Ex Parte Cole

193 P.2d 395, 68 Idaho 257, 1948 Ida. LEXIS 125
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedApril 27, 1948
DocketNo. 7421.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 193 P.2d 395 (Ex Parte Cole) 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
Ex Parte Cole, 193 P.2d 395, 68 Idaho 257, 1948 Ida. LEXIS 125 (Idaho 1948).

Opinion

*258 MILLER, Justice.

March 10, 1948, Hon. L. E. Glennon, District Judge, made an order in the District Court of the Fifth Judicial District of the state of Idaho, in and for the county of Bannock, for the payment of attorney fees and costs on an appeal to the Supreme Court. The recitals in connection therewith are to the effect that the trial court having theretofore, on January 17, 1948, ordered, adjudged and decreed that the decree of divorce of the district court of Weber county, state of Utah, entered May 10, 1947, and the order of said court entered September 30, 1947, awarding the custody and control of the two minor children namely, Glenda Cole and Dallas Harvey Cole, to the mother (Viola G. Cole) during the school term, should be given full faith and credit, and that the immediate custody of the two children should be awarded to the petitioner Viola G. Cole, in accordance with the decree and order of the Utah court. The defendant, Harvey Cole, filed a notice of appeal, January 17, 1948, and refused to comply with the order of the Utah court and the order of the district court of January 17, 1948. Viola G. Cole, filed in said district court her affidavit, dated January 23, 1948, in which it was made to appear that she was without funds to pay counsel fees 'and costs on appeal to the Supreme Court of the state of Idaho, and praying for an order directing and compelling Harvey Cole to pay a reasonable attorney fee and necessary court costs on the appeal. A motion for attorney fees and court costs on appeal was heard February 14, 1948, and on March 9, 1948, it was ordered by the trial court that the defendant Harvey Cole, pay to petitioner’s attorney C. M. Jeffery, forthwith, the sum of $100 to cover printing of brief and the sum of $200 attorney fees on appeal.

March 20, 1948, there was filed in this court a motion, which said motion, as far as applicable, recites:

“Comes now Viola G. Cole, the petitioner in the lower court and the respondent on appeal, and moves this Honorable court for the following relief:
1. “That Harvey Cole, the respondent in the lower court and the appellant on appeal, be compelled to forthwith comply with the order of the Honorable L. E. Glennon, District Judge, of March 9, 1948, for the payment of attorney fees and costs on appeal to the Supreme Court, or
*259 2. “That this honorable court fix the amount of the attorney fees and costs on appeal and order the immediate payment thereof by appellant to respondent’s attorney of record, and
3. “That in the event of the appellant failing to so do, the appeal be dismissed and
4. “That the court fix a time and place for the hearing of this motion, * *

The respondent and appellant, Harvey Cole, has filed a resistance to the motion for attorney fees and costs on appeal. A number of reasons are asserted in opposition to said motion but it will be necessary to consider only one of the assigned reasons, that is, “Resists ground I of petitioner’s motion on the ground that this court has no power, on motion, to compel a party to comply with an order entered by a judge of a District Court. This court takes cognizance and jurisdiction of such orders, by appeal, only.”

Appellant makes a “Further Statement of Facts,” and submits Points and Authorities and Argument in support of his resistance to respondent’s motion for suit money and attorney fees. There is no occasion to consider such matters at this time.

From the statements heretofore made it is observed that on January 17, 1948, an appeal to this court from an order of the district court of the same date was made and entered. Thereafter on March 9, 1948, an order was made by the district court for the payment by appellant, Harvey Cole, to respondent Viola G. Cole, or her attorney, the sum of $100 costs on appeal, and $200 as attorney fees on the appeal. No appeal from the order allowing suit money and attorney’s fees has been taken.

Section 31-704, I.C.A., is as follows:

“While an action for divorce is pending, the court may, in its discretion, require the husband to pay as alimony any money necessary to enable the wife to support herself or her children, or to prosecute or defend the action.”

The case of Roby v. Roby, 9 Idaho 371, 74 P. 957, 3 Ann.Cas. 50, is a case wherein the facts are very similar to the instant case and, in which, the court had occasion to construe provisions for the payment of suit money and attorneys’ fees. The facts in the Roby case show that an original application was made to this court by Emily H. Roby, plaintiff in the lower court, praying for an order of this court allowing her suit money and attorneys’ fees to enable her to prosecute her appeal from the judgment of the trial court. It appears she was dissatisfied with the judgment of the district court and served her notice of appeal therefrom and thereafter applied to the district judge for an order directing her husband to pay a sufficient amount of money for court costs, the printing of a transcript and brief on appeal, and for attorneys’ fees for the prosecution of such appeal in this court. The district judge made an order allowing plaintiff the sum of $75. for such purpose, *260 but she contends that was not enough, and made an original application in this court, praying for an order requiring the defendant to pay the sum of $250 for costs and disbursements in the preparation of her appeal, and the further sum of $250 for attorney’s fees in the prosecution of such appeal. The defendant filed a motion to dismiss the. petition and application of plaintiff upon the ground that this court has no jurisdiction to hear and determine such an original application. It should be observed, in the consideration of this matter, that, while an appeal has been taken to this court, the transcript on appeal has not yet been filed. Section 4927, Rev.St.1887 (12-606 I.C.A.), is as follows:

“An action is deemed to be pending from the time of its commencement until its final determination upon appeal, or until the time for appeal has passed, unless the judgment is sooner satisfied.”

From the foregoing the court concluded that the case was still pending and section 2472, Rev.St. (31-704 I.C.A.), is quoted. The court then observes:

“We think the ‘court’ referred to in section 2472, supra, is the district court in which such actions are originally commenced, and that it is the intention of our statute to give to the trial court the jurisdiction to grant alimony and suit money so long as the action is pending, whether in the trial court or upon appeal. The trial judge is in a better position than this court to know the amount of money necessary for the payment of costs and disbursements in the prosecution of an appeal, and the ability of the husband to meet such requirements. He knows all the facts in the case, and the situation and condition of the parties.

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Related

Tolman v. Tolman
461 P.2d 433 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1969)
Newell v. Sutphen
279 P.2d 405 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1955)
Gapsch v. Gapsch
277 P.2d 278 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1954)
Brashear v. Brashear
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206 P.2d 523 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1949)
Cole v. Cole
201 P.2d 98 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1948)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
193 P.2d 395, 68 Idaho 257, 1948 Ida. LEXIS 125, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ex-parte-cole-idaho-1948.