Syfert Injury Law Firm

Your Trusted Partner in Personal Injury & Workers' Compensation

Call Now: 904-383-7448

2018 Georgia Code 14-8-18 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 14 CORPORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND ASSOCIATIONS

Section 8. Partnerships, 14-8-1 through 14-8-64.

ARTICLE 3 CORPORATIONS ORGANIZED FOR RELIGIOUS, FRATERNAL, OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

14-8-18. Rights and duties of partners.

The rights and duties of the partners in relation to the partnership shall be determined, subject to any agreement between them, by the following rules:

  1. Each partner shall be repaid his or her contributions, whether by way of capital or advances to the partnership property and share equally in the profits and surplus remaining after all liabilities, including those to partners, are satisfied; and, except as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 14-8-15, must contribute towards the losses, whether of capital or otherwise, sustained by the partnership according to his or her share in the profits;
  2. The partnership must indemnify every partner in respect of payments made and personal liabilities reasonably incurred by him in the ordinary and proper conduct of its business, or for the preservation of its business or property;
  3. A partner, who in aid of the partnership makes any payment or advance beyond the amount of capital which he agreed to contribute, shall be paid interest from the date of the payment or advance;
  4. A partner shall receive interest on the capital contributed by him only from the date when repayment should be made;
  5. All partners have equal rights in the management and conduct of the partnership business;
  6. No partner is entitled to remuneration for acting in the partnership business, except that a surviving partner is entitled to reasonable compensation for his services in winding up the partnership affairs;
  7. No person can become a member of a partnership without the consent of all the partners;
  8. Any difference arising as to ordinary matters connected with the partnership business may be decided by a majority of the partners; but no act in contravention of any agreement between the partners may be done rightfully without the consent of all the partners.

(Code 1981, §14-8-18, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1439, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 470, § 4.)

COMMENT

Note to Uniform Partnership Act This section states basic rules regarding financial and management rights and duties as between the partners, subject to their contrary agreement.

Prior Georgia Law Subsection (1): Prior O.C.G.A. § 14-8-45 was generally consistent.

Subsection (2): There was no precisely comparable provision. The general provision regarding contribution, O.C.G.A. § 23-2-71, is consistent, except that it permits the paying partner to recover from individual partners instead of the partnership and applies only to sums actually paid.

Subsection (3): There was no comparable provision. Prior case law was inconsistent. See McAllister v. Payne, 108, Ga. 517, 34 S.E. 165 (1899).

Subsection (4): There was no comparable provision. Prior case law was consistent. See Tutt v. Land, 50 Ga. 339, 350 (1873).

Subsection (5): There was no comparable provision. Prior O.C.G.A. § 14-8-41 provided generally that partners had "joint possession" of partnership effects. This term was not clearly defined in the case law.

Subsection (6): There was no comparable provision. Prior case law was consistent as to compensation for pre-dissolution services. See Maynard v. Maynard, 147 Ga. 178, 93 S.E. 289 (1917).

Subsection (7): Prior O.C.G.A. § 14-8-43 was consistent.

Subsection (8): Prior O.C.G.A. § 14-8-42 was consistent.

Official UPA This section is the same as the official version.

Cross-References Definition of "interest": § 14-8-2(5). Power of Partners to bind the partnership in transactions with third parties: § 14-8-9. Partner's liability for partnership obligations: § 14-8-15. Partner's management rights as property right of partner: § 14-8-24. Partner's share of profits as interest in partnership: § 14-8-26. Partner's right to contribution with respect to post-dissolution debts: § 14-8-34. Right to control the firm during winding up: § 14-8-37. Assignment of partner's interest in the partnership: § 14-8-27. Right to indemnification where partnership dissolved for fraud: § 14-8-39. Rights of withdrawing or estate of deceased partner to share in profits when partnership continued after dissolution: § 14-8-42.

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

General Consideration

Editor's notes.

