Bell v. Bartlett

7 N.H. 178
Superior Court of New Hampshire·Decided December 15, 1834·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

Parker, J.

Were it not that in this State a review and new trial of an action, in which an issue has been joined to the jury, is in ordinary cases a matter of right, there could be no question that the plaintiff in replevin had complied with the condition of the bond, when he had prosecuted the suit to a judgment on which execution might issue in his own favor.

The cause would clearly be ended, and the decision be considered a final judgment, notwithstanding the power of the court, upon a proper case being shown, within three years after, to grant the other party a new trial, on which judgment might be rendered against the party who prevailed on the first. Ended, and final, because the final process of the law had issued, and nothing farther could he done except upon a new application, and a special order of the court.

But notwithstanding the law authorizing a review, as a matter of right, in certain cases, the judgment in the first instance upon which execution may issue is usually regarded as the end of the cause — as a final judgment — and the review as a new action, in which the merits of the former may be again tried.

[181]*181It is called an ‘ action’ of review in the statutes : and the security taken in the first instance, for the purpose of enforcing the judgment which may be rendered, has thus far been held to be discharged by the rendition of judgment in the original suit.

Thus property attached upon the original writ is released by a judgment in favor of the defendant, or by a neglect of the plaintiff for thirty days after a judgment in his favor to levy upon it; and in either case no claim can be made upon the sheriff, or any one who may have received it from him and receipted for it, to have it forthcoming to be applied in satisfaction of a judgment rendered on review.

So bail who become answerable that the principal defendant shall abide and not avoid, are discharged by a judgment in favor of the principal in the original action.

And the endorser of a writ, who is surety for the costs which the defendant may recover, if judgment is rendered for the plaintiff in the first instance, is no longer holden for the costs, notwithstanding the defendant upon review may recover the costs to which he was subjected prior to the first judgment.

From these analogies it would seem to admit of no doubt that the sureties in a replevin bond must be discharged by a judgment for the plaintiff in replevin, and not responsible for any judgment which may be recovered against him on review, unless there is something in the nature of the proceedings in that action to vary their liability from that of sureties in ordinary cases.

The policy of the law seems to be to leave the parties to the responsibility of each other for the satisfaction of the judgment on review — for the writ of review is a writ of summons, and no security is taken or can be required of either party upon it.

If a judgment for the defendant in replevin on a review cannot be executed by the ordinary process of an execution, or by some other final process — if there is no mode of exe[182]*182cuting it but by the replevin bond, the legislature, having authorized such action to be reviewed, must have intended that the bond should be operative for the enforcement of the rights of the defendant in replevin, in the same manner it would have been in the original action ; but as it contains nothing in express terms to show that it is so to be construed, we shall not be justified in making it an exception to the general rule, unless it appears that the judgment in replevin can in no way be executed but by means of the bond. We are thus led to a consideration of the nature of the judgment which must be rendered in an action of replevin.

By the common law the sheriff, on executing a writ of replevin, took only pledges to prosecute, as in other actions ; and if the defendant had judgment for a return, and the sheriff upon the retorno habendo returned elongata, the defendant might have a writ of withernam against the plaintiff’s beasts. Gilbert on Distresses and Replevin 92 — 95.

But the defendant frequently had no benefit from a judgment in his favor for a return of the beasts, because the plaintiff in replevin had sold the cattle delivered to him, and become insolvent.

To remedy this and other inconveniences, the statute of West. 2, c. 2, directed the sheriff to take not only pledges for prosecuting, but also for a return of the beasts, if a return should be adjudged. Gilb. 65.

After judgment, the method of proceeding upon the statute was, that if the sheriff by the writ de retorno habendo could not find the original distress, but returned elongata, a scire facias issued against the pledges.

If the pledges could not show cause, then the defendant had a writ to have a return of the beasts of the pledges instead of the plaintiff.

If the pledges proved insufficient, and the sheriff could find none of their cattle, the sheriff’ himself by the act became liable, and the defendant might have a scire facias [183]*183against him that he render to him so many cattle, or an action on the case for omitting to take pledges, or taking such as were insufficient. And where the pledges had nothing, the defendant might also have a withernam against the plaintiff’s beasts. Qilb. 17T — 180.

Taking bond instead of pledges is said to have been ancient usage, but its legality not decided. 1 Ld. Raym. 278, Blackett vs. Crissop. The condition of the bond was, not only that the plaintiff should prosecute the suit in replevin, but also that he should make return of the beasts, if return thereof be adjudged by law, and also to save harmless and indemnify the sheriff for the delivery of the beasts.

By the 17 Car. 2 c. 7, it was enacted, that “ wherever “ the plaintiff in replevin, upon a distress for rent, shall be “ nonsuit before issue joined, in any court of record, the de- “ fendant making a suggestion, in the nature of an avowry or “cognizance for the rent in arrear, to ascertain the cause of the distress, — the court, upon his prayer, shall award a “ writ to the sheriff to enquire of the sum in arrear, and the “value of the goods or cattle distrained. And that, upon “ the return of such inquisition, the defendant shall have “ judgment to recover against the plaintiff the arrearages of “rent, incase the goods or cattle distrained shall amount “ unto that value; and in case they shall not amount to “ that value, then so much as the value of the goods or cattle “ distrained shall amount unto, with full costs of suit; and “ shall have execution for the same by fieri facias, elegit, “or otherwise. And by the same statute, the like proceed- “ ing may be had, where judgment is given for the avow- “ ant, or for him that maketh cognizance for any kind of “rent.” Qilb. 163.

Upon this statute it hath been held that a judgment for a return, also, was propqr, and that, although a writ de retorno habendo was awarded, the avowant had his election to sue out a writ of enquiry for his damages ; and Bathurst, J. said. [184]*184the legislature intended that the proceeding by writ of en- qairy, fieri facias, and elegit,

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Bell v. Bartlett, 7 N.H. 178 (N.H. Super. Ct. 1834).

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