Plаintiff bottoms his cause of action on the assertion that John Paul Jones, the real defendant to whom alone refеrence is hereinafter made, first won and then abused his trust and confidence. That is, he relies, in part at least, upon thе presumption of fraud which arises upon the breach of a confidential or fiduciary relationship. He alleges that the defendant, having first won his confidence, induced him, the plaintiff, to convey to defendant a 304-acre farm, upon which was located a filling station, upon the representation that he, the defendant, could and would arrange a loan on the property to relieve plaintiff of his financial difficulties caused by advancements made by him to dеfendant and then reconvey the property to plaintiff; that the deed was executed and that defendant obtained a loan, sold the filling station and lot, repaid the loan and now refuses to reconvey the premises as he wаs in duty bound to do.
“Constructive fraud often exists where the parties to a transaction have a special confidеntial or fiduciary relation which affords the power and means to one to take undue advantage of, or exercise undue influence over the other. A course of dealing between persons so situated is watched with extreme jealousy and solicitude; and if there is found the slightest trace of undue influence or unfair advantage, redress will be given tо the injured party.” 23 A.J. 764;
McNeill v. McNeill,
In stating his cause of action under this principle of law, it is not sufficient for plaintiff to allege merely thаt defendant had won his trust
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and confidence and occupied a position of dominant influence over him. Nor does it suffice for him to allege that the deed in question was obtained by fraud and undue influence.
Privette v. Morgan,
. It is necessary for plaintiff to allege the facts and circumstances (1) which created the relation of trust and confidence, and (2) led up to and surrounded the consummation of the transaction in which defendant is alleged to have taken advantage of bis position of trust to the hurt of plaintiff.
This,
ex necessitate,
includes plaintiff’s youth and inexperience, that is, his susceptibility to influence; and the numerous transactions between the two in which defendant won plaintiff’s confidence and assumed the position of counsel to him and manager of bis estate,' as well as the particular representations made at the time the transaction cоmplained of was consummated.
Development Co. v. Bearden,
Allegations should be stricken only when they are clearly improper, impertinent, irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious.
Poovey v. Hickory,
While the plaintiff here may have devoted too much attention to such scenic decoration of bis causе of action, it does not follow as a matter of law tHat the allegations in bis complaint purporting to disclose the course of dealing between him and the defendant which led tip to the final transaction about which be comрlains are wholly irrelevant and immaterial.
McDonald v. Zimmerman,
The court properly struck the allegations in paragraph 3. That plaintiff was possessed of a substantial estate, and not the method of its accumulation, is the essential fact. On the other band, the allegations in paragraph 5 to the effect that plaintiff and defendant became acquainted in 1924, that defendant employed plaintiff and that defendant gave plaintiff flying lessons are not improper or irrelevant. They form a part of the story of their friendship which plaintiff alleges grew to the point *550 where defendant had a commаnding influence over him. Likewise, paragraphs 6 to 9 inclusive detail some of the means employed by defendant to аcquire such an influence over plaintiff, and, except for the last clause in paragraph 7, should not be strickеn.
Nor may we concur in the view that any part of paragraph 11 should be stricken. The large amounts advanced by plaintiff to defendant, without security, as well as their other transactions, tend to show the relations between the partiеs and the abiding confidence plaintiff had in defendant.
The plaintiff’s characterization of defendant’s alleged sсheming conduct in paragraph 14 seems harsh and offensive to defendant. Tet, if plaintiff has correctly alleged the facts, it is not entirely inappropriate. At least the plaintiff has the right to place his label upon it.
The portion stricken from paragraph 15 is not improper. It serves to connect the former allegations with what is there asserted. While of little importance either way, it certainly does defendant no injustice.
The statute, G.S. 1-122, prescribes an idеal pattern for the drafting of a complaint. Counsel should undertake to comply with its requirements without alleging evidentiаl facts better left for proof at the time of the trial. They should set forth the essential facts and then buttress them with the more minute details at the hearing.
We will not undertake to particularize as to what is essential and what is mere detail. We dо, however, suggest that plaintiff’s counsel redraft their pleadings, having in mind what is here said. They make a clear and conсise, though abbreviated, statement of plaintiff’s cause of action in their brief. We are quite sure they can state his cause of action with equal clarity and succinctness and without undue elaboration in a redrafted pleadings.
The judgment entered must be modified in conformity with this opinion.
Modified and affirmed.