Court Opinion

ID: 9581961
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:20:46.535885+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:37:21.804191
License: Public Domain

Webb, Judge,
dissenting.
I disagree with the holding in Division 2 that the evidence did not authorize the jury to reach a verdict on the counterclaim, which was based on the alleged taking and conversion by the bank of corporate stock. All the cases relied upon by the majority deal with opinion testimony as to the value of tangible things without sufficient foundation to allow the jury to consider how the witness arrived at the value, or to calculate the loss within a degree of certainty which is reasonable. However, the value of stock which is traded on a recognized market is not a matter of opinion, but a matter of fact. Moreover, the transcript reveals that Sims was not asked his opinion as to the value of the stock, but was asked: "Do you know what the value of the stock was?”, meaning what its value was at the time of the taking on November 19,1974. Sims replied, "Roughly 65, $7,000.00.”
In my view, particularly since AT&T and IBM are such widely-known stocks, the conclusion can readily be reached from this testimony that Sims’ answer was founded on information derived from daily published stock market reports. Thus, here, as in Van Voltenburg v. State, 138 Ga. App. 628, 629 (1) (227 SE2d 451) (1976), "his testimony as to this cost was from his own personal knowledge. He was not stating his opinion as to value but was stating a fact. Morgan v. State, 135 Ga. App. 139 (2) (217 SE2d 175); Kingston v. State, 127 Ga. App. 660 (2) (194 SE2d 675); Jones v. Universal Credit Corp., 88 Ga. App. 24 (3) (75 SE2d 822).” The failure to state the exact amount does not convert his statement to an opinion. Further, the bank could easily have introduced evidence to show that this was not the value of the stock on the date in question, if such were the case, yet it did not object to Sims’ testimony nor seek to dispute it.
The counterclaim asked for $15,000 based on the approximate value of the stock at the time of sale as actual *210damages, and also alleged conversion and sought $50,000 as punitive damages to deter such conduct. The verdict of $9,000 was therefore supported by the pleadings and the evidence, and I would affirm the judgment.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Deen, Judge Smith and Judge Shulman join in this dissent.