- In light of the similarity of the statutory provisions, decisions under former Civil Code 1910, §§ 3155 and 3156, former Code 1933, § 75-206 and former Code Sections 14-8-40, 14-8-41, 14-8-43, and 14-8-45, in effect prior to the 1984 repeal and reenactment of this chapter, are included in the annotations to this Code section.

Agreements between partners as to unequal shares to be given effect.

- If partners have made an agreement that their shares shall be unequal, or that one shall pay to or for another partner a certain sum for acquiring a stated interest in the partnership assets, such an agreement will be given effect in a final settlement and accounting between the partners. Johnson v. Townsend, 192 Ga. 522, 15 S.E.2d 790 (1941) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

Rights subject to agreement.

- The right of a partner to recover net capital contributions to the partnership upon dissolution was subject to an agreement limiting returnable equity to profits realized upon the initial investments of the parties. Hayden v. Sigari, 220 Ga. App. 6, 467 S.E.2d 590 (1996).

Coequal partner has no right to lien on partnership property.

- Coequal partner does not have right to common-law materialman's or contractor's lien on partnership property. Stephens v. Clark, 154 Ga. App. 306, 268 S.E.2d 361 (1980) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

A partnership which gives security to a partner for a loan cannot enforce the partnership duties owed it by the secured partner if those duties will impair the rights of the secured partner. Westminster Properties, Inc. v. Atlanta Assocs., 250 Ga. 841, 301 S.E.2d 636 (1983) (decided under former § 14-8-40).

Jury question as to whether duty of good faith breached.

- Jury question was presented as to whether two trustees of their children's trusts acted against the interests of the beneficiaries (their children) in bad faith by amending a partnership agreement to concentrate all voting power in themselves to the exclusion of the beneficiaries, who otherwise would have become partners when they turned 45. Likewise, the trustees as partners owed duties to the trusts as partners in the partnership. Rollins v. Rollins, 338 Ga. App. 308, 790 S.E.2d 157 (2016).

Liability for Losses

Existence of partnership not being in dispute, each partner is liable for business losses of the firm. Todd v. Waddell, 120 Ga. App. 20, 169 S.E.2d 351 (1969) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

Joint judgments possible.

- If there is joint liability by two or more partners, a joint judgment may be rendered, and the respective liabilities of the defendants may be adjudged. Johnson v. Townsend, 192 Ga. 522, 15 S.E.2d 790 (1941) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

Right of contribution and set off.

- When the business of a copartnership entails loss and no part of the copartnership debt has been paid, no right of contribution arises, and no right to set off partnership liabilities against a suit on a note by one of the partners against the other partners. The only liability of members is to creditors. Brinson v. Franklin, 177 Ga. 727, 171 S.E. 287 (1933) (decided under former Civil Code 1910, §§ 3155, 3156).

Personal judgment rendered when partnership without assets.

- When after payment of partnership debts no assets remain from which respective debts and interest of partners may be adjusted and paid, it is proper that the final decree fix the amounts due to and by each partner, and that a personal judgment be rendered against those indebted. Johnson v. Townsend, 192 Ga. 522, 15 S.E.2d 790 (1941) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

Accounting in Equity

Jurisdiction.

- Court of equity has jurisdiction in all cases of accounting and settlement between partners, where partnership has not been dissolved. Johnson v. Townsend, 192 Ga. 522, 15 S.E.2d 790 (1941) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

When equity has assumed jurisdiction of partnership accounting, it will retain jurisdiction so as to afford complete relief between partners as to all controversies growing out of the partnership. Johnson v. Townsend, 192 Ga. 522, 15 S.E.2d 790 (1941) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

After payment of partnership debts, petitioning partner is entitled to accounting without necessity of showing any exact amount as due, if the petitioning partner alleges and shows facts sufficient to indicate that something will be found to be due to that partner. Johnson v. Townsend, 192 Ga. 522, 15 S.E.2d 790 (1941) (decided under former Code 1933, § 75-206).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 59A Am. Jur. 2d, Partnership, § 269 et seq.

C.J.S.

