Holcomb v. Keliher

54 N.W. 535, 3 S.D. 497, 1893 S.D. LEXIS 10
South Dakota Supreme Court·Decided February 15, 1893·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

Bennett, P. J.

This is an action to perpetually enjoin the collection of a tax claimed to have been erroneously assessed for the year 1887 against certain live stock and other personal property belonging to appellants. Trial of the cause was had by the court without a jury, and judgment rendered for respondent. From this judgment an appeal is taken.

The assignment of errors relates to the insufficiency of the evidence to support the findings and judgment. The abstract does not purport to contain all the evidence. The certificate of the judge trying the case to the bill of exceptions simply recites that the same is “a just and true bill, and is allowed, signed, and sealed, and made a part of the record.” For this reason the respondent contends that this court will not review the evidence, and that, in the absence of a certificate showing that the bill of exceptions •contains all the evidence introduced on the trial, this appellate court will presume there was other evidence sufficient to support the finding or verdict. This contention is doubtless correct in most of the states, but it is not so within our jurisdiction. Our statute on the subject of bills of exceptions and statements has made a radical change in the practice where it is claimed the evidence is insufficient to justify the verdict. The party contending that the evidence is insufficient to justify such verdict or findings is required to specify the particulars in which such evidence is in[500] sufficient. This clearly appears from an examination of the sections of the statute relating to this subject. Section 5081, Comp. Laws, provides that “when the exception is to the verdict, or decision on the ground of the insufficiency of the evidence to justify it, the objection must specify the particulars in which such evidence is alleged to be insufficient. * * * The objection must be stated, with so much of the evidence or other matter as is necessary to explain it, and no more.” Subdivision 3 of section 5090 provides that if the motion (for a new trial) is to be made upon a statement of the case, “when the notice of intention designates as the ground of the motion the insufficiency of the evidence to justify the verdict or other decision, the statement shall specify the particulars in which such evidence is alleged to be insufficient.” Subdivision á of the same section provides that “when the motion is to be made upon the minutes of the court the notice of intention must specify the particulars,” etc. It will be seen, therefore, that under our practice the party relying upon the insufficiency of the evidence to justify the verdict, or decision of the court is required to specify the particulars in which he deems such evidence insufficient, so that the opposite party may be fully advised of the defects in his evidence. When this is done, and the bill of exceptions is served upon him, with these defects pointed out, he can then have placed in the bill of exceptions such other evidence as the records may warrant, tending to support the verdict or finding. Our statutes relating to bills of exceptions, statements, and motions for new trials are substantially copied from the statutes of California. Judge Sawyer in the case of Hidden v. Jordan, 28 Cal. 312, on a petition for a rehearing of the case, says: “After a careful examination of the question, we are satisfied that the rule announced in the opinion in this ease harmonizes with the general theory of the other provisions of the section considered by us, and is the proper rule to be adopted. * * * The point wherein the defect of evidence is claimed to exist must then be specified, and so much of the evidence as is necessary to explain it must be introduced, and no more. The attention of the other party is thus directed to the weak point in his evidence, and, if anything has been omitted which would tend to strengthen [501] Ms case on that point, he has an opportunity afforded to supply it by amendment, and it is Ms duty to do so. When the statement has been filed, and the opposite party has had an opportunity to suggest the necessary amendments, and this statement has been therefrom argued and settled by the judge, we tMnlc he must be regarded as being estopped from averring that there may be other testimony upon this point.”

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Holcomb v. Keliher, 54 N.W. 535, 3 S.D. 497, 1893 S.D. LEXIS 10 (S.D. 1893).

54 N.W. 535 (Holcomb v. Keliher) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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