Lutz v. Williams

99 S.E. 440, 84 W. Va. 216, 1919 W. Va. LEXIS 26
West Virginia Supreme Court·Decided May 13, 1919·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

POEEENBARGER, JUDGE:

• The decision on tbe former writ of error in this case, reported in 79 W. Va., 609, reversed a judgment rendered on a verdict directed and found in favor of the Peoples National Bank of Elkins, in a proceeding against it by D. E. Lutz, a judgment creditor of J. E. Williams, on a suggestion founded upon an execution issued on a judgment; and condemned,’as being unsound and untenable, several grounds of defense and all of the theories of right of recovery set up by the plaintiff, except one, namely, that of a special deposit of the fund in question by Williams, the debtor, making it available for satisfaction of the claims of the plaintiff and others similarly situated. This theory constituted the basis of the new trial resulting in a verdict for the plaintiff, on which judgment was rendered not only for him, but also for six other judgment creditors of Williams* under a stipulation filed in the case. To this judgment, the bank obtained a writ of error.

A decree entered in seven chancery causes heard together and pertaining to this fund was offered in support of a plea of former adjudication, but, in view of the character of the decree and the reservations therein made, the court held the matter set up in this ease was not res judicata by that decree. When Williams’ checks drawn against the fund in question were dishonored, Lutz and six other holders thereof brought, separate chancery suits against the bank, to obtain said fund, upon the theory of agency in Williams for the Virginia Timber Company and title to that fund in his principal. All of them were matured and heard together and the theory on. which they proceeded wholly failed, the court holding that the fund did not belong to the Virginia Timber Company, but that, on the contrary, it was m'oney paid by that com-[219] pañy to Williams lor timber. Accordingly, it was held that tbe plaintiffs should take nothing by their several bills and that the bank recover its costs from them. Rights were reserved, however, to the extent and in the manner following: “But nothing herein contained shall be taken to prejudice the right of the plaintiffs to proceed against J. E. Williams for said debt. * * * * * It is further ordered that nothing herein shall be construed to be an adjudication as to the title or ownership of the funds in question in this suit, claimed to be in the hands of the said Peoples National Bank, except to decide that said fund is not owned by the said Virginia Timber Company.” Of course, this decree amounts to an adjudication in favor of the bank, but the saving clause limits and defines the scope of that adjudication, for it is a part of the decree. The effect of a judgment or decree, like that of any other written instrument, is determinable by the language in whieh it is framed. As in any other case of interpretation, one clause, phrase or word may limit or restrain the effect of another. The adjudication in favor of the bank is qualified-by a clause showing the extent to which it goes, namely, a decision against title in the Virginia Timber Company. Exoneration of the bank from liability, on the ground that it was not a mere depositary of that company, precludes the theo'ry of exoneration on any other ground. The maxim, Expressio unius est exclusio alterius, applies. The trial court’s decision as to the decree, however, was right for another reason. The cause of action first set up was against the bank in the capacity of depositary of the Virginia Timber Company. This action proceeds upon an entirely different basis. Its ground is that the bank is the depositary of J. E. Williams. It matters not that both Williams and the bank were parties to the chancery causes in whieh the decree was entered. What was involved in those suits is determinable by the ground of action set up in the bills, all of which were alike and all of whieh differed in respect of the ground of action set forth in them from the one stated in the declaration in this ease. The present cause of action was not set up in [220] the chancery causes nor adjudicated in them. A cause of action between the parties to a former adjudication is not res judicata, unless it is identical with the one actually or constructively decided between them. Bierne v. Ray, 49 W. Va. 129; Hudson v. Iguano Land & Mining Co., 71 W. Va. 402; DeSollar v. Hanscome, 158 U. S. 216; Russell v. Place, 94 U. S. 606; Cromwell v. County of Sac, 94 U. S. 351.

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Lutz v. Williams, 99 S.E. 440, 84 W. Va. 216, 1919 W. Va. LEXIS 26 (W. Va. 1919).

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