Court Opinion

ID: 9811094
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 22:08:29.172222+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:40:26.985696
License: Public Domain

ScheNCK, J.,
dissenting: The defendant bottoms its appeal from judgment directing its appearance with its books and records relating to money alleged to he due the plaintiff under the wage and hour law to be examined for the purpose of obtaining information to draw complaint upon the question whether the “plaintiff’s ‘affidavit and petition’ state a cause of action.”
The rule has thus been laid down in Johnson v. Mills Co., 196 N. C., 93, 144 S. E., 534: “C. S., 900, provides that ‘where a corporation is a party to the action, this examination may be. made of any of its officers or agents.’ When no pleadings have been filed the plaintiff by proper and sufficient affidavit may apply to the court for an order of examination. Bailey v. Matthews, 156 N. C., 78, 72 S. E., 92; Fields v. Coleman, 160 N. C., 11, 75 S. E., 1005; Chesson v. Bank, 190 N. C., 187, 129 S. E., 403. And when a proper order for such examination has been duly made, an appeal therefrom to the Supreme Court is premature and will be dismissed. Ward v. Martin, 175 N. C., 287, 95 S. E., 621; Monroe v. Holder, 182 N. C., 79, 108 S. E., 359; Abbitt v. Gregory, ante, 9.”
*860However, in Knight v. Little, 217 N. C., 681, 9 S. E. (2d), 377, Barn-hill, J., writes: “Even though an appeal be premature this Court may, in its discretion, consider the questions presented and express an opinion upon the merits thereof. Dowdy v. Dowdy, 154 N. C., 556, 70 S. E., 917; Milling Co. v. Finlay, 110 N. C., 411; Bargain House v. Jefferson, 180 N. C., 32, 103 S. E., 922; Taylor v. Johnson, 171 N. C., 84, 87 S. E., 981; Ward v. Martin, 175 N. C., 287, 95 S. E., 621; Cement Co. v. Phillips, 182 N. C., 437, 109 S. E., 257.”
Further, in Knight v. Little, supra, it is written: “In a proceeding of this kind it is of first importance that the petition for an order of examination should state facts which will show the nature of the cause of action and make it appear that the information sought is material and necessary ; that the information desired is not already accessible to the applicant; and that the motion is made honestly and in good faith and not maliciously — in other words, that it is meritorious. The law will not permit a party to spread a dragnet for an adversary in the suit in order to gather facts upon which he may be sued, nor will it countenance an attempt under the guise of a fair examination, to harass or oppress his opponent. It is seldom that the exercise of this function of the Court is required. Chesson v. Barde, 190 N. C., 187, 129 S. E., 403; Bailey v. Matthews, 156 N. C., 78, 72 S. E., 92; Fields v. Coleman, 160 N. C., 11, 75 S. E., 1005; Jones v. Guano Co., 180 N. C., 319, 104 S. E., 653; Monroe v. Holder, supra."
The pertinent portion of the affidavit and petition of the plaintiff is as follows:
“Whereas, petitioner has instituted action against Safe Bus, Inc., for money alleged to be due under the Wage and Hours Law; and
“Whereas, certain information with regard to interstate trips made by buses and drivers of the Safe Bus, Inc., and other information, particularly as shown by books and records of Safe Bus, Inc., with regard to hours of.work and remuneration received by petitioner, is material and necessary for the purpose of filing complaint in said action; that the information desired is not already accessible to petitioner; and the motion hereby made is made honestly and in good faith, and not for the purpose of harassing and pressing the defendant.”
I am of the opinion that the affidavit and petition is a substantial compliance with requirements as enunciated by the decisions of this Court. It will be noted from the petition that the information sought is in regard to interstate trips made by the buses and drivers of the defendant and other information, as shown by the books and records of the defendant, relative to hours of work and remuneration received by the petitioner, and that such information is material and necessary to the filing of the complaint. It will be further noted that the requirement *861is that the petition shall “state facts which will show the nature of the cause of action.” This is in contradistinction to requiring the setting forth of all of the facts upon which the cause of action is bottomed. This for the obvious reason that all of such facts are not known to the petitioner and the very object of the petition is to ascertain them that they may be alleged in the complaint if deemed helpful and relevant.
It is apparent from the affidavit and petition that the nature of the cause of action is an effort to recover “money alleged to be due under the Wage and Hours Law,” and, since the information sought relates to interstate trips made by the buses and drivers of the defendant, it is apparent that the wage and hours law referred to is a Federal law — in all probability the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (52 Stat. at L. 1060, ch. 676, 29 IJ. S. C. A., par. 201), or the Motor Carrier Act of 1935 (49, Stat. at L. 543, ch. 498, 49 U. S. C. A., par. 301). Whether the plaintiff, after an examination of an officer and records of the defendant, can file a complaint that will withstand the assault of a demurrer remains to be seen, but until he has had opportunity for such examination as by statute provided, a denial of an order therefor or the granting of an order of dismissal of the action, is tantamount to sustaining a demurrer to his complaint before it is filed. This, I think, should not be done, and to that end the judgment of the Superior Court should be affirmed.