Marshall v. Ullmann

55 N.W.2d 731, 335 Mich. 66, 1952 Mich. LEXIS 317
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 9, 1952
DocketDocket 49, Calendar 45,531
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 55 N.W.2d 731 (Marshall v. Ullmann) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marshall v. Ullmann, 55 N.W.2d 731, 335 Mich. 66, 1952 Mich. LEXIS 317 (Mich. 1952).

Opinion

Carr, J.

Plaintiff brought suit in equity in the circuit court of Hillsdale county for the purpose of obtaining relief against defendant. It appears from the pleading that plaintiff is a resident of said county and that defendant lives in the city of Detroit. Service of process was made in Wayne county. Defendant entered a special appearance and filed a motion to dismiss the suit, alleging as the principal ground thereof that the bill of complaint did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action in equity. Following a hearing on the motion the trial judge *69 entered an order denying it. On leave granted by this Court, defendant has appealed.

The principal question for determination here is whether the well-pleaded averments of fact in the bill of complaint are sufficient to establish jurisdic- ■ tion in equity. Plaintiff alleges in his pleading' that on or about February 16, 1951, he purchased 2 cows from defendant, paying therefor the sum of $1,000, that in the following month he made a similar purchase, that a State statute (CL 1948, § 287.21a, as amended by PA 1949, No 157 [Stat Ann 1951 Rev § 12.392]) required that the animals in question be accompanied by an official certificate issued by the director of agriculture of the State that they were free from brucellosis, commonly known as Bang’s disease, that certificates as to 2 of the cows purchased by plaintiff were not furnished, and that subsequent tests indicated that such animals were either infected or were “suspects.” Plaintiff' also alleges that pursuant to agreement defendant turned over to him a number of cows belonging to defendant, for feeding and care, and that at the time defendant knew that his cattle were infected with Bang’s disease, that plaintiff mingled the infected animals with his own cattle on his premises, and that as a result the values of his herd and of his farm were materially depreciated. Because of the damages so sustained plaintiff asserts that he is entitled to an accounting from defendant, with incidental relief of an equitable nature.

Plaintiff in his pleading also directs attention to CL 1948, § 287.10 (Stat Ann 1951 Rev § 12.379) forbidding any person having in his possession domestic animals affected with a contagious, infectious, or communicable disease to keep them where other domestic animals not previously affected or exposed may come in contact therewith, or to sell such dis- . eased animals. It is further alleged that the conduct *70 óf the defendant constituted a fraud upon the plaintiff. The right to a lien for caring for defendant’s cattle is also asserted, and reference is made to an agreement between the parties, at the time defendant’s cows were placed on plaintiff’s farm, for a division of the milk, which agreement plaintiff alleges was subsequently modified by defendant’s waiving any right thereunder.

In his prayer for relief plaintiff asks that on the accounting sought defendant be decreed to pay whatever sums may be found owing to him, that a lien in the nature of an agister’s lien upon defendant’s animals in plaintiff’s possession be declared, with directions as to the manner of foreclosing, that an injunction issue restraining defendant from removing his animals from plaintiff’s premises prior to the payment of the damages sought, and that the court appoint a receiver to take charge of the livestock and dispose thereof under court order. A prayer for general equitable relief is added to the specific requests.

It is the claim of the appellant in substance that the facts averred in the bill of complaint are insufficient to establish a ease of which a court of equity may take jurisdiction. On behalf of appellee it is insisted that he is entitled to an accounting in which the amount of his damages may be determined, that equity should take jurisdiction because of the claim of fraud, and that the facts alleged, which must be accepted as true for the purposes of this proceeding, are sufficient to entitle him to the equitable relief specifically prayed.

It is apparent from a consideration of all the averments of the bill of complaint that the primary purpose thereof is the recovery of damages. That plaintiff may institute an action on the law side of the court for recovery thereof is not open to question. No claim is made that defendant is financially irresponsible or that a judgment against him in an action *71 at law cannot be enforced. It is well settled tbat a court of equity may decree an accounting in a proper case. However, it does not appear from plaintiff’s bill of complaint tbat defendant bas, or is asserting, any claims against plaintiff, or tbat any payments bave been made to plaintiff by bim. Counsel for appellee in tbeir brief refer to tbe agreement with reference to tbe milk, but it is not averred in tbe pleading tbat defendant is entitled to or claims any rights based on such agreement. Inferentially tbe modification of tbe agreement, above referred to, waived any possible claim in tbat respect. A suggestion is also made, by way of argument, tbat there may be involved tbe division of an increase in tbe herd, but we find nothing in tbe bill of complaint with reference to such matter. Tbe issue before us must be decided on plaintiff’s averments of facts in his pleading rather than by reference to bis prayer for relief, or to statements in bis.brief.

In Laubengayer v. Rohde, 167 Mich 605, 611, it was said:

“To sustain a bill for an accounting there must be mutual demands, a series of transactions on one side, and payments on tbe other. Where all tbe items are on one side, there can be no accounting. Tbe bill shows no items of which tbe complainant is not fully informed, and tbe only items involved are tbe money complainant paid for tbe land and money expended by bim in its improvement.”

Tbe language quoted is, we think, fairly applicable to tbe situation in tbe case at bar. See, also, Terranova v. Cottrell Block Construction Co., 302 Mich 417; Baker v. Lansing Company, 307 Mich 493. Applying tbe rule recognized in these cases and others of like character tbe conclusion cannot be avoided tbat plaintiff may not maintain bis suit in equity on tbe theory tbat be is entitled to an accounting.

*72 Do the allegations set forth in the bill of complaint entitle plaintiff to invoke the jurisdiction of equity on the ground of fraud? That equity may in proper cases be asked to relieve against the consequences of fraud is well established by repeated decisions of this Court. Such rule, however, may not be invoked under all circumstances! The following-language from the opinion of the Court in Mack v. Village of Frankfort, 123 Mich 421, 429, is significant :

“I do not understand that, every time a man has been defrauded in a horse trade or in the purchase of a stock of goods, he may invoke the .aid of a court of equity, even though he had an adequate remedy at law. It is doubtless true that, in cases of fraud, the equity court has concurrent jurisdiction with courts of law, and its aid may be invoked if the relief sought is of an equitable character, but this case is not such a one.

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Bluebook (online)
55 N.W.2d 731, 335 Mich. 66, 1952 Mich. LEXIS 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marshall-v-ullmann-mich-1952.