Andrews v. Cross

17 Abb. N. Cas. 92
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 15, 1885
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 17 Abb. N. Cas. 92 (Andrews v. Cross) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Andrews v. Cross, 17 Abb. N. Cas. 92 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1885).

Opinion

Bockes, J.

—The facts necessary here to be noticed are as follows : The action, being at issue, was duly noticed for trial by the defendant for the Albany October circuit, 1884. The plaintiff failed to appear, and when the case was called for trial, judgment was directed for the dismissal of the complaint, with costs. The costs were thereafter duly taxed or adjusted, and judgment therefor was duly entered. Execution was issued and returned unsatisfied ; whereupon proceedings supplementary to execution were instituted.

A motion was then made by the plaintiff, at special term, to open the default and to be let in to try his case. This motion was for favor—not because of any irregularity in the taking of the default Or subsequent proceedings by the defendant. The motion was granted on terms, The order, after noting the papers read and the hearing of counsel, was as follows: “Ordered, that said default be opened, and the judgment be set aside, on condition that plaintiff pay the defendant the sum of $65 within twenty days after the service of this order ; if such payment be not made, this motion is denied, with $10 costs.” The $65 were paid and receipted for by the defendant’s attorneys.

Again, the case was noticed for trial by the defendant at the circuit, and when reached on the calendar, and called, the plaintiff not appearing, judgment was again directed for the dismissal of the complaint, with costs ; and as the defendant was sued for an act done [94]*94by him as a public officer by virtue thereof, it was determined by the court that the plaintiff was entitled to the increased costs provided for by section 3258 of the Code of Civil procedure. The costs were thereupon noticed for taxation, and were adjusted finally on re-taxation by the clerk at $229.89, Nov. 27, 1885.

On the re-taxation the plaintiff objected to several of the items contained in the bill, and among them to the item of $15, for costs after notice of trial and before first trial; and to the item of $30, trial fee of issue of fact, first trial. The ground of objection was that these items were included in the $65 already paid under the order opening the plaintiff’s default and setting aside the judgment directed at suchy2rs¿ trial; and to substantiate the objection to these items the plaintiff’s counsel offered before the clerk his own affidavit, and that of the plaintiff’s attorney, wherein they stated in substance that they were present at the special term when the justice holding it made the order opening the plaintiff’s default above referred to, and that the justice (as then stated by him when making up the costs to be paid as a condition, to be inserted in the order), included in the $65, among others, said items of $15 and $30 ; and the receipt evidencing the payment of the $65 was produced.

The defendant, not disputing the due payment of the $65, objected to the affidavits as incompetent and irrelevant; that the special term order was conclusive of the matters embraced therein. The clerk sustained the objections, and, against the plaintiff’s objection, taxed and allowed those items with others also objected to on the same grounds.

On the above tolerably full statement of facts, the proper disposition of the present motion is made to depend.

On turning to the notice of motion it will be observed that it is made in a twofold aspect, to wit • [95]*95for an adjustment of the costs, and for a modification of the special order, above referred to, opening the plaintiff’s default, by stating therein what items of costs went to make up the $65 therein mentioned ; and also there was notice of a claim for general relief.

It is now objected, or rather insisted, by the defendant’s counsel, that the motion for a modification of the special term order should be first heard and disposed of, before entering upon the other branch of the motion.

It is not unusual to move to open or reconsider a matter passed upon under previous motion and order at special term, and at the same time to ask for the relief the party claims to be entitled to; and it . depends very much upon the discretion of the special term whether both branches of the motion shall or shall not be heard together. On this point, see Riggs v. Pursell, 74 N. Y. 370, 379; Smith v. Spalding, 3 Robt. 615. Usually they are heard together and disposed of under one order. In the present case, I am of the opinion that there is nothing in the facts disclosed requiring any modification or disturbance of the special term order in any respect, in order to reach the merits of the matters in controversy between the parties. That branch of the motion is therefore denied ; and the motion will be considered as a motion for re-taxation in the nature of an appeal from the final adjustment of the costs by the taxing officer; and there seems to be no good reason why such motion should not be now heard on the papers presented.

That the proper mode to obtain the desired relief has been here pursued ; that is, by motion in the nature of an appeal from the taxation by the taxing officer, is not controverted (Beattie v. Qua, 15 Barb. 132, and many other cases; Code Civ. Pro. § 3265); and the motion should not be deemed barred because of laches. The re-taxation sought to be overruled was [96]*96had November 27, and the motion is made December 22—within less than a month thereafter; and no injury to the rights of the defendant has been occasioned by the- brief delay., even admitting that the motion could have been made a few days earlier.

The material and controlling question here presented is, whether the taxing officer was right in holding that the plaintiff was concluded by the special term order from showing by proof as a fact, that the items in the bill of costs objected to by him, were included in the $65 in the order mentioned; and that such items had been actually paid by the payment of said $65—that is, whether he was precluded from protecting himself from a double payment of those items, because of the conclusiveness of that order. Then, to what extent was that order conclusive ? Of course it was conclusive of what was therein stated and adjudicated. To that extent it was conclusive—nob having been appealed from and reversed —against all proof offered with a view to its change or modification in any respect. Like a judgment of the court, it imported absolute verity as regards all matters within its jurisdiction and thereby adjudicated. So, it could not be contradicted by oral or other proof. But certainly it was no more conclusive than would be a judgment (Riggs v. Pursell, 74 N. Y. 370, 379.) Now, a judgment is not conclusive of matters not specifically or by necessary implication adjudicated by it; but in such case the fact—the truth in that regard—may be shown by proof aliunde the record. Such proof does not contradict the record, hence is admissible—admissible, because consistent with the record. It has been repeatedly decided that, when a matter may or may not have been adjudicated, the record being silent in that regard, evidence is then admissible for the purpose of showing what was the fact (Wood v. Jackson, 8 Wend. 9; Doty v. Brown, [97]*974 N. Y. 71; McKnight v. Devlin, 52 N. Y. 399, on page 403; White v. Madison, 26 N. Y. 117 ; Morss v. Osborn, 64 Barb. 543, 546 ; Royce v. Burt, 42 Barb. 655, 665; Marcellus v. Countryman, 65 Barb.

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Bluebook (online)
17 Abb. N. Cas. 92, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/andrews-v-cross-nysupct-1885.