Thurman v. Meridian Mutual Insurance Co‪.‬

Henry C. and Vera Doughty are husband and wife, living under the community property regime in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. For eighteen years, Henry Doughty operated the H.C. Doughty Lumber Company in Tangipahoa Parish as a sole proprietorship. Although he visited the sawmill only once or twice a week and most of his activities involved purchasing timber in the field, he owned and operated the mill in his name and was responsible for the hiring of employees. Vera Doughty never visited the sawmill, which was located twenty-seven miles from the family home. She did not participate in its operations. She was a housewife, completely uninvolved in the business activities of her husband.