- 68 C.J.S., Partnership, § 120 et seq.

ALR.

- Right of individual partner to exemption in partnership property, 4 A.L.R. 300.

Power of partner to dispose of good will of business, 5 A.L.R. 1182.

Authority of member of farming partnership to execute negotiable paper, 9 A.L.R. 372.

Actions at law between partners and partnerships, 21 A.L.R. 21.

Right to setoff claim of individual partner against claim against partnership, 55 A.L.R. 566.

Right of other partners or partnership creditors in respect of insurance on interest of one of the partners, 61 A.L.R. 1201.

Right of partners inter se in respect of interest, 66 A.L.R. 3.

Relative rank of judgment, attachment, or execution based on partnership liability and judgment, attachment, or execution based on liability of individual partner, 75 A.L.R. 997.

Partition of partnership real property, 77 A.L.R. 300.

Accountability of partner or joint adventurer for profits earned subsequently to death or dissolution, 80 A.L.R. 12; 55 A.L.R.2d 1391.

Right of one partner in action at law against him by another partner on a personal claim to set up by counterclaim or otherwise claim arising out of partnership transactions, 93 A.L.R. 293.

Right of partner or member of joint adventure to share in misappropriated money or property, or secret profits, for which he is required to account, 118 A.L.R. 640.

Discharge or settlement by, or payment to, one partner or co-obligee, as affecting rights of others, 142 A.L.R. 371.

Provision of partnership agreement giving one partner option to buy out the other, 160 A.L.R. 523.

Liability of partner for failure to perform personal services, 165 A.L.R. 981.

Actions at law between partners and partnerships, 168 A.L.R. 1088.

Duty of former partner, acquiring property occupied by partnership business, to renew lease, 4 A.L.R.2d 102.

Delay as defense to action for accounting between joint adventurers, 13 A.L.R.2d 765.

Powers, duties, and accounting responsibilities of managing partner of mining partnership, 24 A.L.R.2d 1359.

Right of partner or joint adventurer to accounting where firm business or transactions are illegal, 32 A.L.R.2d 1345.

Constructive trust in favor of partnership where one partner purchases real estate with his own funds, 44 A.L.R.2d 519.

When real estate owned by partner before formation of partnership will be deemed to have become asset of firm, 45 A.L.R.2d 1009.

Meaning and coverage of "book value" in partnership agreement in determining value of partner's interest, 47 A.L.R.2d 1425.

Rights in profits earned by partnership or joint adventure after death or dissolution, 55 A.L.R.2d 1391.

Construction and effect of agreement relating to salary of partners, 66 A.L.R.2d 1023.

Construction and application of § 18(f) of Uniform Partnership Act as to surviving partner's right to compensation for services in winding up partnership, 81 A.L.R.2d 445.

Validity and construction of contractual restrictions on right of medical practitioner to practice, incident to partnership agreement, 62 A.L.R.3d 970.

Construction of agreement between real-estate agents to share commissions, 71 A.L.R.3d 586.

Construction and application of expulsion provision in partnership agreement between attorneys, 72 A.L.R.3d 1226.

Evaluation of interest in law firm or medical partnership for purposes of division of property in divorce proceedings, 74 A.L.R.3d 621.

Embezzlement, larceny, false pretenses, or allied criminal fraud by a partner, 82 A.L.R.3d 822.

Rights of attorneys leaving firm with respect to firm clients, 1 A.L.R.4th 1164.

Partner's breach of fiduciary duty to copartner on sale of partnership interest to another partner, 4 A.L.R.4th 1122.

Joint venturers' comparative liability for losses, in absence of express agreement, 51 A.L.R.4th 371.

Cases Citing Georgia Code 14-8-18 From Courtlistener.com

Total Results: 1

Rollins v. Rollins

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2015-11-23

Citation: 298 Ga. 161, 780 S.E.2d 328, 2015 Ga. LEXIS 904

Snippet: what duties were owed by the partners. See OCGA § 14-8-18 (“The rights and duties of the partners in relation