Ohio Code 1776.38 – Liability of purported partner
(A) If a person, by words or conduct, purports to be a partner, or consents to being represented by another as a partner, in a partnership or with one or more persons not partners, the purported partner is liable to any person to whom the representation is made if that person, relying on the representation, enters into a transaction with the actual or purported partnership. If the representation, either by the purported partner or by a person with the purported partner’s consent, is made in a public manner, the purported partner is liable to a person who relies upon the purported partnership even if the purported partner is not aware of being held out as a partner to the claimant. If partnership liability results, the purported partner is liable with respect to that liability as if the purported partner were a partner. If no partnership liability results, the purported partner is liable with respect to that liability jointly and severally with any other person consenting to the representation.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 1776.38
- Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Partner: means a person admitted to a partnership as a partner. See Ohio Code 1776.01
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Partnership: means an association of two or more persons to carry on as co-owners a business for-profit formed under section 1776. See Ohio Code 1776.01
- Person: means an individual, corporation whether nonprofit or for-profit, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity in its own or any representative capacity, in each case whether domestic or foreign. See Ohio Code 1776.01
- Statement: means a statement of correction or corrected statement under section 1776. See Ohio Code 1776.01
(B) If a person is represented to be a partner in an existing partnership, or with one or more persons not partners, the purported partner is an agent of persons consenting to the representation to bind them to the same extent and in the same manner as if the purported partner were a partner, with respect to persons who enter into transactions in reliance upon the representation. If all of the partners of the existing partnership consent to the representation, a partnership act or obligation results. If fewer than all of the partners of the existing partnership consent to the representation, the person acting and the partners consenting to the representation are jointly and severally liable.
(C) A person is not liable as a partner merely because the person is named by another in a statement of partnership authority.
(D) A person does not continue to be liable as a partner merely because of a failure to file a statement of dissociation or to amend a statement of partnership authority to indicate the partner’s dissociation from the partnership.
(E) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (A) and (B) of this section, persons who are not partners as to each other are not liable as partners as to other persons.