Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad v. Smythe

45 Ind. 322
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 15, 1873
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 45 Ind. 322 (Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad v. Smythe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad v. Smythe, 45 Ind. 322 (Ind. 1873).

Opinion

Osborn, J.

This was a proceeding for the appropriation of certain real estate of the appellee by the appellant for its railroad, under section 15, G. & H. 509. Appraisers were appointed by the judge on the application of the appellant, who assessed the damages and made their report to the clerk of the court. Within ten days, the appellee filed exceptions to the award of the appraisers. The appellant moved to strike out four of the exceptions. The motion was sustained as to two, and overruled as to the others. A demurrer wás then filed to the exceptions, which was overruled. Exceptions were taken to both rulings. A review and re-appraisement of the premises was then ordered by the court, without objection by either party, and a jury requested by the appellee to try the issues.

At the next term, being the April term, 1870, and on the 12th day of April, the appellant, on affidavit filed, obtained an order for a change of venue of the cause to the Monroe Circuit Court. By that order, the clerk was directed to transmit the transcript of the proceedings and papers to the Monroe Circuit Court upon payment of the costs occasioned by the change.

[324]*324At the October term of the court, on motion of the appellee, founded upon his affidavit, the cause was reinstated upon the docket and the clerk of the Monroe Circuit Court ordered to transmit the papers in the cause to the clerk of the Putnam Circuit Court immediately. Afterward, at the same term, the appellant appeared to the action or proceeding and filed a motion, sustained by affidavit, to change, the venue on account of the bias of the judge. A time was fixed for the trial of the cause in vacation, but the time passed without trial. At the April term of the court for 1871, the parties again appeared, and the appellant filed the affidavit of its attorney, stating why the change of venue was not perfected ten days before the the first day of the Monroe Circuit Court, after the change was granted; that he believed that the appellant could not have a fair and impartial trial in Putnam county, owing to the bias and prejudice of the people of the county against the appellant, and that all the causes for a, change of venue existing at the time of the first application continued to exist, and moved the court to send the cause back to the Monroe Circuit Court for trial, or that the venue of the cause be changed from Putnam county. The motion was overruled, and the appellant excepted and filed a bill of exceptions, setting out the motion and affidavit.

The cause Was tried by a jury, who rendered a general verdict for the appellee for eleven hundred dollars, 'and at the request of the appellant, answered certain interrogatories. The first one was as follows: “ What amount do you allow the defendant on account of the land taken by the railroad company.? Ans. One hundred and seventy-five dollars.” The third was as follows: “ What amount do you allow the defendant for damages to land not taken by the railroad company? Ans. Nine hundred and twenty-five dollars. ” Other interrogatories were propounded with a view to ascertain whether anything, and what amount, was allowed on account of other claims for damages; the answers to which showed that nothing was allowed except the two items already mentioned.

[325]*325The appellant filed a motion for a new trial, which was overruled, and an exception was taken. Final judgment was rendered on the verdict that the land be condemned to the use of the appellant, and that the appellee recover the amount found by the jury, with costs, to which judgment the appellant excepted. The reasons for a new trial as stated in the motion are, 1st. Error of the court in overruling the demurrer to the exceptions to the award. 2d. Error of the court in admitting testimony of damages to the lands of the appellee, not mentioned in his exceptions. 3d. Error in overruling objections to proof of value in removing fences and a barn. 4th. The damages assessed by the jury are excessive. 5th. The verdict is contrary to the evidence. 6th. The verdict is contrary to the law and the instructions of the court. 7th. Error in overruling-motion to send cause back to Monroe county for trial and to change the venue to that county.

The errors assigned are, 1st. In overruling the motion for a new trial. 2d. In rendering a judgment for appellee and not ordering a deed to be made to appellant.

We will dispose of the last reason for a new trial first, because, if that is sustained, it will not be necessary to consider any other.

The statute regulating changes of venue in civil cases, 2 G. & H. 155, section 208, provides that if a party applying for a change shall fail to perfect the same ten days before the first day of the next term of the court to which the change is taken, or within such time as the court shall prescribe in the order granting the change, he shall pay all the costs made in the case up to the time of such failure. In ” Rogers v. Stevens, 8 Ind. 464, it was held that if the party obtaining the order for the change fails to pay the costs, etc., he loses the benefit of the order; it ceases to operate after the expiration of such time; and the cause remains pending, as if no order of change had been made. In that case, the court, from which the change of venue was granted, ordered the papers returned from the court to which it had [326]*326been changed. It was held that no error was committed in ordering the clerk of the latter court to return the papers and in trying the cause. Hovuard v. Barbee, 21 Ind. 221, was in some of its features like the one at bar. In that case, it was-shown as an excuse for not paying the costs, that the clerk would not receive them, etc., but the court ordered the cause back and tried it, and this court held that the court committed no error. In Lingerman v. The State, 23 Ind. 320, it was .said: “The change must be perfected ten days before the first day of the next term of the court to which the change has been granted. If that time may seem too limited, the party asking the change, at the time of making his application, can have a reasonable limit fixed, and upon refusal by. the court to grant such extension of time, can by proper exceptions reserve the question for final review in this court. Pie cannot, however, secure the benefit of the postponement of the trial without any application for extension of time, and then, after failing to comply with the order, insist upon the change of venue.”

To the same effect is Dooley v. Martin, 28 Ind. 189. In Hamrick v. The Danville, etc., Gravel Road Company, 32 Ind. 347, the parties had appeared to the action in the court to which the change had been granted, and that court had acquired jurisdiction of them. In the case at bar, there had been no appearance. In that case, the court remanded the cause on its own motion after appearance. Here, there was no waiver by the appellee. This case is not like that, but more like those before referred to.

The first case was decided before the law provided that the court might fix the time, within which the change should be perfected. The same section also provides, that “ only one change of venue shall be granted to the same party.” We do not think that the failure to perfect the change secures to the party the right to a second order for a change of venue. The language of the statute is, that only one change shall be granted. To hold that the statute only includes grants perfected, would give to the party the power of perpetual [327]

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

Related

State ex rel. Smith v. Lake Superior Court
531 N.E.2d 213 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1988)
Huber Manufacturing Co. v. Blessing
99 N.E. 132 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1912)
State v. O'Neil
126 N.W. 454 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1910)
Gemmill v. Brown
56 N.E. 691 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1900)
Swinney v. Ft. Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati R. R.
59 Ind. 205 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1877)
Reagan v. Hadley
57 Ind. 509 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1877)
The Anderson v. Kernodle
54 Ind. 314 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1876)
Shirts v. Irons
47 Ind. 445 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1874)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
45 Ind. 322, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/indianapolis-st-louis-railroad-v-smythe-ind-1873.