Heinisch v. Travelers Mutual Casualty Co.

280 N.W. 234, 135 Neb. 13, 1938 Neb. LEXIS 137
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJune 15, 1938
DocketNo. 30255
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 280 N.W. 234 (Heinisch v. Travelers Mutual Casualty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Heinisch v. Travelers Mutual Casualty Co., 280 N.W. 234, 135 Neb. 13, 1938 Neb. LEXIS 137 (Neb. 1938).

Opinion

Eberly, J.

This is a proceeding in the district court for Douglas county to secure a recovery for violations of rights declared and conferred by section 7-108, Comp. St. 1929. A jury was impaneled and sworn. Evidence was introduced in behalf of all parties. At the conclusion of the testimony, the district judge, on his own motion, discharged the jury, and, after argument of counsel, entered findings and judg[15]*15ment that the plaintiff have and recover from the defendants, Travelers Mutual Casualty Company and Safeway Cabs, Inc., a corporation, the sum of $470.60, with costs of suit. The “defendants and each of them” thereupon filed motion for a new trial, and from the order of the trial court entered on May 8, 1937, overruling such motion, the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company alone gave notice of appeal. On May 28, 1937, a supersedeas bond in the sum of $1,000 was executed and filed by the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company alone, in its own behalf, conditioned that it “shall prosecute its appeal to effect and without unnecessary delay and that said appellant, if judgment be adjudged against it on the appeal, will satisfy such judgment and costs.” This bond was duly approved, and in due time a duly certified transcript on appeal was filed.'

The defendant Safeway Cabs, Inc., has given no notice of appeal, and has filed neither a supersedeas bond, prescribed by section 20-1916, Comp. St. 1929, nor the cost bond or undertaking in the sum of $75 required by section 20-1914, Comp. St. 1929, nor has a cash deposit in lieu of this bond been made in its behalf.

The statutory requirement as to appeal bonds is mandatory, and without compliance therewith this court is without jurisdiction, and an appeal will not be allowed. Comp. St. 1929, sec. 20-1914. See, Greb v. Hansen, 123 Neb. 426, 243 N. W. 278; Paper v. Galbreth, 123 Neb. 841, 244 N. W. 896; In re Estate of Raymond, 124 Neb. 125, 245 N. W. 442.

It also appears that “appellant’s brief day” has been thrice extended by stipulation in writing executed in behalf of the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company only.

It is obvious that the Safeway Cabs, Inc., has not appealed, and is not entitled to any of the rights of an appellant in this court.

Rule 7 of this court provides: “The party or parties appealing shall file with the transcript a praecipe which shall state * * * the names of all parties and their relations to the case as they appeared in the court below. The praecipe shall also specify the party or parties appealing and desig[16]*16nate all others made parties to the appeal as appellees.” This rule was not complied with in the instant case, no praecipe whatever being filed, and the Safeway Cabs, Inc., who is not an appellant, is not before us as an appellee. The form of the judgment against the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company and the Safeway Cabs, Inc., we have hereinbefore set forth.

In this connection, the established rule of procedure in this jurisdiction, is: “All parties to a cause tried in the district court who may be affected by the modification or reversal of the judgment must be made parties in the proceedings to review the said cause in the supreme court.” Barkley v. Schaaf, 110 Neb. 223, 193 N. W. 267. See, also, Reilly v. Merten, 125 Neb. 558, 251 N. W. 114; Bliss v. Farmers Grain & Stock Co., 127 Neb. 147, 254 N. W. 725.

It is obvious that the judgment not having been appealed from by the Safeway Cabs, Inc., and it not having been made an appellee herein, as to it such judgment is not subject to modification or reversal. The question as to whether the appeal is properly pending as to the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company, in view of the absence of necessary parties, there being no. motion to dismiss in the record, we will reserve for the present.

On the merits of the appeal, the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company, at the time of the transaction in suit, was the insurance carrier for Safeway Cabs, Inc., a corporation. On December 26, 1933, one Mooter, a colored man, was struck at a street crossing in the city of Omaha by one of the taxicabs of the defendant Safeway Cabs, Inc. Moorer was taken to' a hospital by the driver of this cab. Plaintiff herein, an attorney at law, was called to the hospital by the injured man, and, associated with attorney John A. McKenzie, was employed by Moorer to commence and prosecute an action for damages received in the accident. A written contract evidencing this employment was properly subscribed and is in the record. Thereupon a petition was drawn and verified by Moorer and immediately filed in the district court for Douglas county on December 28, 1933. [17]*17At the same time a written “attorney’s lien,” setting forth in apt language the claims of plaintiff’s attorneys, as required by section 7-108, Comp. St. 1929, was filed in the cause and thereafter remained as part thereof. Two days later the deposition of Arthur H. Muller, the driver of the cab inflicting the injury, was taken on notice served by plaintiff in behalf of Moorer. At the taking of this deposition, Gerald M. Vasak, an attorney, employed and paid for that purpose by the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company, appeared on behalf of the defendants. On January 29, 1934, a motion was filed in such case in the district court for Douglas county, attacking the petition, which is subscribed by Gerald M. Vasak and John D. Lynch, both of whom were employed by the insurance carrier. Lynch also' appears in the record as “vice-president” of Travelers Mutual Casualty Company, and as its “general counsel.”

It also appears in the record that, when plaintiff was calling upon his client in the hospital, he found Mr. Schafer, claim agent for the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company, and John D. Lynch, its vice-president and general counsel, conferring with Moorer. In reply to his remonstrance against this conduct, “Mr. Lynch said that they were just out there to see if Mr. Moorer was getting along all right, and gave him a carton of cigarettes.” Shortly thereafter, by a letter dated January 10, 1934, written in lead-pencil, paragraphed, and of excellent composition and form (until the writer thereof had occasion to affix his name), Moorer advises each of his employed attorneys “that I do not desire that you act as my attorney,” etc., and, “I do not recall that I ever signed any papers to employ you.” The uncontradicted evidence in the record is that Moorer subsequently repudiated these two letters. However, on February 5, 1934, in company with another attorney, Moorer appeared before the presiding judge of the Douglas county district court and had his action dismissed, “without prejudice.” At this hearing it does not appear that the plaintiff’s attorney’s lien on file was called to the attention of the district judge who entered the order of dismissal. This attorney [18]*18swears that he is unable to tell who it was that requested him to make a call on Moorer that resulted in his employment by the latter. However, this attorney finally settled Moorer’s case between the 10th and 15th of April, 1934. Plaintiff and McKenzie, his cocounsel, were neither consulted with nor advised of the settlement thus made and their claimed lien was wholly ignored. By the terms of this settlement thus made, the Travelers Mutual Casualty Company paid Lord Lister Hospital $115, Drs. Henry and Arnt-' •sen $100, and $800 for Moorer. Moorer then disappeared and could not thereafter be found and is said to have gone to Louisiana.

It appears that Gerald M.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
280 N.W. 234, 135 Neb. 13, 1938 Neb. LEXIS 137, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/heinisch-v-travelers-mutual-casualty-co-neb-1938.