Bryan v. Miller

16 N.W.2d 275, 73 N.D. 487, 1944 N.D. LEXIS 85
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 1, 1944
DocketFile No. 6937
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 16 N.W.2d 275 (Bryan v. Miller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bryan v. Miller, 16 N.W.2d 275, 73 N.D. 487, 1944 N.D. LEXIS 85 (N.D. 1944).

Opinion

Christianson, J.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the district court dismissing an appeal from a justice court. The action was brought to recover damages to an automobile alleged to have resulted from a collision occasioned by the negligence of the defendant. The defendant made default and, on August 30, 1943, plaintiff recovered judgment against the defendant for the amount demanded in the summons, viz: $197.15 and costs. On September 13, 1943, the defendant served upon the attorney for the plaintiff a notice of appeal, a verified answer, and an “undertaking on appeal.” These papers Were filed with the clerk of the district court on the same day. The undertaking was executed in the name of the defendant by his attorney. It contains the *490 provisions prescribed by law for an undertaking on appeal from tbe justice court, but it was not executed by any surety. However, the undertaking contained recital that: “In lieu of surety on this undertaking the said Abe Miller is depositing the sum of One hundred dollars in cash with the Clerk of the District Court of Burleigh County, North Dakota, as surety and from which any costs are to be paid on the appeal.”

The action instituted in justice court was entitled “Bussell Bryan, doing business under the trade name of Economy Cab Co. v. Abe Miller.” On January 20, 1944, the attorneys for the respective parties entered into the following written stipulation:

“STATE OE NOBTH DAKOTA COUNTY OF BUBLEIGH
Bussell Bryan, doing business under the trade name of Economy Cab Company, Plaintiff v Abe Miller, Defendant
In District Court Fourth Judicial District
Stipulation
It is hereby stipulated between the above parties that W. W. Bryan, may be added as a party-plaintiff to the above entitled action and that it may be deemed that he was party-plaintiff at the time the action was commenced.
Dated at Bismarck, North Dakota, January 20, 1944.
J. K. Murray Attorney for Plaintiff Bismarck, North Dakota
E. E. McCurdy Attorney for Defendant Bismarck, North Dakota.”

The case appeared upon the calendar of the regular February, 1944 term of the district court of Burleigh County, and came on to be heard on February 4, 1944. At that time, according to the transcript of the *491 proceedings made by the official stenographer, transmitted with and as a part of the record on appeal, the following proceedings were had:—

“The Court: The case of Russell Bryan, doing business under the trade name of Economy Cab Company vs. Abe Miller is called for trial. Is plaintiff ready for trial ?

Plaintiff’s Attorney: I ask the Court to make an order in compliance with that stipulation adding an additional party plaintiff.

Defendant’s Attorney: We don’t care how many you have in it, Judge.

Plaintiff’s Attorney: This is an appeal from Justice Court.

Defendant’s Attorney: We served an Answer.

The Court: Get your pleadings and write them in, so we will have a record of them.

Plaintiff’s Attorney: The pleadings will be the same.

The Court: Have you got your pleadings ?

Plaintiff’s Attorney: You don’t' need pleadings in Justice Court.

The Court: You do when you get in District Court. Have you an Answer ?

Defendant’s Attorney: I have a written answer. This was just appealed the last day; nohody knew anything about it so we served an Answer at that time.

The Court: I think it would be a good idea to file your complaint and file same after we have a recess.

Plaintiff’s Attorney: It is the same thing as in the summons.

The Court: I don’t see an item of negligence alleged in the summons.

Plaintiff’s Attorney: You don’t need to allege it.

The Court: If you don’t, it is new to me. I will permit you to file a complaint a little later. The title of this case may he amended pursuant to stipulation that has just been filed with the Clerk of Court under date of January 20th, 1944, and just now filed, making W. W. Bryan together with Russell Bryan, as a party plaintiff. Do I understand, Mr. Murray, they constitute and are doing business under the name of the Economy Cab Company, the two of them ?

Plaintiff’s Attorney: Yes, just the two of them.

*492 The Court: That is agreeable to both counsel, and that will be the order.

Plaintiff’s Attorney: Before a Jury is called, plaintiff moves to dismiss the appeal on the following grounds:

First: The Court has no jurisdiction of the subject-matter of this action;

Second: This is an appeal from the Justice Court to the District Court, and that an undertaking on appeal with sureties is a statutory requirement in order to give the Court jurisdiction over the subject-matter on an appeal;

Third: That the defendant and appellant has not furnished such a bond or undertaking. That he has merely furnished the bond signed by the Attorney for the defendant as agent for the defendant without any sureties. That he has attempted to use instead of a bond, a cash deposit, and the requirements of the statute have not been complied with,......

Thereafter, some discussion followed in which the court and counsel for the plaintiff and counsel for the defendant participated. In the course of. such discussion defendant’s counsel stated that he had personally made the deposit of $100 with the clerk of the District Court. On being asked whether he had a receipt for the money paid to the clerk, defendant’s counsel stated that he thought he filed the receipt with the clerk. He further said: “I don’t remember, Judge, whether I gave him the money and receipt both, but I think under the statute he is required to deposit the money with the County Treasurer. I don’t think theré is any dispute, when the Clerk of Court gets his record up, that the money was deposited. Counsel came in here and has voluntarily submitted himself to the jurisdiction of this Court. He has asked for an amendment to amend his parties, which amendment was consented to and the order made by the Court, so that whether there was ever an action before or whether there ever was an appeal taken is immaterial. Both parties are here appearing by their counsel, and the Court has jurisdiction regardless.”

Thereupon the court announced its decision. The court stated that the receipt in the clerk’s file showed that a deposit of $100 had been turned over to the county treasurer by the 'clerk on September 14, 1943; *493 that this was the only deposit that had been made in this case; that it appeared that at the time the appeal papers were served no deposit had been made.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
16 N.W.2d 275, 73 N.D. 487, 1944 N.D. LEXIS 85, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bryan-v-miller-nd-1944.