Court Opinion

ID: 9566846
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:43:55.883042+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:42:55.593563
License: Public Domain

Ingram, Justice,
dissenting. I respectfully dissent to the majority opinion affirming the dismissal of the appellant-plaintiffs complaint. It is based upon an exhibit attached to plaintiffs complaint which, the majority conclude, show no valid assignment *782to plaintiff and requires dismissal of the claim as a matter of law. The franchise assignment to plaintiff, attached as an exhibit to the complaint, refers to a franchise dated May 21, 1965, whereas the complaint refers to a franchise agreement dated July 2, 1965. This difference in dates on the assignment list and franchise agreement appearing from the plaintiffs pleadings is relied upon by the majority opinion as sufficient to dismiss the case. Appellees’ brief states: "Since the petition showed no valid assignment to appellant, the same set forth no cause of action.”
If we still followed the former "cause of action and general demurrer practice” in Georgia, I would agree the majority opinion is correct. However, I believe this concept is much too narrow under our present "notice pleading” practice. In my judgment, it encroaches upon the established principle that a claim should not be dismissed unless it clearly appears the claimant cannot recover under any statement of facts which could be proved in support of the claim.
It may well be that this plaintiff has no valid assignment. That depends upon the evidence offered on the merits of the claim, not on the pleadings. The majority opinion states, "there was no offer to amend (by plaintiff) to show any other assignment ... of the franchise agreement...” Herein lies the essential difficulty I have with the majority opinion. If the plaintiff in fact has another assignment, it should be allowed to prove it. The fact that plaintiff offered no amendment to its pleadings, during the course of an argument before the trial court on defendant’s motion to dismiss the plaintiffs complaint, is an insufficient reason, I believe, to dismiss the complaint at the interlocutory stage of the case without hearing evidence.
It is for this reason only that I must dissent to the judgment affirming the trial court. I would require an evidentiary determination by the trial court as to whether plaintiff has a valid assignment.
I am authorized to state that Mr. Justice Gunter joins me in this dissent.