Court Opinion

ID: 9616285
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:45:16.685761+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:56.636431
License: Public Domain

Felton, J.,
dissenting. 1. The court did not err in striking paragraph 21 of the amended petition on demurrer. There is a conflict in the decisions of other States as to whether a statute of frauds requiring a contract to be in writing is a matter affecting the remedy or the validity of the contract. The Supreme Court of this State has unequivocally determined that such a statute relates to remedy and not substance. Obear v. First National *207Bank, 97 Ga. 587 (25 S. E. 335). See 105 A.L.R. 652; 161 A.L.R. 814, 820. The foregoing Supreme Court decision is controlling in this case. If the majority view is based on the assumption that the Washington statute renders a contract not made in compliance therewith absolutely void rather than merely voidable, there is no Washington law pleaded to that effect, and in the absence of such pleaded foreign law, the presumption is that the Washington courts would treat the word void as meaning voidable at the party’s option as I think the Georgia courts would treat it.
Assuming for the sake of argument that the statute of frauds contains substantive rather than remedial provisions, the rule of comity, Code § 102-110, does not require enforcement of a law of another State which is contrary to the public policy of this State as expressed by statute. Shore Acres Properties v. Morgan, 44 Ga. App. 128 (160 S. E. 705); Sally v. Bank of Union, 25 Ga. App. 509 (103 S. E. 798); s.c., 150 Ga. 281 (103 S. E. 460); Ulman, Magill & Jordan Woolen Co. v. Magill, 155 Ga. 555 (117 S. E. 657); Kent v. Hair, 60 Ga. App. 652 (4 S. E. 2d, 703); Code, § 20-402 (3). In my opinion the public policy of this State on this question is that if a statute of frauds is to be applied by the courts of this State, it will not be applied without permitting the application of the exceptions stated in Code § 20-402 which follow the very broadest and highest equitable principles.
Even if the statute of frauds is treated as substantive rather than procedural, “the law of the place of contracting determines the formalities required for making a contract.” Restatement, Conflict of Laws, § 334; 105 A.L.R. 672.
It was not error under the facts of this -case to exclude the testimony that contracts of employment for a definite period of time were not customary in the construction business in the case of supervisory employees, for several reasons. There was direct evidence of such a contract, and proof of a custom alone could not impeach it. Second, the custom was not proved to be universal, and construction business and supervisory employees were not defined.
Even if the exclusion of the testimony mentioned in ground six was technically error, it illustrated no point and the exclusion *208was harmless. However, I do not think that the answer stricken was responsive to the question asked.
Inasmuch as the majority do not rule on the other questions involved, it will serve no useful purpose for me to express my views thereon in detail. I think the other assignments of error are without merit and the judgments should be affirmed.
I am authorized to state that Judge Townsend concurs in this dissent.