Great Falls National Bank v. Young

215 P. 651, 67 Mont. 328, 1923 Mont. LEXIS 103
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 19, 1923
DocketNo. 5,183
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 215 P. 651 (Great Falls National Bank v. Young) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Great Falls National Bank v. Young, 215 P. 651, 67 Mont. 328, 1923 Mont. LEXIS 103 (Mo. 1923).

Opinion

HONORABLE “WM. L. FORD, District Judge,

sitting in place of MR. CHIEF JUSTICE CALLAWAY, disqualified, delivered the opinion of the court.

This is an action by the plaintiff upon a promissory note executed and delivered by the defendant C. W. Young to the defendant A. L. Ritt, and by Ritt assigned to the plaintiff bank. The complaint is in the ordinary form, and based upon the following promissory note, to-wit:

“8,000.00. Havre, Mont., December 13, 1920.

“Six months after date, I, we, or either of us promise to pay to the order of A. L. Ritt, eight thousand dollars at the Havre National Bank, Havre, Montana, for value received, with interest at 8 per cent, per annum payable from date.

[332]*332“In case of suit to recover herein, a reasonable attorney’s fee to be fixed and allowed by the court shall be taxed and collected as a part of the costs of action. Any interest not punctually paid when due shall become a part of the principal and thereafter bear the same rate as the principal debt. The makers and indorsers hereby waive presentment, demand, protest and notice thereof, and agree that in event of insolvency of either makers or indorsers, or the institution of suit or attachment against them or either of them, or the mortgaging of any property by the makers or indorsers, this note may be declared to be immediately due and payable.

“C. W. Young.”

The answer of O. W. Young admits the execution and delivery of the note, but alleges that he received no value or consideration whatsoever; that he left the note with the defendant Ritt on condition that he would not assert any rights under it or transfer it and would retain it for the defendant Young and redeliver it upon demand; admits the assignment and delivery of the note to the plaintiff; admits that the plaintiff is the holder, but denies that it is the owner; admits nonpayment, but denies anything due or owing on the note; and then alleges affirmatively want of consideration for the note. The defendant Ritt filed separate answer in which he admitted the execution and delivery of the note to him, and that he assigned and delivered it to plaintiff; denied that plaintiff is the owner of the note, and that anything is due thereunder. A reply was filed to the affirmative matter in the answer of the defendant Young.

The defendant Young testified, in substance, that he received no consideration for the note, and that he left it in the possession of Ritt so that the amount thereof could be deposited to his credit in case he made a certain business deal in Chicago and needed the money. The evidence further shows that he did not make such deal, and that he did not receive credit for the amount of the note. The evidence— which was admitted over plaintiff’s objection—also tended to [333]*333show that the note sued upon was placed with the plaintiff bank as collateral security for two notes, one of which was the personal note of Ritt for $7,000, and the other the Havre Loan & Credit Company note for the sum of '$4,530, which was indorsed by Ritt. At the conclusion of the testimony both parties moved for a directed verdict, and the court granted the plaintiff’s motion. The defendant Young separately moved for a new trial, which motion was by the court granted upon the ground that there was no evidence of Ritt’s liability upon the original Havre Loan & Credit Company’s note, and upon the further ground that upon the pleadings and issues joined thereon and upon the evidence it was error to direct a verdict for the plaintiff. The appeal is from the order granting a new trial.

The respondent Young moves to dismiss the appeal upon the grounds: First, that the appellant has failed to serve notice of appeal upon A. L. Ritt; and, second, that the appellant has failed to furnish the papers required for the hearing of the appeal upon the merits.

An “adverse party,” within the meaning of the statute (see. 9733, Rev. Codes 1921), “is one who has an interest in the object sought to be accomplished by the appeal.” (Power & Bro. v. Murphy, 26 Mont. 387, 68 Pac. 411; Merk v. Bowery Min. Co., 31 Mont. 298, 78 Pac. 519; Anderson v. Red Metal Min. Co., 36 Mont. 312, 93 Pac. 44; Cummings v. Reins Copper Co., 40 Mont. 599, 107 Pac. 904; Jenkins v. Carroll, 42 Mont. 302, 112 Pac. 1064.) A party to a judgment whose rights may be injuriously affected by its reversal or modification is entitled to notice of appeal. (Power & Bro. v. Murphy, supra.) As the judgment in this case is joint and several, and the defendant C. W. Young alone moved for a new trial, and, as we construe the order granting the new trial, the verdict and judgment were only set aside as to the defendant Young, the defendant Ritt cannot be prejudicially affected by anything that may happen here, and he could have no interest in opposing the object sought to be obtained by [334]*334this appeal. Not having moved for a new trial, he is presumed to be satisfied with the judgment and to object to a reversal of it or to a change in its terms. Therefore he is not "adverse” within the meaning of section 9733, supra, and service of notice upon him was unnecessary. (Anderson v. Red Metal Min. Co., supra.)

As to the second ground for the motion to dismiss, suffice Lt to say that the plaintiff has furnished to this court all the papers required by section 9402, Revised Codes of 1921, upon an appeal from an order granting a new trial.

The motion is denied.

On the merits: While the order granting the new trial specifies one ground therefor, we think that it is sufficiently general in its terms to be sustained, if it can be on any other ground specified in the motion, which brings us to the question: Is the note sued upon herein negotiable?

Our Negotiable Instruments Act defines a negotiable promissory note as follows:

"A negotiable promissory note, within the meaning of this Act, is an unconditional promise in writing made by one person to another, signed by the maker, engaging to pay on demand, or at a fixed or determinable future time, a sum certain in money to order or to bearer. Where a note is drawn to the maker’s own order, it is not complete until indorsed by him.” (Rev. Codes 1921, sec. 8591.)

"An instrument to be negotiable must conform to the following requirements:

"1. It must be in writing, and signed by the maker or drawer;

"2. Must contain an unconditional promise or order to pay a sum certain in money;

"3. Must be payable on demand, or at a fixed or determined future time;

"4. Must be payable to order or to bearer; and

[335]*335“5. Where the instrument is addressed to a drawee, he must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty.” (Sec. 8408, Rev. Codes 1921.)

An instrument is payable at a determinable future time, within the meaning of this Act, when it is expressed to be payable: (1) At a fixed period after date or sight; or (2) on or before a fixed or determinable future time; or (3) on or at a fixed period after the occurrence of a specified event, which is certain to happen, though the time of happening is uncertain. An instrument payable upon a contingency is not negotiable and the happening of the event does not cure the defect. (Sec. 8411, Rev. Codes 1921.)

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Bluebook (online)
215 P. 651, 67 Mont. 328, 1923 Mont. LEXIS 103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/great-falls-national-bank-v-young-mont-1923.