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Keene v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Nov 15, 1966
152 S.E.2d 577 (Ga. Ct. App. 1966)

Summary

defining household as a `family living together' . . .

Summary of this case from Tirona v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co.

Opinion

42434.

SUBMITTED NOVEMBER 7, 1966.

DECIDED NOVEMBER 15, 1966.

Action on insurance policy. Glynn Superior Court. Before Judge Hicks, Emeritus.

Cowart, Sapp, Alaimo Gale, G. B. Cowart, for appellant.

Conyers, Fending, Dickey Harris, Chris Conyers, for appellees.


1. This is a garnishment proceeding against the insurer by the mother of the insured on a contract of automobile liability insurance who had previously obtained a judgment against her son for personal injuries sustained in a collision due to his negligence. The defendant relies on the exclusion in the clause of coverage for bodily injuries "to any member of the family of the insured residing in the same household as the insured." The proof showed that at the time of the collision and for some years previously the insured, an unmarried adult 40 years of age, had most of the time given his mother's residence as his mailing address; that he ate either with his mother and other persons staying at the house, or in restaurants, or occasionally at the home of a sister; that there was a small one-room structure on the property separate from the house which contained a bed and that he had the privilege of sleeping there or in a room within the house; that when on the premises he usually used the separate structure for sleeping, but as it had no toilet or bathing facilities he used the bathroom in the house for that purpose. As to why he slept there if there was a room for him within the house, he stated: "They give me the room, but I used the little house more than I did it on account she was keeping young-uns, I would go out there so they wouldn't make so much fuss in there." He paid his mother enough to take care of the extra expenses caused by his presence. The jury trying the traverse to the garnishment found for the defendant.

2. Black's Law Dictionary defines a household as "a family living together," and family as "a collective body of persons who live in one house or within the same curtilage and under one head or management." Varnadoe v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 112 Ga. App. 366 ( 145 S.E.2d 104) held that single adults living together may constitute a household and that, in the case of an adult child living with parents, the relationship might be ended by intent no longer to continue as a member of the household coupled with some action on the part of the person removing himself therefrom. Indubitably, the evidence here is sufficient to show that the insured was a member of the mother's household within the meaning of these definitions, and would not demand a conclusion that his action in sleeping in the detached structure located within the same curtilage was the expression of an intent to sever the household connection.

Judgment affirmed. Nichols, P. J., and Hall, J., concur.

SUBMITTED NOVEMBER 7, 1966 — DECIDED NOVEMBER 15, 1966.


Summaries of

Keene v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Nov 15, 1966
152 S.E.2d 577 (Ga. Ct. App. 1966)

defining household as a `family living together' . . .

Summary of this case from Tirona v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co.

In Keene v. State Farm c. Ins. Co., 114 Ga. App. 625, 626(2) (152 S.E.2d 577) (1966), this court adopted the definition of a "household" as "a family living together" and "family" as "a collective body of persons who live in one house or within the same curtilage under one head or management."

Summary of this case from State Farm Co. v. Goodman

In Keene v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., 114 Ga. App. 625, 152 S.E.2d 577 (1966), a forty-year old man who lived in a small one-room structure on his mother's property was held to be a resident of her household.

Summary of this case from Ferrel v. Allstate Ins. Co.
Case details for

Keene v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.

Case Details

Full title:KEENE v. STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY et al

Court:Court of Appeals of Georgia

Date published: Nov 15, 1966

Citations

152 S.E.2d 577 (Ga. Ct. App. 1966)
152 S.E.2d 577

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