Duich v. Corello

5 N.E.2d 339, 53 Ohio App. 388, 20 Ohio Law. Abs. 545, 5 Ohio Op. 6, 1935 Ohio App. LEXIS 278
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 23, 1935
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 5 N.E.2d 339 (Duich v. Corello) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Duich v. Corello, 5 N.E.2d 339, 53 Ohio App. 388, 20 Ohio Law. Abs. 545, 5 Ohio Op. 6, 1935 Ohio App. LEXIS 278 (Ohio Ct. App. 1935).

Opinions

OPINION

By LEVINE, J.

The parties appear in reverse order. The action was one in replevin which was instituted in the Municipal Court of Cleveland by Angelo Corello. He claimed the right of possession of certain furniture and equipment by reason of a chattel mortgage to secure a promissory note in the sum of $890. Defendant in error, by way of defense, maintained that the note and mort *546 gage were executed by Mary Duich, his sister-in-law and another one by the name of Gust Godley. It is unnecessary to enter into a detailed discussion of the issuable facts, as the principal question before us is a question of law.

Plaintiff in error who was defendant in the Municipal Court, made a request for separate findings of fact and conclusions of law, on December 22, 1934. Error is predicated upon the proposition that the court failed to comply with the request as required by law. It is claimed by defendant in error that the court at a later time made compliance with the request. The record does not disclose such compliance, and if we are to take into consideration facts extraneous to the record, it appears that such alleged compliance took place long after the time for the filing of the bill of exceptions had expired. It is quite apparent that a finding of facts and conclusions of law filed long after the institution of error proceedings would be entirely useless. We may take it for granted upon the record that there was no compliance with the request. This leads us into a discussion of the law as to whether §11421-2, GC, applies to a. replevin action filed in the Municipal Court. §11421-2, GC, reads as follows:

"When questions of fact are tried by the court, its findings may be general for the plaintiff or defendant, unless, with a view of excepting to the court’s decision upon questions of law involved in the trial, one of the parties so requests, in which case, the court shall state in writing the conclusions of fact found separately from the conclusions of law.”

In the case of Cleveland Produce Co. v Dennert, 104 Oh St 149, the Supreme Court held that the provisions of the above section confer a substantial right and are mandatory and that a failure to comply with the request for separate findings of fact and conclusions of law is reversible error. Counsel for defendant in error urges that the Municipal Court operates under rules of practice and procedure including the classifications of cases which were adopted by the judges in the exercise of statutory power to enact such rules. We are cited to the rules of the Municipal Court which, amongst others, provide that replevin- actions are to be classed as second-class cases as follows:

"SECOND CLASS CASES: 2. That all cases in proceedings for ' the recovery of personal property, together with damages for the wrongful detention thereof * *

Sec 1579-36, GC, reads in part as follows:

“And provided further that in all proceedings in error relating to judgments or orders of the Municipal Court, the reviewing courts shall take judicial notice of all rules relating to pleadings, practice or procedure of the Municipal Court.”

In the case of Savoccol v Dietrich, 37 Oh Ap 228 (9 Abs 206), the court said:

“1. The provisions of §11470, GC,. are not applicable to proceedings in a court of justice of the peace.

“2. In the Municipal Court of the city of Cleveland civil actions designated by court rule as second class cases are triable under the provisions of the General Code governing the practice and procedure in a justice of peace court.

“3. In such cases it is not error for a trial court to refuse to state in writing the conclusions of fact found separately from the conclusions of law.”

It is therefore contended by defendant in error that since all replevin actions, regardless of the amount involved, are classed as second-class cases, that under the authority of Savoccol v Dietrich, supra, it is not error for the court to refuse to state in writing the conclusions of facts found separately from conclusions of law. That the requirement of complying with the request for separate findings of facts and conclusions of law is limited to first class cases only, which under the rule of the Municipal Court the Ohio code of civil procedure governing the procedure and practice of the Courts of Common Pleas is made applicable.

It will be observed that the appraised value of the property taken in the instant case is a sum approximating $900. §10472, GC, which deals with the jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace in replevin cases, reads as follows:

“When the appraised value of the property so taken exceeds $300 the justice shall certify the proceedings in the case to the Common Pleas Court of his county and thereupon file the original papers with a certified transcript of his docket entries, in the clerk’s office of such court. The case must then proceed as if it had been commenced there.”

It is clear that a justice of peace has no jurisdiction to hear and determine a re *547 plevin case if the appraised value of the property exceeds $300. Prior to the establishment of the Municipal Court of Cleveland the case at bar could not have been tried in a justice court. The Common Pleas Court alone had jurisdiction of such a case. It will be profitable to cite the rules of the Municipal Court dealing with the procedure and practice of first and second class cases. These are as follows:

“Rule 23. In all first class cases the provisions of the Ohio code of civil procedure governing the practice and procedure of Courts of Common Pleas, so far as the same are applicable to the Municipal Court and consistent with the act of May 10, 1911, establishing said Municipal Court, and not inconsistent with the rules otherwise adopted for the practice and procedure of said Municipal Court, shall be held to apply to and govern the proceedings in said Municipal Court.
“Rule 24. In second class cases the provisions of the Ohio code governing the practice and procedure in the court of justices of the peace, so far as the same may be applicable to the Municipal Court and consistent with the act creating the same, and not inconsistent with the rules otherwise adopted, shall be held to apply to and govern the proceedings in said Municipal Court.”

It was the purpose of Rule 23 to incorporate the provisions of the Ohio code of civil procedure governing the practice and procedure of the Court of Common Pleas by reference, and make the same applicable to first class cases tried in the Municipal Court. It was likewise the purpose of Rule 24 to incorporate by reference the provisions of the Ohio code governing the practice and procedure in the court of justices of the peace and make the same applicable to second class cases in the Municipal Court. In both Rule 23 and Rule 24 we have the phrase “as far as the same may be applicable.” The provisions of the justice court code may be deemed to have been incorporated in Rule 24 of the Municipal Court of Cleveland just as if they had been set forth' in full therein. These provisions are applicable to the trial of second class cases in the Municipal Court.

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30 N.E.2d 808 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1940)

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Bluebook (online)
5 N.E.2d 339, 53 Ohio App. 388, 20 Ohio Law. Abs. 545, 5 Ohio Op. 6, 1935 Ohio App. LEXIS 278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/duich-v-corello-ohioctapp-1935.