Collum v. Hervey

3 S.W.2d 993, 176 Ark. 714, 1928 Ark. LEXIS 773
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedMarch 19, 1928
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 3 S.W.2d 993 (Collum v. Hervey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Collum v. Hervey, 3 S.W.2d 993, 176 Ark. 714, 1928 Ark. LEXIS 773 (Ark. 1928).

Opinion

Mehaffy, J.

The appellee, plaintiff below, began this suit in the Miller Circuit Court, alleging that she was the owner of 15 acres of land in section 33, township 14 south, range 28 west, in Miller County, Arkansas, which land was described in her complaint, and claimed title to said land as follows: That, prior to the year 1909, plaintiff’s sister, Mary Day, was in possession of the 40-acre tract, which included the 15 acres sued for, and had been in possession for many years, working said land and improving same and claiming to be the owner of the whole 40-acre tract. That said Mary Day put plaintiff in possession of the 15-acre tract involved in this suit, and that, immediately upon said gift, the plaintiff entered into possession of said 15 acres, which was then in the woods, and plaintiff cleared same, fenced it, built houses thereon, and put said 15 acres in cultivation, and openly and notoriously held the adverse possession thereof 'all the time, claiming to be the owner for more than seven years,' until she was some time ago dispossessed by some kind of a writ issued against her husband. She alleged that the defendants, appellants here, were in the unlawful and wrongful possession of said lands, 'claiming to be the owners, and that plaintiff was entitled to the possession.

Defendants filed a demurrer, which was by the court overruled. They also filed a motion to make more definite and certain, which was also overruled, and exceptions saved. The defendants then filed answer, alleging that R. B. Collum was the owner of the tract of land claimed by plaintiff; that he purchased from John P. Hervey, and that Hervey inherited the lands from his father, Charles Hervey, and tendered deeds showing title to said lands.

The defendants further answered, alleging that neither Mary Day nor Isom Hervey ever had title to said lands, and denied the material allegations of plaintiff’s complaint. Defendants admitted that at one time Mary Day lived on the land,' and had given plaintiff and her husband the privilege of living on the land. Defendants alleged that defendants’ grantor, being a minor, brought suit by Sally E. Hyden, his guardian, in the Miller Chancery Court, to quiet the title to said land in John B. Hervey. The suit was against Mary Day and Isom Hervey, plaintiff’s husband. It is alleged that the suit included the plaintiff. That in said suit all the rights and equities ever existing in behalf of the plaintiff were pleaded, and the same inquired into and disposed of in said cause, and that the title of John P. Hervey, defendants’ grantor, was quieted in him, and a writ of assistance was issued in support of said decree and the rig’ht of the defendant’s grantor under same, ejecting all of said defendants, including plaintiff, from said 40 acres, which included the 15 acres claimed by plaintiff.

The plea of res judicata was submitted to the court, in the absence of the jury, and the defendants introduced and read in evidence chancery record in the case of John P. Hervey, an infant, by Sally E. Hyden, his guardian, against Mary Day and Isom Hervey. The suit resulting in the decree which was introduced involved the lands -in controversy in this suit, and said decree showed that the lands had been adjudged and decreed to the plaintiff, John P. Hervey; that he was the owner of the legal title, and it was decreed that he have and recover of and from the defendants, Mary Day and Isom P. Hervey, and their tenants, the possession of said lands; and that, upon failure of defendants and their-tenants to deliver possession, plaintiff should have a writ of possession. Said decree also adjudged' and decreed that the title of plaintiff, John P. Hervey, be and it is hereby established, quieted and confirmed against all persons claiming by, through or under any of the conveyances as set out in this decree.

The plaintiff objected to the introduction of the decree because Senie Hervey, the plaintiff, is not a party to the suit. Said objection was overruled, and plaintiff excepted. Defendants then introduced and read in evidence the pleadings in said chancery cause, and it was admitted that Senie Hervey was the wife of Isom Hervey, but objection was made because Senie Hervey was not a party to the suit.

The will of Mary Mays was introduced, Mary Mays being the same person as Mary Day, above mentioned. Objection was made to the introduction of the will, and said objection overruled, and exceptions saved. The defendants then introduced and read in evidence the writ of possession issued by the Miller County Chancery Court, commanding the sheriff that he take from the. possession of the defendants, Mary Day and Isom Hervey, the land and premises described in the chancery decree, and deliver the same to John P. Plervey.

After the introduction of the above evidence the court overruled defendant’s plea of res jtidicata, and thereupon the parties introduced the evidence on the main issue, and the case was submitted to the jury, and a verdict returned in favor of the plaintiff.

The testimony showed that the plaintiff claimed title through Mary Day, her sister; that she was living with her husband at the time suit was brought against Mary Day and her husband; that a decree was rendered against this plaintiff’s husband and Mary Day, and Hervey, the grantor of appellants, was decreed to be the owner and entitled to possession of the land involved in this suit. Plaintiff offered to introduce in the trial of the case before the jury the decree of the chancery court. Objection was made and sustained, and appellants were not permitted to introduce and read in evidence the decree of the chancery court.

As the judgment or the decree of the chancery court, introduced on the question of res judicata, is binding on the wife, the suit being against the husband, the plea should have been sustained by the court. It appears that the husband and wife were living together on this 15 acres as husband and wife; that the suit was against the husband alone, a decree rendered, a writ of possession issued, and, as a result of the decree and writ of possession, both the husband and wife and Mary Day vacated the premised, and possession was delivered to the grantor of appellants.

A majority of the judges are of opinion that this was not the separate property of the wife, but that, the husband and wife living together, the husband’s occupancy was her occupancy, or rather that she was occupying it as a wife and because her husband was occupying it; that the domicile of the husband is the domicile of the wife, and that the decree in the chancery court, although the wife was not a party, under the circumstances in this case, was binding on her.

The writer does not agree with this view, but a majority of the judges do, and it is therefore the opinion of the court that the decree of the chancery court, although the wife was not actually made a party, is binding on her as well as the husband.

“A judgment in favor of or against the husband in an action involving a debt due the community will, it has been held, bind the wife, regardless of her nonjoinder.” 21 Cyc. 1694.

• “The judgment in an action by a husband to determine the boundary line of land which was community property is conclusive on both husband and wife, although the wife was not a party to the action, in the absence of proof that it was brought without her consent.” Leggett v. Ross, 14 Wash. 41, 44 Pac.

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Bluebook (online)
3 S.W.2d 993, 176 Ark. 714, 1928 Ark. LEXIS 773, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/collum-v-hervey-ark-1928.