Furnari v. Goodman, 70--293

Decision Date29 December 1970
Docket NumberNo. 70--293,70--293
PartiesSam FURNARI, Appellant, v. Harvey E. GOODMAN, Appellee.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Ralph & Boyd, Miami, for appellant.

A. M. Schwitalla, Miami, for appellee.

Before PEARSON, C.J., and HENDRY and SWANN, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

Defendant-appellant Furnari appeals a final judgment entered upon a jury verdict assessing $9,500.00 as damages in favor of plaintiff-appellee Goodman in his suit for breach of an oral contract whereby appellee, a mortgage broker, was employed to obtain approximately One Million Dollars construction financing for a proposed apartment house.

At issue here is the admissibility of certain evidence and denial of motions for directed verdict for the defendant. We reverse with directions.

Testimony was in conflict as to whether the appellant-defendant accepted the mortgage loan commitment from Church of Christ Manors, Inc. by its subsidiary, the Cultural, Education & Research Foundation, Inc. Testimony was also conflicting as to whether a commission would not be payable until the commitment was honored, and the money deposited, which admittedly would not occur for some time.

Appellant-defendant attempted to prove that the commitment was not and could not be honored through proffer of a duly authenticated copy of a final judgment of the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois finding that the lender had made fraudulent misrepresentations of assets and enjoining such lending in interstate commerce.

First, the lower court erred in holding that the duly authenticated copy of the final judgment of the United States District Court was inadmissible to prove the existence and legal effect of the final judgment where such evidence was relevant to the issues in the case, particularly the financial ability of the lender. Perper v. Edell, 160 Fla. 477, 35 So.2d 387, 391.

Moreover, the court erred in denying the defendant's motion for directed verdict where the plaintiff suing upon an oral brokerage commission, failed to produce evidence showing that the mortgage loan commitment was 'bankable,' i.e., that banks would loan money on the basis of the commitment or that the lender was financially able to honor it. The general rule applied in real estate commissions is applicable here, that some proof is required to show that the purchaser, in this case the lender, is financially able to command the necessary money to close the deal on reasonable notice...

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4 cases
  • Sheldon Greene & Associates, Inc. v. Williams Island Associates
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • December 18, 1990
    ...395 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989); Chanton v. Drucker, 299 So.2d 145 (Fla. 3d DCA), cert. denied, 307 So.2d 447 (Fla.1974); Furnari v. Goodman, 242 So.2d 503 (Fla. 3d DCA 1970). Moreover, the plaintiff's affidavit, adduced below to establish an ostensible benefit conferred on the defendant, constitut......
  • Freeman v. Rubin
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 12, 1975
    ...doubt relevant to the issues in the case sub judice, particularly whether appellant had a good cause of action. Cf. Furnari v. Goodman, Fla.App.1970, 242 So.2d 503. The order is all the more relevant as it was entered pursuant to a habeas corpus proceeding and, therefore, was res judicata o......
  • Mogul v. McClaskey Realty, Inc.
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • March 14, 1975
    ...there was no allegation of inability, and it was the seller, not the purchaser, who refused to honor the contract. In Furnari v. Goodman, 242 So.2d 503 (3d D.C.A.Fla.1970), the inability of a lender to perform was manifest by reason of a final judgment entered by a federal court. The facts ......
  • Chanton v. Drucker, 73--1240
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 13, 1974
    ...is financially able to command the necessary money to close the deal on reasonable notice at the time agreed upon. See Furnari v. Goodman, Fla.App.1970, 242 So.2d 503; Perper v. Edell, 160 Fla. 477, 35 So.2d 387, and 12 Am.Jur.2d 'Brokers' § The trial court erred in denying defendant's moti......

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