Emery v. Airth

147 N.W. 536, 180 Mich. 433, 1914 Mich. LEXIS 911
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 1, 1914
DocketDocket No. 55
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 147 N.W. 536 (Emery v. Airth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Emery v. Airth, 147 N.W. 536, 180 Mich. 433, 1914 Mich. LEXIS 911 (Mich. 1914).

Opinion

Brooke, J.

On November 24, 1897, complainant gave to defendant Watson her promissory note for $660, secured by a real estate mortgage covering certain lands described in the bill of complaint. On the same day defendant Watson assigned said note and mortgage, together with five other notes and mortgages, to defendant Airth as security for his note of $1,100, given to Airth. Complainant between the years 1898 and 1908 made certain payments upon principal and interest to defendant Watson, some of which were turned over to Airth by Watson. On November 8, 1911, complainant tendered to defendant Airth $145, which she claimed to be the balance due from her and demanded a discharge of the mortgage. This being refused, she filed her bill of complaint, alleging the payment to Watson of the several sums of principal and interest, alleging her ignorance of the assignment from Watson to Airth and averring that Watson was the agent of Airth. To this bill defendant Watson filed an answer admitting all the material averments, except as to the amounts paid. As to those he left complainant to her proof.

Defendant Airth filed an answer and cross-bill. He admitted the making and assignment of the mortgage as alleged, but denied that Watson was his agent to collect the moneys payable thereunder, and denied that [435]*435complainant had made any payments upon principal or interest to said Watson as his agent, and claimed that there was then due him upon said mortgage the sum of $629.85; this sum being the balance due him from Watson on the $1,100 note. He prayed for an accounting as between himself, complainant, and defendant Watson, and for a sale of the mortgaged premises to satisfy any sum found to be due from complainant. Upon this cross-bill a subpoena was issued and duly served upon defendant Watson. Watson not having appeared, an order pro eonfesso was duly entered against him by the solicitor for cross-complainant Airth on June 5, 1912. On July 3, 1912, the case came on to be heard. The complainant and her counsel were present, Defendant Watson was represented by his counsel, Mr. I. S. Canfield, and defendant Airth by his counsel, Mr. William N. Cross. Testimony was taken in open court, and it was determined that defendant Watson was indebted to defendant Airth in the sum of $644.21, and that of this sum complainant should pay the sum of $272; that being the amount found to be due from her upon her note and mortgage. A decree was noticed for settlement on July 15, 1912. That decree provided that complainants should pay the sum of $272 to defendant Airth, and in default thereof her mortgage should be foreclosed, and further that defendant Watson should pay to Airth, as cross-complainant, the further sum of $372.21 with costs. On the same day (July 15, 1912) defendant Watson filed objections to the entry of any decree against him. It is necessary to notice the third objection only:

“Because said defendant Watson has not been brought before the court as a party defendant to said cross-bill.”

The other objections are all such as should have been urged by way of demurrer or answer to the cross-[436]*436bill. As to the third objection, the record conclusively shows that personal service of the subpoena issued on the cross-bill was made upon defendant Watson on February 20, 1912. The proposed decree was not finally signed until January 25, 1913. In the meantime, defendant Watson had filed an answer to the cross-bill and by his counsel now claims to have secured an oral order from the court that his default should be set aside and a hearing had upon the issues raised by his answer. On January 18, 1913, complainant Emery filed a petition in the cause asking-leave to pay into court the sum of $272, and have her mortgage discharged. This petition came on for hearing on January 24, 1913, and the decree was signed the following day. On April 29th, defendant Watson filed a petition asking leave to be heard touching the issues raised by his answer to the cross-bill, voluminous affidavits and counter affidavits were filed, and the matter came on to be heard on July 7, 1913. The learned circuit judge made the following finding and order:

“In this matter it is made to appear before the court that a claim for appeal from a decree heretofore, on the 3d day of July, 1913, granted herein, was made by the said Arthur F. Watson on the 17th day of April, 1913, and a case proposed and amendments proposed to the case was this day brought on for consideration of the court, and there was also brought on for consideration before the court a petition dated April 29, 1913, in which it appears that 'the petitioner therefore appears in this honorable court and asks to be heard touching the matters of said decree and herein refers to his answer to the said bill of complaint now on file in said cause, and asks that he may be permitted to file the same, or such other answer as he may deem best in said case, and that upon the hearing said court will order that said decree be set aside, altered, or amended as to court may seem just, and that the court will grant the petitioner such other relief in the premises as to equity shall appertain,’ and [437]*437said petition coming on to be heard on notice, I. S. Canfield appeared for the .defendant Arthur F. Watson, William N. Cross and Victor D. Sprague appeared for Henry M. Airth, and Mrs. Mary Emery was not personally represented, a full hearing was had upon the petition, an examination of the records and files made the answer of Mary Emery and Henry M. Airth to said petition of Arthur ,F. Watson, and the affidavits in support of said answer were all presented to the court, and after hearing counsel, and the court being fully informed in the premises, and after full hearing, the court doth find, order, adjudge, and decree as follows:
“ (1) That the said Arthur F. Watson was duly and regularly served with subpoenas to answer the cross-bill, and his default for not appearing, answering, or demurring thereto was regularly taken.
“(2) That the defaults of said Arthur F. Watson were not set aside by oral order or other order of the court as alleged in paragraph 4 of said Arthur F. Watson's petition.
“(3) That a full hearing and trial of said case was had on July 3, 1912, and testimony taken, and that said Watson was represented by his counsel, I. S. Can-field, during a portion of said hearing had on the forenoon of said day, and he absented himself on the afternoon- of said day without asking or obtaining permission of the court.
“(4) That on said July 3, 1912, after such full hearing, and argument of counsel, a decree was granted, and the terms thereof fully determined by the court, and that the decree finally entered is in accordance with the terms as then provided by the court.
“(5) That on July 13, 1912, a form of decree was presented to the court, after due notice given to Arthur F. Watson, and the other parties interested, and that there was present and represented at that time Mr. Cross, as solicitor for said Airth, and Mr. Canfield, as solicitor for said Watson, and that said Watson, through his solicitor, filed some objections and exceptions to the entering of a decree, largely based upon an affidavit in which it was claimed that the defaults of said Watson were irregular and illegal, and that no process had been issued against him under the cross-bill, and no service of said cross-bill had, [438]

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Bluebook (online)
147 N.W. 536, 180 Mich. 433, 1914 Mich. LEXIS 911, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/emery-v-airth-mich-1914.