American Surety Co. of New York v. Fischer Warehouse Co.

88 F.2d 536, 1937 U.S. App. LEXIS 3187
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 15, 1937
DocketNo. 8102
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 88 F.2d 536 (American Surety Co. of New York v. Fischer Warehouse Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Surety Co. of New York v. Fischer Warehouse Co., 88 F.2d 536, 1937 U.S. App. LEXIS 3187 (9th Cir. 1937).

Opinion

HANEY, Circuit Judge.

In a suit brought by appellant to cancel an instrument, denominated a bond, upon which appellant was surety, the court below refused cancellation, and from the decree entered this appeal is taken.

The suit was brought against certain officers of the state of Oregon, and appellees who were asserting claims against appellants. The bill alleged that the instrument was void, because it was obtained by fraud and false representations; (2) it was never delivered, approved, or accepted as provided by the Oregon statutes; (3) it had not been required by any department or official of Oregon; (4) it was not approved by the Public Service Commission of Oregon, and the approval of the Director of Agriculture had been made after expiration of the instrument. The appellees who were claimants asserted the validity of the bond, and set up by cross-complaint their respective claims. Appellee Edward L. Eyre & Co., hereinafter referred to as Eyre Company, pleaded that appellant was estopped to claim invalidity of the bond. All claimants asserted the right to recover attorney’s fees. Appellant by reply put in issue these matters, and also asserted that the claims of appellee Eyre Company and appellee bank were not sustainable as warehouse transactions against the instrument sought to be canceled.

The cause was referred to a special master who submitted his report to the court below, finding (1) that no estoppel existed in favor of Eyre & Co.; (2) that the instrument mentioned as k bond was void and should be canceled “as having been obtained by fraud and false representations and being without consideration.” He recommended that appellant be ordered to pay his costs, amounting to $373.50, and his compensation to be fixed by the court. By finding that the alleged bond was void, the special master eliminated any necessity for allowing attorney’s fees.

Appellant excepted to the recommendation made by the master in regard to the master’s compensation and costs. All appellees excepted to the report. There was a supplemental report also regarding the claim of Eyre & Co., but it is unnecessary here to discuss it.

The trial court held that the alleged bond was not a statutory bond, but was valid as a common-law bond; that attorney’s fees should be granted to appellee claimants; that the master’s compensation and costs were to be paid by appellant; that the claims of appellee Eyre Company and appellee bank should be allowed.

The findings of the court followed this holding, and, in addition, concluded, as a matter of law, that appellant was estopped, as to appellee Eyre Company, to claim invalidity of the bond. Before these findings were adopted by the court, appellant excepted thereto and proposed findings. By the decree, appellant’s exceptions were wholly denied.

The first of the six assignments of error is in part:

“The court erred in finding, concluding and decreeing the $11,000.00 writing dated February 1, 1932, denominated a bond, in[538]*538volved in this suit was or is a valid and subsisting obligation of complainant upon which respondent claimants could recover and erred in refusing to cancel and hold the same for naught as prayed for by complainant, and erred in not confirming and adopting the findings of fact, conclusions of law and recommendations for a decree of * * * [the special master] in his report * * * which * * * were * * * as follows * *

There follows portions of the master’s report, exceptions of appellees thereto, findings, and appellant’s exceptions thereto. In all, this assignment covers 41 pages of the printed transcript.

In appellant’s original brief the only mention of specification of errors is the following: “These six assignments of error are- hereby specified by appellant as relied upon by appellant upon this appeal.”

Upon the argument, this court expressed its doubt as 'to the sufficiency of the assignments of error and after announcing that there was no specification of errors, permitted new briefs to be filed to contain a specification of errors. Appellant has filed a new brief containing what is termed a specification of errors. There are 84 errors specified. It required 120 pages of the printed brief to set forth all the errors specified. It is explained that the first assignment of errors covers the first 34 specifications of errors, which are contained in 52 pages of the printed brief.

An assignment of errors is required to be filed by appellant (for appeals in law actions, see 28 U.S.C.A. § 862) “which shall set out separately and particularly each error asserted and intended to be urged.” Rule 11 of this court. which is substantially the same as Supreme Court Rule 9 (28 U.S.C.A. following section 354). The penalty is .as stated by the rule: “No appeal shall be allowed until such assignment of errors shall have been filed.” Except in the case of plain errors, of which in this case there are none, an error not assigned will be disregarded. Behn, Meyer & Co. v. Campbell & Go Tauco, 205 U.S. 403, 409, 27 S.Ct. 502, 51 L.Ed. 857; Paraiso v. U. S., 207 U.S. 368, 28 S.Ct. 127, 52 L.Ed. 249; Wood v. A. Wilbert’s Sons S. & L. Co., 226 U.S. 384, 33 S.Ct. 125, 57 L.Ed. 264; Pacific States Co. v. White, 296 U.S. 176, 56 S.Ct. 159, 80 L.Ed. 138, 101 A.L.R. 853; Lloyd v. Chapman (C.C.A. 9) 93 F. 599, 35 C.C.A. 474; Holsman v. U. S. (C.C.A. 9), 248 F. 193, 160 C.C.A. 271, certiorari denied 249 U.S. 600, 39 S.Ct. 258, 63 L.Ed. 796; Wight v. Washoe County Bank (C.C.A. 9) 251 F. 819; Louie Share Gan v. White (C.C.A. 9) 258 F. 798; Maryland Casualty Co. v. Klickalumber Co. (C.C.A. 9) 41 F.(2d) 222.

Likewise, if the assignments are so indefinite that the particular error is not set forth, the assignments will be disregarded. People of State of New York v. Kleinert, 268 U.S. 646, 45 S.Ct. 618, 69 L.Ed. 1135; Seaboard Air Line Ry. Co. v. Watson, 287 U.S. 86, 53 S.Ct. 32, 77 L.Ed. 180, 86 A.L.R. 174; Dennis v. Roberts (C.C.A. 9) 19 F.(2d) 1; McCarthy v. Ruddock (C.C.A. 9) 43 F.(2d) 976. See, also, Wade v. Blieden (C.C.A. 8) 86 F.(2d) 75, decided November 5, 1936.

The purpose of the rules is “to enable the court, as well as opposing counsel, readily to perceive what points are relied on.” Seaboard Air Line Ry. Co. v. Watson, supra, 287 U.S. 86, 91, 53 S.Ct. 32, 34, 77 L.Ed. 180, 86 A.L.R. 174. See, also, Doe v. Waterloo Min. Co. (C.C.A. 9) 70 F. 455, 461, 17 C.C.A. 190; Lloyd v. Chapman, supra, 93 F. 599, 600; Bank of Italy v. F. Romeo & Co., Inc. (C.C.A. 9) 287 F. 5, 8.

In considering the sufficiency of the assignments, resort cannot be had to the briefs to enlarge them, or to make them more particular. Doe v. Waterloo Min. Co., supra, 70 F. 455, 461; Lloyd v. Chapman, supra, 93 F. 599, 600; Bank of Italy v. F. Romeo & Co., Inc., supra, 287 F. 5, 8. Examples of indefinite assignments may be found in the above-cited cases.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
88 F.2d 536, 1937 U.S. App. LEXIS 3187, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-surety-co-of-new-york-v-fischer-warehouse-co-ca9-1937.