Solar International Shipping Agency, Inc., Plaintiff-appellant, v. United Proteins, Inc., T/a Eastern Proteins Export of Northcarolina, Defendant-appellee, 808 F.2d 835 (4th Cir. 1986)

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US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit - 808 F.2d 835 (4th Cir. 1986) Argued Dec. 9, 1986. Decided Dec. 29, 1986

Before WINTER, Chief Judge, PHILLIPS, Circuit Judge, and HENDERSON, United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina, sitting by designation.

Robert Lauris Johnston (Graham, Miles & Bogan on brief), for appellant.

Richard Byron Hager, on brief, for appellees.

PER CURIAM:


Plaintiff appeals from the judgment of the district court affirming a ruling of the Bankruptcy Court that under North Carolina law, plaintiff was foreclosed from suing defendant, an undisclosed principal, for shipping services when plaintiff had already sued the agent in another jurisdiction.

We affirm.

It is agreed that under Walston v. R.B. Whitley & Co., 39 S.E.2d 375 (N.C.1946), plaintiff may not pursue separate claims against the principal and the agent but rather must elect which one to sue. Plaintiff urges that although Walston represents the majority view among jurisdictions, it should be reexamined in light of a newer, emerging minority rule which permits suit against both principal and agent but only one overall recovery. We, however, perceive no basis on which we can say that it is likely that the North Carolina courts will reconsider Walston and reach a contrary result.

AFFIRMED.

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