Dangel v. Levy

1 Idaho 722
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 15, 1878
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 1 Idaho 722 (Dangel v. Levy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dangel v. Levy, 1 Idaho 722 (Idaho 1878).

Opinion

Hollister, C. J.,

delivered tbe opinion;

Clare, and Prickett, JJ., concurring.

This suit was instituted in tbe district court of Ada county by tbe respondent against tbe appellant, Margaret Bay and J. 0. Sims, on a joint and several injunction bond executed by tbem, in tbe penal sum of two thousand dollars, in wbicb a judgment was obtained against tbe appellant on tbe twenty-sixth day of March, 1877, for two thousand dollars and costs, there having been no service of summons upon tbe other defendants. Prom tbe judgment and from tbe order refusing a new trial, tbe case is brought here by appeal.

There are numerous errors assigned, for wbicb tbe appellant claims that tbe judgment should be reversed, wbicb we will proceed to notice in their proper order: 1. In overruling tbe demurrer to the complaint. 2. In bolding that tbe complaint stated facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Tbe latter specification is subdivided as follows:

1. Because there is no sufficient allegation in said complaint of plaintiff’s ownership of tbe property alleged to have been received by tbe sheriff and converted to tbe use of tbe defendant Margaret Bay, and for other purposes.

2. Because there is no allegation of tbe insolvency of tbe defendant Margaret Bay, and nothing to show that plaintiff Bangel might not have recovered tbe value of tbe property so seized by tbe sheriff by bringing bis suit therefor, after tbe removal of tbe prohibition of said plaintiff to bring bis suit, by tbe final dissolution of tbe injunction.

3. Because tbe said plaintiff has not exhausted tbe remedies required to be applied before tbe defendant Levy could be made legally answerable upon tbe bond in suit.

4. Because said defendant' Levy’s liability as a co-surety on said bond could not attach, if at all, wbicb is not conceded, until it was either averred or alleged in said com[724]*724plaint, tbat defendant Margaret Bay, who appears as principal in said bond set forth in plaintiff’s complaint, was unable to respond in damages.

5. Because two causes of action were improperly united.

As these objections will go to the foundation of the action, we will proceed to consider them in the order in which they are taken.

First, that there is no sufficient allegation, etc. After stating the execution of the bond by the obligors, the determination of the injunction suit, and the judgment of the district court that the plaintiff Margaret Bay was not entitled to the injunction, the complaint alleges that plaintiff was damaged by the injunction in the sum of two thousand dollars, as follows: cash paid J. Brumbact, attorney for plaintiff in the injunction suit, three hundred dollars; cash paid F. E. Ensign, attorney for plaintiff, in the sum of two hundred dollars; cattle sold by Margaret Bay after the,service of the injunction, of the value of six hundred and sixty-five dollars, and cattle sold by William Bryon after the service of the injunction, of the value of eight hundred and thirty-five dollars, and interest on the cattle sold, twro hundred dollars. It may be conceded, so far as the question thus presented is concerned, that there is no sufficient allegation of property in the cattle, in the complaint, to entitle the plaintiff to a recovery of their value; but as the plaintiff is entitled to his action for the recovery of the fees paid by him to his attorneys in the injunction suit, and which were properly alleged in the complaint, the demurrer going to the whole cause of action and not to that portion of it, it was properly overruled. Had the defendant wished to take advantage of the defect complained of, he should have demurred to the complaint because it was ambiguous or uncertain in that respect. Had this been done, the court could have required the plaintiff to amend the complaint, or precluded him from offering any proof as to the cattle.

The second reason assigned under this head is not tenable. The condition of the bond sued on, was that Margaret Bay as principal, and J. C. Sims and D. Levy as sureties, [725]*725do jointly and severally undertake, etc., that in case the said injunction shall issue, the said plaintiff, Margaret Bay, will pay to the said Ferdinand Dangel, enjoined such damages not exceeding two thousand dollars, as such party may sustain by reason of the said injunction, if the district court finally decide that the plaintiff was not entitled thereto. The obligation to answer in damages, by the sureties on the bond, was not made to depend upon the insolvency of the principal, but it became absolute by the terms of the undertaking, when the court in which the injunction suit w.as pending should finally decide that the plaintiff was not entitled to the injunction.

If the principal should pay the damages, the sureties would of course be relieved from liability, but a suit against a principal is not necessary to determine the liability of the sureties.

The obligee is at liberty to bring his suit against the principal, but he is not obliged to do so, with a view to determine her insolvency, before proceeding against either of the sureties. Nor is the fact that the plaintiff could have brought suit to recover the property or the value thereof against the sheriff or other persons holding it after the prohibition was removed a sufficient ground of objection to the action. The plaintiff had his election to bring his suit for the recovery of the property or its value, against any one who had converted it to his use, after the prohibition was removed, or on the bond, and having chosen the latter, it does not lie in the mouth of the defendant to complain.

The third and fourth reasons come within the same principle. It is further claimed that the complaint is bad, because the plaintiff united two causes of action, to wit: a claim for the amount paid Brumback, and the amount paid Ensign, in the same action. It seems hardly necessary to say that the amount paid to these two attorneys, being for fees in the injunction suit, constituted but one cause of action, and was recoverable as part of the damages sustained by the injunction.

The third specification of errors is as follows: The court erred in overruling said demurrer, on the various grounds [726]*726therein set up, other than those specifically above enumerated — reference to said demurrer being had, will more fully and at length appear — especially, that the complaint is ambiguous, unintelligible, and uncertain, and that there is a misjoinder of parties defendant.

We have disposed of the questions arising upon two of the grounds of demurrer, to wit, that several causes of action are improperly united, and that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, and it only remains to notice, under this specification, the remaining grounds of objection set up by the demurrer. The first is that the complaint is ambiguous, unintelligible, and uncertain in this: plaintiff avers that defendants made and filed their bond in suit, and in charging defendants for cattle sold by Wm. Bryon. As it was proper for the plaintiff to sue on the injunction bond and allege as a portion of the damages for the breach thereof, that Bryon sold cattle that he was restrained from recovering by the injunction, and as the plaintiff has done this, though in not very apt terms, it must be confessed, it is difficult to see that the complaint was objectionable on this point.

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Bluebook (online)
1 Idaho 722, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dangel-v-levy-idaho-1878.