Lang v. Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf R.

160 F. 355, 87 C.C.A. 307, 1908 U.S. App. LEXIS 4193
Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit·Decided March 3, 1908·No. No. 2,536·Published·Cited by 32 cases

Opinions

SANBORN, Circuit Judge

(after stating the facts as above). The concurrent jurisdiction in this country of many courts, national and state, and the conflict, confusion, and uncertainty that their simultaneous exercise of their powers over the same subject-matter would entail, have caused the adoption of this salutary rule of practice and administration, the strict observance of which comity, courtesy, and necessity alike demand. The legal custody of specific property by one court of competent jurisdiction withdraws it, so far as necessary to accomplish the purpose of that custody, until that purpose is completely accomplished from the jurisdiction of every other court. The court which first; acquires jurisdiction of specific property by the lawful seizure thereof, or by the due commencement of a suit in that court, from which it appears that it is, or will become, necessary to a complete determination of the controversy involved, or to the enforcement of the judgment or decree therein, to seize, charge with a lien, sell, or exercise other like dominion over it, thereby withdraws that property from the jurisdiction of every other court and entitles the former to retain the control of it requisite to effectuate its judgment or decree in the suit free from the interference of every other tribunal. Farmers’ Loan & Trust Company v. Lake Street Railroad Co., 177 U. S. 51, 61, 20 Sup. Ct. 564, 44 L. Ed. 667; Peck v. Jenness, 7 How. 612, 12 L. Ed. 841; Freeman v. Howe, 24 How. 450, 16 L. Ed. 749; Moran v. Sturges, 154 U. S. 256, 14 Sup. Ct. 1019, 38 L. Ed. 981; Central Bank v. Stevens, 169 U. S. 432, 18 Sup. Ct. 403, 42 L. Ed. 807; Williams v. Neely, 67 C. C. A. 171, 185, 134 Fed. 1, 15, 69 L. R. A. 232; [360] Barber Asphalt Company v. Morris, 66 C. C. A. 55, 58, 132 Fed. 945, 948, 67 L. R. A. 761; Gates v. Bucki, 53 Fed. 961, 969, 4 C. C. A. 116, 128, 129.

When a court has by lawful proceedings taken possession of specific property, it has during that possession, and as incident thereto, jurisdiction to hear and determine all questions respecting the title, possession, and control thereof, and courts of co-ordinate jurisdiction are powerless to render any judgment or decree that will invade or disturb the possession of the property while it is in the custody of the court which has thus first acquired it. Moreover, the court which has thus acquired dominion over specific property, and which by its decree adjudges its sale or other disposition, may lawfully retain, after the sale and delivery of the possession of the property to the purchaser, the requisite jurisdiction to adjudicate claims for liens upon it, to make its decree effective, and to protect the title of its purchaser under its decree against the disregard or avoidance thereof by means of suits in other courts or other proceedings. The jurisdiction of a court over a subject-matter or a cause once lawfully acquired includes the power to enforce its judgment or decree, and to protect the title of those holding under it from every attempt to avoid or annul it. Chicot Co. v. Sherwood, 148 U. S. 529, 533, 534, 13 Sup. Ct. 695, 37 L. Ed. 546; Julian v. Central Trust Company, 193 U. S. 93, 112, 24 Sup. Ct. 399, 48 L. Ed. 629; Wabash Railroad Company v. Adelbert College (Supreme Court, January 6, 1908) 28 Sup. Ct. 182, 52 L. Ed.-; Barber Asphalt Paving Co. v. Morris, 132 Fed. 945, 949, 66 C. C. A. 55, 59, 67, 67 L. R. A. 761; Brun v. Mann, 80 C. C. A. 513, 151 Fed. 145.

A bill in equity dependent upon a former suit in the same court may be maintained by the purchaser under the decree or by any other party interested therein (1) to aid, enjoin, or regulate the original suit; (2) to restrain, avoid, explain, or enforce the judgment or decree therein; or (3) to enforce, to enjoin the enforcement of, or to obtain an adjudication of liens upon or claims to property involved in the original suit. Brun v. Mann, 151 Fed. 145, 80 C. C. A. 513. And where a Federal Court acts in aid of its own jurisdiction to render its decree or the title under it effectual it may, notwithstanding section 720, Rev. St. (U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 581), restrain all proceedings in a state court which would have the effect of defeating or impairing its jurisdiction. Sharon v. Terry, 36 Fed. 337, 1 L. R. A. 572; French v. Hay, 22 Wallace, 250; Dietsch v. Huidekoper, 103 U. S. 494, 26 L. Ed. 354; Julian v. Central Trust Company, 193 U. S. 112, 24 Sup. Ct. 399, 48 L. Ed. 629.

In the case last cited the Southern Railway Company was the purchaser of a railroad under a decree of foreclosure rendered by a federal court on May 2, 1894, wherein that court reserved to itself jurisdiction over the allowance of claims to liens upon the property in the terms of the decree in the case at bar. It provided in its decree that the purchaser should pay “all claims filed in this cause, but only when the court shall allow such claims and adjudge the same to be prior in lien to the mortgage foreclosed in this suit, and in accordance with the order or orders of the court allowing such claims and adjudging with re-[361] spcct thereto,” and contained tile provision regarding the retaking and reselling of property which appears in the decree in this foreclosure suit Page 110 of 193 U. S., and page 406 of 24 Sup. Ct. (48 L. Ed. 629). The Supreme Court of North Carolina had held that under the. Constitution and laws of that state the railroad in the hands of the purchaser under this decree was subject to levy and sale to satisfy' judgments against the mortgagor on claims against-it which had accrued subsequent to the foreclosure sale and the sheriff had accordingly levied executions issued upon such judgments upon the property of the purchaser at that sale and was about to sell it to satisfy those judgments. Thereupon the purchaser and the complainant in the foreclosure suit exhibited a .supplemental bill therein in which they set forth these facts. The circuit court enjoined the sheriff from proceeding to sell the property under the executions and the Supreme Court affirmed its decree, and said:

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Lang v. Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf R., 160 F. 355, 87 C.C.A. 307, 1908 U.S. App. LEXIS 4193 (8th Cir. 1908).

160 F. 355 (Lang v. Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf R.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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