Court Opinion

ID: 9845042
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:14:14.651839+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:15:50.695695
License: Public Domain

Bell, Judge,
dissenting. I am compelled to disagree with the holding stated in division 2 of the majority opinion. In my view, Code § 22-1101, which requires service by serving “any officer or agent of such corporation . . .” or by leaving the writ at the place of transacting the usual and ordinary public business of a corporation, requires, if the first method of service is utilized, that the service be made on someone other than a mere employee or servant. In this case the service was made on an ordinary employee of the company who, while it is cer*702tainly no discredit to him, cannot be classed as an officer or agent within the meaning of the statute.
Even though the evidence reveals this installer-repairman had the duty “to sell the services of the company,” this testimony, in its relevant sense, merely inferred that all employees are expected to sell or boost the services of the company. No matter how construed, all of the testimony relating to the “selling” by this installer-repairman, shows the words “sell” or “sold” to have been used in their colloquial nature and not in any sense sufficient to allow this employee to qualify as an agent for service under Code § 22-1101. The services performed for the company by this installer-repairman and his authority are in no degree as extensive as those performed by the soliciting agent for the railroad in the case of Louisville & Nashville R. Co. v. Meredith, 194 Ga. 106 (21 S. E. 2d 101), as relied on in the majority opinion. Furthermore, the repairman’s own uncontradicted testimony was that he had no authority to install a phone which he had sold without the approval of the business office. He testified, “If a customer orders another phone, I help them pick it out and tell them, how much it is going to cost. I do not then put it in. I get it off my truck, but before I put it in I call the business office and get authority to put it in. I can’t put it in without their authority.” Since this employee lacked authority to bind the company even to the extent of installing a phone which he had “sold,” I do not agree that he should be found to have the authority to bind the company in this most important activity where in any suit against the company, service on him would be service on the company. See Georgia Ry. &c. Co. v. Head, 150 Ga. 177 (103 S. E. 158); Smith v. Southern Ry. Co., 132 Ga. 57 (63 S. E. 801).