendant’s testimony was contradictory. While he did testify in support of the defense above shown, he testified, “We agreed that I was to pay him as Willis paid me and in the event Mr. Willis did not pay me I did not owe Mr. Childs." This testimony refuted the defense set up in paragraph 6 of the answer, and demanded a finding against the defendant. It is my opinion that the court erred in denying the plaintiff’s motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict.