40 Ga. 199 | Ga. | 1869
This was a.case tried on-the common law side of the Court. On the trial thereof a written, contract between the parties for the rent of the plantation, sale of stock, provisions and agricultural-implements, was read in evidence. That written agreement was the best evidence as to what was the contract between the parties; all prior negotiations between them are presumed to have been merged therein, and the result of-their parol agreement is presumed to be stated in the written contract, unless there was fraud or mistake in the execution of it.
When a bill is filed on the equity side of the Court to . reform a written contract, on the ground of mistake,' the
The charge as to the jurisdiction of the Court in which the case is tried does not change or dispense with the required evidence necessary to reform a written contract in a Court of ■equity. There was no point made in the Court below, as shown by the record, on the sufficiepey of the pleadings, or as to the admissibility of the evidence under them. The point made here is upon the sufficiency of the evidence introduced to lay the foundation for reforming the contract.
The error complained of is, that the Court.below, on the statement of one of the defendants, that all that part of the parol agreement which relates to the plaintiff’s using'his influence with the negroes to remain on the place as laborers, was omitted by mistake to be inserted in the written contract, assumed that the defendants had made a prima fade case of mistake which would entitle them to have the written contract reformed, and then allowed the witness to testify as to the injury which the defendants had sustained inconsequence of the negroes leaving the place. If the written contract contains the entire agreement of the parties, then the 'plaintiff was. not responsible in any way under his contract for the ne
Under our Evidence Act, allowing parties to be sworn in their own favor, the Courts should require a pretty clear prima facie case to be made in laying the foundation for the reformation of written contracts; otherwise, there are but few written contracts that will stand against alleged mistakes, when the interest of parties require a change or alteration in the terms and stipulations* thereof. We think the Court below erred in admitting the evidence as to the injury sustained by the defendants, in consequence of the negroes leaving the place, on the assumption that there was sufficient evidence of a mistake in the written contract to lay the foundation for reforming it.
Although the plaintiff may have represented to the defendants that there was a greater quantity of stock and provisions on the place than they found to be there when they took possession of it, yet if they made no objections at that time, but proceeded to make a crop with what they found there, and paid part of the rent without any complaint as to