Cunningham v. German Ins. Bank

103 F. 932, 43 C.C.A. 377, 1900 U.S. App. LEXIS 3800
Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit·Decided May 21, 1900·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

LURTON, Circuit Judge.

Scanlon & Co., a corporation of the state of Kentucky, is an involuntary bankrupt. Proceedings for the purpose of distributing its assets are pending in the bankruptcy court for the district of Kentucky. This is an appeal, under section 25 of the bankruptcy act of 1898, from a judgment allowing a claim in favor [933]*933of the appellee, the German Insurance Bank, for $35,000, and holding same entitled, to priority under a mortgage made by the bankrupt to secure same. The matter comes on now to be heard upon several motions made by appellee: First, to dismiss the appeal because the transcript of the record filed by the appellant is not a properly certified and full transcript of the record in the district court; second, to dismiss the appeal in so far as it is thereby sought to review the judgment of the court below according to appellee the benefit of the security for his debt provided by a mortgage; third, to compel the appellant to complete the transcript by filing a transcript of certain documents, depositions, and other proofs averred to be necessary to the hearing of the appeal if the court shall deny the motion to dismiss same.

1. The defect in the certified transcript pointed out by counsel for the appellee is that the clerk has neither certified that it is a transcript of the entire record, nor of such parts as he has been directed by court or counsel to certify, but that it is a “true and correct transcript” of certain papers, orders, and proofs, which he recites. Counsel insist that, as the transcript does not purport to be a full record, nor a record composed of such parts of the record as had been agreed upon by stipulation or directed by the court, it is not a “legal record,” and that The appeal should be dismissed upon the authority of Meyer v. Implement Co., decided by the circuit court of appeals for the Fifth circuit, and reported in 52 U. S. App. 478, 29 C. C. A. 465, and 85 Fed. 874. In Railroad Co. v. Schulte, 100 U. S. 644, 25. L. Ed. 605, we find authority for a less rigorous rule. The transcript in that case had been made up of such papers and evidence as the appellant deemed necessary for the hearing of the mal ter involved by the appeal. The clerk certified that it was a transcript of such parts of the record as were “necessary on the hearing of the appeal prayed and allowed in said cause.” It was urged by the appellee that much that was important had been omitted, and the court was moved to dismiss the appeal because no properly certified transcript had been filed. This the court declined to do, but ordered “that the appellees file with the clerk of this court, and with the counsel for the appellant, on or before the 1st day of February next, a statement of the papers, documents, and proofs used on the hearing below, and omitted in the transcript now on file; which they deem necessary for the proper presentation of the cause; and that unless the appellant shall, on or before the 1,5th day of March, file in this court, as part of the record, copies of such papers, duly certified by the clerk of the circuit court or his deputy, under the seal of the court, this appeal be dismissed. If in this way unnecessary papers are brought up, we will, on application, make such order in respect to costs as may, under the circumstances, be proper.” It is desirable that a transcr ipt sent to this court upon appeal shall contain no immaterial matter, and the third paragraph of the fourteenth rule of this court prescribes that “no case will be heard until a complete record, containing in itself, and no! by reference, all the papers, exhibits, depositions and other proceedings, which are necessary to the hearing in this court shall be filed.” It is manifest that neither the counsel for the appellant nor the clerk can conclusively determine what parts are “necessary to the hearing in this court.” When, there[934]*934fore, the certificate does not show the record is a full and complete record of the entire proceedings, it ought to appear, by stipulation or otherwise, that it does include all that is necessary to a determination of the matters involved by the appeal; and, if the appellee is not content with the transcript as filed, he should seasonably move the court to require the appellant to complete the record by filing a transcript of such other papers and evidence as he deems necessary and points out.

2. Neither does the appellee make a case which would justify a rule upon the appellant to file a more complete transcript. In support of the motion for this purpose appellee has filed an affidavit describing, certain papers, documents, and depositions which were in evidence at the hearing before the referee, and which appellee avers are necessary to a hearing upon the matters involved by this appeal. But it is not averred that this original evidence constituted any part of the record upon .which the judgment of the district court was rendered. And this is the ground upon which the appellant has opposed the allowance of a rule by which such proofs are to be now made part of the transcript in this court. That the documents and proofs desired by the appellee constituted the original evidence upon which the referee made the findings and orders which were subsequently reviewed by the judge below is not denied. But that review, so far as appears from the transcript on file, or the affidavit which is the foundation of the motion now under consideration, was not made upon the original documents or other proofs which were before the referee, but upon a certificate of the questions presented, and a summary of the evidence which related to those questions, as provided by the twenty-seventh general order in bankruptcy (32 O. C. A. xxvii., 89 Fed. xi.). That order is as follows:

“When a bankrupt, creditor, trustee or other person shall desire a review by the judge of any order made by the referee, he shall file with the referee his petition therefor, setting out the error complained of; and the referee shall forthwith certify to the judge the question presented, a summary of the evidence relating thereto, and the finding and order of the referee thereon.”

This order is based upon the fifth paragraph of section 39 of the bankruptcy act of 1898, which, among other duties of the referee, requires that they shall make up records “embodying the evidence, or the substance thereof, as agreed' upon by the parties in all contested matters arising before them, whenever requested to do so by either of the parties thereto, together with their findings therein, and transmit them to the judge.” Following the practice prescribed by the twenty-seventh general order the appellants and appellee filed their respective petitions, setting out the errors complained of, and praying that the referee would certify the questions presented, “and a summary of the evidence relating thereto, and the finding and order of the referee thereon.” This the referee did, and at the instance of the appellee he amended his certificate by certifying certain additional facts desired as part of the summary of evidence. This certificate and summary are found in the record as certified, and no exception appears to have been taken, either before the referee or court; to the sufficiency and completeness thereof. In the absence of some order of the court below, we must [935]*935presume that the hearing in the district court was upon the summary of the evidence thus certified by the referee, and that the original evidence now sought to he made part of the transcript constituted no part of the record in the court below.

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Cunningham v. German Ins. Bank, 103 F. 932, 43 C.C.A. 377, 1900 U.S. App. LEXIS 3800 (6th Cir. 1900).

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