Carnahan v. Carnahan

107 N.W. 73, 143 Mich. 390, 1906 Mich. LEXIS 660
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 19, 1906
DocketDocket No. 110
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 107 N.W. 73 (Carnahan v. Carnahan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carnahan v. Carnahan, 107 N.W. 73, 143 Mich. 390, 1906 Mich. LEXIS 660 (Mich. 1906).

Opinion

Hooker, J.

The complainant, a woman, was found guilty of a contempt for not paying certain moneys in accordance with a final decree in a divorce case, and- has appealed from an order that she pay the sum of $666.60 to Ormsby, trustee, and that, in default of such payment, she be, and remain, imprisoned in the common jail, until [393]*393she shall have performed the requirements of the order, or until the further order of the court.

A history of the proceedings is as follows: On August 27, 1904, Nelson E. Carnahan filed a bill for divorce against his wife, Minnie Carnahan, the appellant. It prayed that certain property to which Minnie Carnahan had the legal title be declared a trust in favor of Nelson Carnahan. No service of the subpoena was had on Minnie Carnahan, and apparently the case went no further. On September 1, 1904, Minnie Carnahan filed a bill for divorce and alimony against Nelsofi. E. Carnahan. He answered and filed a cross-bill, by which he attempted to make his former bill a part of his cross-bill by reference. The case was heard on pleadings and proofs in December, 1904, and Minnie Cárnahan testified that she had on deposit in Sarnia $1,200, being the amount of' an insurance upon property earned by Nelson. The court thereupon made an order in open court restraining her- from transferring, assigning, or otherwise disposing of the same, until the determination of the cause, or the further order of the court. On December 22, 1904, a decree was made granting a divorce to Minnie Carnahan, adjudging that she had in her possession or under her control $644, which in justice and equity is the property of Nelson Carnahan, being the sum found by the court as an equitable property settlement between them, and it was therein ordered that Minnie Carnahan turn over and pay to the said Nelson Carnahan, or his solicitors, the said sum, and, it appearing that she had said sum on deposit in the Lamb-ton Loan & Investment Company of Sarnia, Canada, that within 20 days from the signing of the decree she give to said Nelson or his solicitor a check upon said company, authorizing and directing it to pay and turn over said sum to Nelson Carnahan or his solicitor. This decree was enrolled January 10, 1905. On July 24, 1905, Nelson E. Carnahan’s solicitor filed a precipe for execution, and it was issued, and the same has not been returned unsatisfied. The appellant claims that the records in the office of [394]*394register of deeds in St. Clair county show an undischarged levy of said execution upon real estate. On August 5, 1905, a joint written application of Nelsón E. Carnahan, and Charles E. Ormsby, his trustee in bankruptcy, was. filed, asking an order to show cause, against Minnie Carnahan, why she should not be punished for contempt for disobedience of the aforesaid decree. This application was accompanied by documents showing the facts stated therein, relating to the bankruptcy proceedings, etc., and a demand of payment. Complainant answered, a hearing was had, and the aforesaid order followed, from which Minnie Carnahan has appealed.

The following claims of counsel show the questions to-be considered:

(1) That in the divorce case the court had no jurisdiction to decree that the wife should turn over property to-the husband, and to the extent that it required it the decree was void, and does not support the contempt proceedings.

(2) An outstanding execution precludes proceedings for contempt.

(3) That there is a misjoinder, for the reason that the-trustee in bankruptcy is not jointly interested with Mr. Carnahan in the decree.

(4) That the trustee claims by assignment, and his. claim is simply one of debt.

(5) This is a proceeding to enforce a civil remedy, and for that reason is a civil action, and the law does not permit a woman to be imprisoned in such a case.

(6) The evidence offered to prove that Ormsby was appointed, and had qualified, as trustee, was not admissible.

(7) The demand made was legally insufficient.

(8) The court has not found that Ormsby has suffered injury by reason of the alleged misconduct.

(9) That there was no evidence indicating that the right® of Carnahan were impaired, impeded, or prejudiced, and that he had suffered loss and injury by the alleged misconduct.

(10) There is no evidence to support the finding.

(11) The order is void because the period of commitment is indefinite.

[395]*3951. The first point raised is that the decree is void for the reason that property rights should not be tried in a divorce case. It is sufficient answer to say that equity has jurisdiction to grant divorces and to enforce trusts, and whether properly cognizable in one suit, as a rule, or not, the parties are bound by the decree, not having appealed. The record shows that the complainant joined in the trial of both questions. The decree cannot be considered void. Furthermore, as will be seen later, 3 Comp. Laws, § 8640, authorizes a division of certain classes of property, and it must follow that the court has power to determine what property the husband has.

2. Could execution issue, and, if so, does that preclude proceedings for contempt ? The decree affords the only light as to the conclusions of the judge upon questions of fact. From that we may infer that he has attempted to make a property settlement between them. We cannot suppose that the separate property of the wife was considered, and therefore may conclude that he was dealing with property belonging to them in common (being evidently personal), or the separate property of the husband as claimed in his answer. That the court had a right to decree a division of this property between the husband and wife is shown by 3 Comp. Laws, § 8640. It follows that under this statute it is within the power of the court to issue execution against the husband, or sequester the real and personal property of the husband, or declare a lien upon it under the express provisions of that section, to enforce the payment of alimony. It is silent, however, upon the question of execution against the wife, and, being a statute especially designed to afford relief to the wife, we think it was not designed to afford the husband relief against the wife, except incidentally in the decree as to division of property. It is probable that the possibility of a necessity of enforcing the decree against the wife, by execution or otherwise, was not considered. This would leave this decree to be enforced against her in the same way that it could be in a case brought for the single pur[396]*396pose of obtaining the husband rights in this fund. There is no doubt of the authority of the court to award execution upon application for the collection of any decree for the payment of money. See 1 Comp. Laws, § 468, which provides:

“(468) Sec. 63. ' The court may enforce performance of any decree, or obedience thereto, by execution against the body of the party against whom such decree shall have been made, or by execution against the goods and chattels, and in default thereof, the lands and tenements of such party; but no execution shall be issued on any final decree, until the same shall have been enrolled, as hereinbefore provided.”

This is an old statute, being section 3517 of the compilation of 1857.

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Bluebook (online)
107 N.W. 73, 143 Mich. 390, 1906 Mich. LEXIS 660, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carnahan-v-carnahan-mich-1906.