Belote v. Bakken

359 P.2d 372, 139 Mont. 43, 1961 Mont. LEXIS 4
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 8, 1961
DocketNo. 10181
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 359 P.2d 372 (Belote v. Bakken) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Belote v. Bakken, 359 P.2d 372, 139 Mont. 43, 1961 Mont. LEXIS 4 (Mo. 1961).

Opinion

MR. JUSTICE ANGSTMAN

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

Plaintiff recovered judgment against defendants in the district court of Cascade County in the sum of $29,340.77. Executions were issued directed to the sheriff of Pondera, Teton, Flathead and Lake Counties. Those issued to Teton and Lake Counties were never returned. That issued to Pondera County was returned unsatisfied. That issued to Flathead County was returned and filed. A partial satisfaction of the judgment was filed, but the balance remains unpaid.

[44]*44Plaintiff then commenced proceedings supplementary to execution by filing an affidavit in the district court of Cascade County, in which he sought an order requiring defendant, Mary Alice Bakken, to appear at a specified time and place “to answer concerning the nature and extent of her property.” Pursuant to the request made in the affidavit, the court made an order requiring defendant, Mary Alice Bakken, to appear before the court in Great Falls, Cascade County on the 29th day of June, 1960, “to answer concerning- her property and her interests therein.”

Mary Alice Bakken filed a motion to quash the order upon the following grounds: (1) that the court was without jurisdiction to make the order; (2) that the affidavit of plaintiff did not state facts sufficient to warrant the making of the order; (3) that the affidavit stated that appellant was, at the time the order was made, a resident of Flathead County; (4) that actually at the time the order was made appellant was and now is a resident of Lake County and not a resident of Cascade County.

The court denied the motion to quash, and this appeal followed. It was conceded in the oral argument on the appeal that appellant is a resident of Lake County.

Appellant contends that the court erred in ordering her, while a resident of Lake County, to appear in Cascade County to answer concerning her property. She contends that this may not be done because of the specific prohibition contained in section 93-5901, R.C.M.1947, which, in part, states: “* * * but no judgment debtor must be required to attend before a judge or referee out of the county in which he resides.”

Plaintiff takes the position that he is proceeding under section 93-5902, R.C.M.1947, and not under section 93-5901, and that section 93-5902, contains no prohibition against ordering a debtor from one county to another.

It therefore becomes necessary to consider sections 93-5901 and 93-5902. These sections provide:

[45]*45“93-5901. Debtor required to answer concerning liis property, when. When an execution against property of the judgment debtor, or of any one of several debtors in the same judgment, issued to the sheriff of the county where he resides, or if he does not reside in this state, to the sheriff of the county where the judgment roll is filed, is returned unsatisfied in whole or in part, the judgment creditor, at any time after such return is made, is entitled to an order from a judge of the court, requiring such judgment debtor to appear and answer concerning his property before such judge, or a referee appointed by him, at a time and place specified in the order; but no judgment debtor must be required to attend before a judge or referee .out of the county in which he resides.”
“93-5902. Proceedings to compel debtor to appear — in what cases he may be arrested — what bail may be given. After the issuance of an execution against property, and upon proof, by affidavit of a party or otherwise, to the satisfaction of a judge of the court, that any judgment debtor has property which he unjustly refuses to apply toward the satisfaction of the judgment, such judge may, by an order, require the judgment debtor to appeal’, at a specified time and place, before such judge, or a referee appointed by him, to answer concerning the same; and such proceedings may thereupon be had for the application of the property of the judgment debtor toward the satisfaction of the judgment as are provided upon the return of an execution. Instead of the order requiring the attendance of the judgment debtor, the judge may, upon affidavit of the judgment creditor, his agent or attorney, if it appears to him that there is danger of the debtor absconding, order the sheriff to arrest the debtor and bring him before such judge. Upon being brought before the judge, he may be ordered to enter into an undertaking, with sufficient surety, that he will attend from time to time before the judge or referee, as may be directed during the pendency of proceedings and until the final determination thereof, and will not in the [46]*46meantime dispose of any portion of Ms property not exempt from execution. In default of entering into such undertaking he may be committed to prison.”

These two sections were passed at the same time and relate to the same general subject and hence, must be construed together and effect given to each, if possible. State ex rel. Special Road District No. 8 v. Millis, 81 Mont. 86, 261 P. 885; Wilkinson v. La Combe, 59 Mont. 518, 197 P. 836; Box v. Duncan, 98 Mont. 216, 38 P.2d 986; Brown v. Foster, 48 Mont. 114, 135 P. 993.

It is clear that under section 93-5901, when execution against property of the judgment debtor has been issued to the sheriff of the county where the debtor resides, and has been returned unsatisfied, the creditor may proceed as therein directed and compel the debtor to answer concerning his property, but he cannot be required under that section to go from the county where he resides to another county.

In Brindjonc v. Brindjonc, 96 Mont. 481, 487, 31 P.2d 725, 728, this court had occasion to point out the distinction between what is now section 93-5901 and 93-5902, by saying:

“* * * The first section is applicable to cases wherein the judgment creditor has no knowledge of the existence of any property of the defendant subject to levy under execution. The second section is applicable where the judgment creditor has knowledge of property belonging to the defendant, but which he has been unable to locate or have it levied upon tindery the execution.”

Whether the application in question here is based upon section 93-5902 as plaintiff contends depends upon the allegations made by the affidavit seeking the order. It sets out the following:

“That your affiant is informed, believes and therefore states that one of the defendants herein, to-wit: Mary Alice Bakken, has property which she unjustly refuses to apply toward the satisfaction of judgment herein. That the plaintiff has made [47]*47diligent search and inquiry in the public offices of Cascade and Flathead County in an attempt to locate property or obtain information regarding property owned by the said defendant, but that said efforts have been totally unsuccessful.
“That your affiant verily believes and therefore states that the defendant, Mary Alice Bakken, has concealed and is concealing assets of unknown nature and extent which this plaintiff is entitled to reach upon execution and the satisfaction of his judgment.
“That your affiant is informed, believes and therefore states that the defendant, Mary Alice Bakken, is presently residing with Mrs.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
359 P.2d 372, 139 Mont. 43, 1961 Mont. LEXIS 4, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/belote-v-bakken-mont-1961.