Clark v. Ellingson

161 N.W. 199, 35 N.D. 546, 1916 N.D. LEXIS 178
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 30, 1916
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 161 N.W. 199 (Clark v. Ellingson) 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
Clark v. Ellingson, 161 N.W. 199, 35 N.D. 546, 1916 N.D. LEXIS 178 (N.D. 1916).

Opinion

Fisk, Ch. J.

Plaintiff seeks to recover against the defendants and respondents as sureties on a redelivery undertaking given in a certain claim and delivery action wherein this plaintiff was plaintiff and one Pat Buoye was defendant, involving the right to the possession of a certain stallion of the alleged value of $1,000. The complaint in such prior action merely alleged plaintiff’s ownership and right to the immediate possession of such animal, and that defendant Buoye wrongfully detained the same from plaintiff, after a demand for possession thereof, and that such stallion was of the value of $1,000. Judgment for the immediate delivery of the animal or for $1,000 in case delivery thereof cannot be had was prayed for, together with the costs and disbursements of the action. It is important here to note the fact that such complaint contained no intimation whatever of any claim for damages either for the alleged wrongful detention or for moneys spent in pursuit of the animal, attorneys’ fees, or otherwise. In brief, plaintiff by such complaint evidently elected to limit his redress to a return of the property, or its value in case a return could not be had, and respondents became sureties on the defendant Buoye’s redelivery undertaking, with knowledge that plaintiff had thus elected to restrict his right of recovery. Notwithstanding this, plaintiff at the trial of such prior action asked for and was granted, over defendant’s objection, leave to amend his complaint by incorporating therein a claim for damages, in the sum of [549]*549$1,-Q00 for' detention of such animal, and for attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred in pursuit of such horse, and by enlarging his prayer for judgment so as to embrace such additional claims. The trial in such claim and delivery action resulted in a verdict in plaintiff’s favor, awarding him, among other things, such additional relief in the sum of $915. Judgment was entered accordingly, from which no appeal was taken. Whether it was error to grant such motion to amend the complaint is not here important, nor is it important to decide whether, as to Buoye, the amendment was ever made so as to become effective. We are here concerned only with the legal rights of the parties in the case, at bar.

The complaint is in the usual form, alleging the recovery by plaintiff against Pat Buoye of a judgment in such prior action for the return of such stallion, or for its value in the sum of $1,000 in case a return cannot be had; also for the further sum of $915 as damages for the detention of the horse and moneys expended for attorneys’ fees, etc., in pursuit of the property, and $66.15 costs, making a total of $1981.15. That such property was taken into plaintiff’s possession at the commencement of such claim and delivery action and rebouded by defendant therein through the giving of the usual undertaking for that purpose in the penal sum of $2,000, signed by these defendants as sureties. That, subsequent to the rendition of judgment, execution was issued and returned that said horse could not be found, and it is also therein alleged that no return thereof to plaintiff has ever been made, and no part of the judgment paid or satisfied.

The answer puts in issue each allegation in plaintiff’s complaint except the fact that he recovered a judgment against Buoye in the claim and delivery action for the return of such horse, or for the sum of $1,-000 in case a return cannot be had, and for $66.15 costs. Then follows an allegation that immediately after the rendition of such judgment the defendants duly delivered to, and the plaintiff accepted, such stallion, in substantially the same condition as when rebonded, thus satisfying such judgment pro tanto, and the defendants therein offered to allow plaintiff to take judgment for the amount of such costs and $5 in addition thereto, with interest, and also all accrued costs of this action.

The answer also contains new matter by way of defense in substance [550]*550as follows: The complaint in the prior action is set forth in full, together with the averment that the same was, at the commencement of such action, January 30, 1908, served with the summons, the affidavit, and the undertaking and notice in claim and delivery. That Buoye was a man of no financial responsibility. That in becoming sureties for Buoye on the redelivery bond they relied upon the fact that no claim for damages of any nature was made in the plaintiffs complaint, and they were thereby induced to become such sureties, believing in good faith that they were thereby assuming no liability beyond that of returning the horse, if a return should be adjudged or paying its value in case a return could not be made, and also for any costs of the action adjudged to plaintiff. That no amendment of the complaint in said action was ever in fact made, and defendants had no knowledge of any request to amend such complaint as aforesaid, nor did they consent thereto. That by reason of these facts plaintiff is estopped as against these defendants from recovering the item of $915 awarded as damages aforesaid, and they pray that plaintiff be given judgment only for costs adjudged in such prior action with interest, and for accrued costs in the case at bar up to the date of the service of such answer.

A reply to such affirmative defense was served and filed, although this was unnecessary in order to form an issue as to the truth of the allegations in the answer, for they were in law deemed denied. At the trial, such reply was withdrawn and a demurrer interposed to such defensive matter in the answer upon the ground that it failed to state sufficient facts to constitute a defense. Such demurrer was overruled, and proof of such defense was made. In fact the order for judgment recites that there was no controversy as to such facts. In the light of this, the learned trial court eliminated from the jury’s consideration the plaintiff’s said claim for damages in the sum of $915, and submitted but two questions to the jury as follows:

Question one: Did the defendants deliver to the plaintiff, on or about June 15, 1909, that certain stallion involved in this action, in substantially as good condition as when delivered to Pat Buoye under the redelivery bond, and without deterioration in value ?
Answer: Yes.
Question two: Did the plaintiff, Charles J. Clarke, accept from the [551]*551defendants the stallion involved in this action, on or about the 15th day of June, 1909 ?
Answer: Yes.

Judgment was accordingly rendered in plaintiff’s favor in conformity with the prayer of the answer, merely for the costs of the prior action, with interest, from which judgment, plaintiff has appealed.

While numerous specifications of error are alleged, there are but three propositions discussed in the briefs, and we need notice none other.

Under appellant’s first point he contends that prejudicial error was committed in rejecting certain evidence offered by him tending to negative defendants’ claim that the horse was returned to and accepted by plaintiff in good condition, etc. He also contends that the uncontradicted testimony discloses tBat the horse was not in as good condition as when the redelivery undertaking was given and under which Buoye obtained possession of such stallion.

There is no merit in either contention.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
161 N.W. 199, 35 N.D. 546, 1916 N.D. LEXIS 178, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/clark-v-ellingson-nd-1916.