Gardner v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.

60 F.2d 437, 1932 U.S. App. LEXIS 2533
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedJuly 2, 1932
DocketNo. 629
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 60 F.2d 437 (Gardner v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gardner v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., 60 F.2d 437, 1932 U.S. App. LEXIS 2533 (10th Cir. 1932).

Opinion

COTTERAL, Circuit Judge.

The appellee company sued Gardner, the appellant, on two causes of action, one of them for damages on an indemnity contract against loss as surety on a railroad construction bond, and the other for premiums on numerous bonds. The appellant defended by answer and a counterclaim. A trial was had to a jury at Durant, Okl., and resulted in a directed verdict for the company. Later a judgment was rendered thereon at Muskogee, Okl. Gardner has appealed, assigning errors in the trial proceedings. The ease has been submitted on the merits and on objection to a consideration of the bill of exceptions on the ground that it was settled after the Muskogee term and no extension of time for settlement was granted at that term. The objection, if sustained, is determinative of the appeal.

The term at Durant was ordered by the District Judge to convene on July 15, 1931. That term was recessed, subject to call, on July 19,1931, but was not adjourned. Meantime, the trial occurred. When the evidence was closed, the plaintiff moved for directed verdicts on both causes of action and the counterclaim, the motions were sustained, and verdicts were returned accordingly. The journal of the court, approved by the District Judge, and dated October 2,1931, shows that a motion for a new trial filed on July 21, 1931, was overruled, that “judgment will be finally entered in this matter at Muskogee, on October 8th, 1931,” and added: “The clerk will notify the attorneys for the respective sides so that they may be present and save their exceptions and all matters preliminary to an appeal if they so desire.”

A comprehensive journal entry of record also bearing the approval of the judge recites, in substance: The trial commenced on July 16, 1931, plaintiff introduced its evidence on the first cause of action, the defendant announced in open court he confessed judgment on the second cause of action, the defendant introduced evidence in defense of the first cause of action, and in support of his counterclaim the plaintiff moved for directed verdicts on its first cause of action and the counterclaim, the motions were sustained, the jury returned verdicts for plaintiff on both causes of action and the counterclaim, the defendant was allowed five days to file a motion for a new trial, and entry of judgment was ordered stayed pending the motion, the motion was overruled on October 2, 1931, tbe ease was continued for further consideration until October 8, 1931, and on that date “the court renders the following judgment,” and it was considered, ordered, and adjudged' that plaintiff recover of defendant the aggregate amount of $9,651.16, with interest from July 16, 1931, and costs on the first cause of action, judgment was rendered for the aggregate amount of $4,724.31, with interest from July 16, 1931, and costs on the second [439]*439cause of action, and judgment was rendered for plaintiff on the counterclaim, with costs.

The bill of exceptions was tendered for settlement and settled on January 5, 1932. The certificate of the trial judge recites that it-“was filed on the 5th day of December, 1932, within the time allowed for filing the bill of exceptions by order of the United States District Court * * * dated on the 5th day of January, 1932, and made at the January, 1932, Term of said court.” December 5, 1932, was an impossible date. The ilate of the extension, January 5, 1932, was the second day of the January, 1932, term at Muskogee, which began on Monday, January 4, 1932, and the term for the previous year had then closed, as terms are fixed by law on the first Monday in January of each year. Act of June 28, 1930, 46 Stat. c. 714 (28 USCA § 182), amending section 101, Judicial Code.

The question presented is whether the bill of exceptions was subject to settlement on January 5, 1932, after the close of the term at Muskogee, where the judgment was rendered on October 8,1931, without any extension being granted at that term. The courts have repeatedly decided that such settlement is not timely and invalid for want of jurisdiction.

In Stickel v. United States, 294 F. 808, 810 (8 C. C. A., opinion written by Judge Sanborn), the rule was held to be well settled that, “after the judgment term and after the expiration without farther extension of an extension beyond the term granted within the term the trial court has lost its jurisdiction to grant further extensions.” The Sixth Circuit expressly concurred in that decision. In re Bills of Exceptions, 37 F.(2d) 849. The question was again decided to the same effect in the Eighth Circuit. Great Northern L. I. Co. v. Dixon, 22 F.(2d) 655. and the same court followed the Dixon Case in Ritter v. Gulf, C. & S. F. Ry., 56 F.(2d) 369. Those decisions are clearly sound, and have our approval.

Counsel for appellant insist the judgment was rendered at Durant because the court journal recites when time was allowed for filing a motion for new trial, entry of the judgment was continued. But the language used must have been inadvertent, as no judgment was rendered at Durant, and the actual judgment is shown by the complete journal entry to have been rendered on October 8, 1931. True, the clerk had the duty under the applicable procedure in Oklahoma' to enter the judgment at once unless it was reserved; but the reservation was made.

Another contention is that the judgment was rendered at the Durant term on the second cause of action because it was confessed at that term. But it was for a part only of plaintiff’s demands, was not accepted by appellee, action was not there taken on the confession, or merged in a judgment. Section 814, Comp. Okl. Stat. 1921. The court treated the confession as an offer, and actually rendra ed judgment for both demands on October 8,193Í.

A question is raised with regard to the powers of the District Court to he exercised at the several terms in the Eastern District. The terms are separate and distinct at the different places. By the act cited, dates are specified for terms each year at Muskogee and nine other cities, and they are to be held annually at Pauls Yalley and Durant, as fixed by the District Judge. The Durant term was ordered by him to commence on July 15,1931. There are no divisions in the district. For that reason, the whole docket follows the court, and every ease is subject to assignment at any term. There is no tenable objection to the adjournment of any motion, proceeding, or judgment from one term to another. The court had the power to continue the rendition of judgment from the Durant term to the Muskogee term.

The bill of exceptions is said to have been properly settled, because of waiver or consent by appellee. It is stated by counsel for appellant that opposing counsel were present at the settlement and made no objection to it. This is said to have been such participation in the settlement as precluded later objection to it. But mere presence, if assumed, cannot he so construed. As authority for the implied waiver, E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Smith (C. C. A.) 249 F. 403, is cited. That case presupposes some part in making up the record. It discusses Waldron v. Waldron, 156 U. S. 361, 15 S. Ct. 383, 39 L. Ed. 453, approved in Old Nick Williams Co. v. United States, 215 U. S. 541, 30 S. Ct. 221, 54 L. Ed. 318, and Jennings v. Philadelphia, etc., Co., 218 U. S. 255, 31 S. Ct. 1, 2, 54 L. Ed. 1031.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Joerns v. Irvin
114 F.2d 458 (D.C. Circuit, 1940)
Cannon v. Tinkham
99 F.2d 133 (D.C. Circuit, 1938)
United States v. Jones
78 F.2d 1005 (Tenth Circuit, 1935)
Lonsdale v. United States
67 F.2d 458 (Tenth Circuit, 1933)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
60 F.2d 437, 1932 U.S. App. LEXIS 2533, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gardner-v-united-states-fidelity-guaranty-co-ca10-1932.