Farley Bros. v. Cammann

43 Mo. App. 168, 1891 Mo. App. LEXIS 10
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 5, 1891
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 43 Mo. App. 168 (Farley Bros. v. Cammann) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Farley Bros. v. Cammann, 43 Mo. App. 168, 1891 Mo. App. LEXIS 10 (Mo. Ct. App. 1891).

Opinion

Gill, J.

The petition in this case charges that plaintiff under a contract with the two defendants, Lillian and Francis Cammann, did certain work and furnished certain materials, for the erection of a dwelling-house on a lot in Kansas City alleged to belong to said .defendants ; that the same had not been paid for ; that the account sworn to, etc., had been hied, and asks for the enforcement of a mechanics’ lien. On the trial of the cause before the court, jury being waived, the court found the issues for the plaintiffs, as appears by the following memorandum entry on the judge’s docket: “ T. 1-24, by Ct. Jury waived, sub. to Ct., and Ct. finds for plffs. and the amt. due, $255.40, and lien enforced agt. the property described in the pet.” It was admitted, however, at the trial that the fee-simple title to the real estate, sought to be charged with the lien, was in Lillian Cammann alone, and not in her and her husband. Hereupon the clerk made the following entry on the court’s records :

“Now at this day come the parties, by their respective attorneys, and waive a jury in the trial of this cause and submit the same to the court for trial upon the petition, pleadings and evidence, and the court being now fully advised in the premises finds that Lillian Cammann is the owner of the property described in the petition, viz. : Lot six (6), in block seventeen (17 ), Dundee Place, an addition to the City of Kansas, Missouri; and that defendants are indebted to said plaintiffs, on the account sued on, in the sum of two hundred and fifty-five and forty-hundredths dollars ($255.40 ), and that said plaintiffs are entitled therefor to a mechanics’ lien against lot six (6), in block seventeen (17), Dundee Place, an addition to the City of Kansas, [172]*172Missouri, and the two-story brick dwelling-house, number 1007 East Fifteenth street, situated thereon, and all appurtenances thereto belonging, securing the same.” This “find of facts” was the extent of the entry at that time made by the clerk. Hence, it will be seen that no judgment was in fact entered. But at the subsequent term, upon motion of plaintiffs, the court directed, and the clerk entered of record, the following judgment nunc pro tuno, which after reciting the finding as above adjudged was as follows :

‘ ‘ It is, therefore, considered that the plaintiffs recover of defendants, Lillian and Francis D. Cammann, the sum of two hundred and fifty-five dollars and forty cents ($255.40), and,also all the costs of this cause, for which let general execution issue, to be levied only of the goods, chattels and real estate of said Francis D. Cammann.

“This general execution is not to be levied upon any property whatever of said Lillian Cammann.

“But let special execution issue to subject by sale all right, title and interest of said Lillian Cammann on, or to, said lot six, block seventeen, in said Dundee Place, and the two-story brick dwelling-house, number 1007 East Fifteenth street, situated thereon, to the satisfaction of said debt, interests and costs, in favor of plaintiffs and in satisfaction of the mechanics’ lien and on said house and lot, by which said debt is secured as aforesaid. Said general and special executions above awarded being for one and the same debt, plaintiffs shall have only one satisfaction. And, it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that the above and foregoing judgment, and decree should have been entered in this cause on the twenty-fourth day of January, 1889, it is ordered that this entry of the same be made nunc pro tunc.”

I. Defendant Lillian Cammann, by her appeal, complains: First, that the circuit' court was not justified [173]*173in entering a judgment nunc pro tunc, and, second, that the judgment so entered is erroneous and improper.

First. Now as to the propriety of the court’s action in directing the entry of the nunc pro tunc judgment. We discover no reason to condemn the circuit court’s action in this matter. “All our decisions unite upon the principle that where sufficient memoranda exist in the minutes of the judge, or in the record or files of the case, by which to correct an erroneous entry of a judgment, which entry has been the result of a clerical mistake or misprision, the entry may be amended at a subsequent term so as to express the judgment which was, in fact, rendered.” Evans v. Fisher, 26 Mo. App. 546, and cases cited. Here ample appears on the record, regardless of the minutes entered by the judge on his docket. The finding of facts written up by the clerk at the time gave abundant evidence of the court’s intention to enter the judgment. Besides this, the minutes on the judge’s docket clearly indicated the judgment to be entered. But defendants’ counsel seem to attach much importance to the appearance of the clerk’s minutes which read as follows: “ J. W. Sub. to Ct. Ct. finds for plffs. for amt. due, $255.40, and lien vs. property. ‘ No judgment. ’ ” These last words, “ no judgment the clerk testifies were not put there by the direction of the judge, but were subsequently added by the clerk, of his own motion, to indicate to his own mind that he should not write a personal judgment against Mrs. Cammann — a married woman. These words aside then, and the clerk’s memorandum accords with all other entries made at the time. Spelled out it reads, “Jury waived — submitted to court. Court finds for plaintiffs for amount due, $255.40, and lien against the property.”

Second. Again it is claimed, admitting the authority of the court to enter the judgment nunc pro tunc, yet this judgment is erroneous. Defendants’ counsel attack the [174]*174•.same on two grounds. It is said to be a personal money-judgment against both defendants, and, as one is a married woman, the judgment for that reason is error. .Admitting the premise, the conclusion is irresistible. We do not, however, regard this as a general money-judgment against Mrs. Cammann. The judgment is very clumsily drafted, and is quite inartistic. It is not •in very good form. But we now test judgments by matter of substance, rather than by the measure of any particular draft or form. Freeman on Judg., sec. 47. The order goes, it is true, that “it is, therefore, considered that the plaintiffs recover of the defendants, Lillian Cammann and Francis Cammann, the sum of $255.40, etc., for which let general execution issue,”' •but, however, the judgment continues to declare that this general execution is “to be levied only of the goods, chattels and real estate of said Francis Cammann. This general execution is not to be levied upon any property whatever of said Lillian Cammann.” 'Then follows direction for a special execution against Ihe real estate of said Lillian. While, then, there are words in this judgment, taken by themselves, which indicate an intention to enter a general charge against the person and estate of Mrs. Cammann, yet, considered as a whole, it amounts only to a judgment against her real estate, charged with the lien. These objectionable words are, at all events, as to her entirely harmless. That portion of the record entry, as to Mrs. Cammann, may be termed a general judgment, followed by language absolutely prohibiting enforcement — a judgment which shall not operate as a judgment. Looking, then to the clear intent and meaning of this nunc pro tunc ■

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
43 Mo. App. 168, 1891 Mo. App. LEXIS 10, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/farley-bros-v-cammann-moctapp-1891.