Berigan Bros. v. GROWERS CATTLE CR. CORP. OF OMAHA

156 N.W.2d 794, 182 Neb. 656, 1968 Neb. LEXIS 447
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 1, 1968
Docket36674
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 156 N.W.2d 794 (Berigan Bros. v. GROWERS CATTLE CR. CORP. OF OMAHA) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berigan Bros. v. GROWERS CATTLE CR. CORP. OF OMAHA, 156 N.W.2d 794, 182 Neb. 656, 1968 Neb. LEXIS 447 (Neb. 1968).

Opinions

Carter, J.

This is an action for a declaratory judgment under the provisions of sections 25-21,149 through 25-21,164, R. R. S. 1943. The trial court sustained demurrers to the petition and dismissed the action. The plaintiff has appealed.

The plaintiff, Berigan Bros., a copartnership, is a livestock commission firm in Omaha, Nebraska, and will hereafter be referred to as Berigan Bros. The defendant, Richardson Ranch Company, is a copartnership engaged in the business of raising cattle and related activities with its principal place of business in North Platte, Nebraska, and will hereafter be designated as Richardson Ranch. The defendant W & S Cattle Company is a co-partnership engaged in raising and feeding cattle in Cuming County, Nebraska, and will be, hereafter designated as W & S' Cattle. The defendants William Wisnieski, Patricia Wisnieski, and Margaret Svoboda are partners in W & S’ Cattle and will be designated as W & S Cattle except when referred to personally. The defendant Growers Cattle Credit Corporation of Omaha is engaged in the business of financing agriculture, including the raising and feeding of cattle, and will hereafter be referred to as Growers Corporation.

In October 1964, the Growers Corporation filed an action against Berigan Bros., Richardson Ranch, W & S Cattle, William Wisnieski, Patricia Wisnieski, and Margaret Svoboda in which it was alleged: On January 19, [658]*6581963, W & S Cattle drew its draft in the amount of $2,111.50 on Growers Corporation which was honored, the proceeds being used by W & S Cattle to purchase 17 head of mixed steers. On January 21, 1963, W & S Cattle drew .its draft in the amount of $14,284.45 on Growers Corporation which was honored, the proceeds being used by W & S' Cattle to purchase 93 head of steers and heifers. On the back of each draft was a bill of sale of the cattle from the seller to Growers Corporation, the possession of the cattle, being placed in W & S Cattle by the endorsements on the drafts. On January 22, 1963, W -& S Cattle delivered 110 head of cattle to Berigan Bros, for sale.. They were sold for $15,866'.94. Of this amount $15,005.60 was paid to Richardson Ranch and $388.12 to W & S' Cattle. The remaining balance was used for sale expenses. Growers Corporation claims ownership of the cattle and sues for the conversion of the cattle by Richardson Ranch, W -& S Cattle, and Berigan Bros. It is asserted by Growers Corporation that the 110 head of cattle were never removed to Cuming County in the possession of W & S Cattle. This seems to be borne out by the allegation of the petition that the cattle were sold the day after the 93 head of cattle were purchased, to wit, January 22, 1963.

Defendants W & S Cattle, William Wisnieski, Patricia Wisnieski, and Margaret Svoboda filed a general denial. Berigan Bros, filed an answer in which it asserted that the receipts of the sale were paid out on the written directions of William Wisnieski and the insistence of a Mr. Richardson of Richardson Ranch, and that Berigan Bros, had no interest in the cattle other than its commission for selling the cattle. Berigan Bros, further alleged that W & S Cattle has made payments to Growers Corporation in amounts unknown to it and that by reason of the conduct of Growers Corporation the latter has waived what other rights of action it might otherwise have had. Berigan Bros, prayed for an accounting between Growers Corporation, Richardson Ranch, and W [659]*659& S' Cattle, and such other orders necessary to effect equity and justice.

Defendant Richardson Ranch filed an answer in which it asserted that W & S Cattle had established a line of credit with Growers Corporation by which W & S Cattle was authorized to draw drafts on it for cattle purchased and subsequently execute chattel mortgages on the cattle for the amount of such drafts. It is further alleged that Growers Corporation did in fact take a mortgage on the 17 head of steers purchased on January 19, 1963, and other cattle, and caused the same to be recorded in Cuming County. It is alleged that the language printed on the reverse side of the draft is of no force and effect and was not intended as a conveyance of title or a transfer of the cattle to the Growers Corporation. It is also alleged that W & S' Cattle negotiated with Growers Corporation for the payment for the 17 steers and made payments thereon which resulted in Growers Corporation estopping itself from recovering on the theory of a conversion of the cattle. Richardson Ranch further alleged that it sold 180 head of cattle to W & S Cattle on August 4, 1962, for $14,600, taking a note therefor secured by a chattel mortgage duly recorded. It is asserted that on January 14, 1963, W & S Cattle sold 167 head of said cattle through Berigan Bros., for $17,-262.26 which was paid over to Growers Corporation by W & S Cattle and is entitled to have credit therefor as against any money received by Richardson Ranch claimed by Growers Corporation. It is also asserted that after the sale of the 93 head of steers and heifers, Growers Corporation negotiated with W & S Cattle to obtain payment of its outstanding notes, that partial payments were received from time to time, and it has thereby precluded itself from denying the authority of W & S Cattle to sell the cattle or to sue for their conversion. Richardson Ranch also counterclaimed for' $15,005.60 against Growers Corporation in the event the court ren[660]*660dered a judgment for Growers Corporation against Richardson Ranch.

Growers Corporation moved to strike those parts of the answers of Richardson Ranch and Berigan Bros, dealing with transactions outside the question of the ownership of the proceeds of the sale amounting to $15,866.94, including the cross-petition of Richardson Ranch. Pending the. disposition of the motion to strike and on April 11, 1966, the present action for a declaratory judgment was filed. The foregoing is the factual situation existing when Berigan Bros, sought relief by declaratory judgment.

On April 12, 1967, an amended petition for a declaratory judgment was filed in which it was alleged that the motion to strike in the pending conversion case was sustained by the trial court. The sustaining of the motion indicates, of course, that the conversion case was limited to the cause of action therein pleaded and that other possible causes of action would not be determined in that case.

The amended petition for a declaratory judgment recites the, facts of the conversion case before the motion to strike was sustained. The prayer of the petition for declaratory judgment prays for a judgment determining the rights and obligations of each party with regard to the proceeds of the transactions of January 14, 1963, and January 22, 1963, and all agreements between any of the parties to the action, including an accounting between the parties and such further relief as may be deemed just and equitable. It is argued that such a declaratory judgment action, would prevent a multiplicity of suits and eliminate the possible intervention of the statute of limitations. It is asserted that Berigan Bros, has no adequate remedy at law, or any means of obtaining a speedy determination of its rights and obligations. The, trial court sustained the demurrers to the petition on the ground that no cause of action was stated, in other words, that the petition did not state facts to bring the action [661]*661within the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act.

Defendants contend that the case is controlled by Strawn v.

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Berigan Bros. v. GROWERS CATTLE CR. CORP. OF OMAHA
156 N.W.2d 794 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1968)

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Bluebook (online)
156 N.W.2d 794, 182 Neb. 656, 1968 Neb. LEXIS 447, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berigan-bros-v-growers-cattle-cr-corp-of-omaha-neb-1968.