Matson v. Dane County

179 N.W. 774, 172 Wis. 522, 1920 Wisc. LEXIS 260
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 16, 1920
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 179 N.W. 774 (Matson v. Dane County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Matson v. Dane County, 179 N.W. 774, 172 Wis. 522, 1920 Wisc. LEXIS 260 (Wis. 1920).

Opinion

Siebecker, C. J.

A preliminary question of pleading arises upon the allegations of the complaint. The pleader has set out the facts constituting the subject of controversy upon which relief is demanded. If the pleader had not attempted to repeat these facts after treating them as the first cause of action, in an attempt to allege nine additional causes of action, the subject would not have challenged our attention. The circuit court deals with the ten separate [524]*524demurrers interposed to the ten alleged causes of action, sustaining the demurrers to the fourth, fifth, ninth, and tenth alleged causes, and overruling the remainder. The record does not indicate that the question whether the facts alleged constitute different causes of action was brought to the attention of the court -for consideration. It seems to us that ' the complaint as framed should not receive the approval of tacit consent by passing it without taking note of the subject. Sec. 2646, Stats'., provides that:

“The complaint shall contain
“(2) A plain and concise statement of the facts cpnstitut- ■ ing each cause of action, without unnecessary repetition.
. “(3) A demand of the judgment to which plaintiff supposes himself entitled.”

There is but one object sought in bringing this action, namely, to enforce the primary right of the plaintiffs for the injury proximately caused by the default of the defendant’s officers and servants in performing a duty imposed on them by law: A mere repetition of a statement of facts in a complaint, upon a theory that it constitutes a basis of relief for breach of the primary right alleged as the ground of action, doés pot, in any sense of the Code, constitute an independent cause of action. There is but one subject of action set out in the complaint as above indicated and all the so-called separate causes of action are parts of that subject, involving, the breach of a primary right and the injury it caused plaintiffs. Emerson v. Nash, 124 Wis. 366, 102 N. W. 921.

As declared in Zinc C. Co. v. First Nat. Bank, 103 Wis. 125, 79 N. W. 229:

“The test of whether there is more than one cause of action stated or attempted to be stated in a comolaint is not whether there are different kinds of relief or objects sought, but whether there is more than one primary right sought to be enforced or one subject of controversy presented.”

An examination 'of the entire complaint discloses that [525]*525facts are stated as independent grounds for. relief, yet when considered in view Jof the object of the action they set forth but one primary purpose, to which they all relate "and for which relief is sought, namely, to fedress the plaintiffs’ injury, proximately caused them by the breach of this right.

“There may be many minor'subjects, and facts may be stated constituting independent grounds for relief, . . . and there be still but a single primary purpose of the suit, with which all the other matters are so connected as to be reasonably considered germane thereto, — parts of one entire subject," presenting to the court but one primary ground for invoking its jurisdiction. That was the rule before the Code, and it was preserved thereby in unmistakable language, as this court has said on many occasions.” Herman v. Felthousen, 114 Wis. 423, 90 N. W. 432, citing Bassett v. Warner, 23 Wis. 673, and other cases on p. 426.

Applying this rule to the complaint in this case, it is mani-. fest that the pleader wholly misconceived the purport and . facts alleged in the complaint in construing them as constituting ten different causes of action. In their scope, purpose, and object the facts stated constitute but one cause of action within'the provisions of the Code, and hence the alleged nine causes of action, after the first, do not constitute separate-causes of action, and the demurrers thereto must be sustained.

It is contended by the defendant that the county is not. liable for the alleged default in building and constructing the culvert described in the complaint as crossing the state trunk highway,in question. By sub. 1 (a), sec.' 1317, Stats., it is provided that

“On and after May 1, 1918, each county shall adequately maintain the whole of the trunk system lying within the county in accordance with the directions, specifications, and regulations made for such maintenance by the commission.”

Other provisions of this section prescribe the manner and extent in which such roads aré to be maintained by the counties, the payment of the actual cost thereof into the [526]*526county treasury out of the state trunk highway appropriation; and sub. 5 provides:

“Claims for damages which may be due to the insufficiency or lack of repair of the trunk system shall be against the county, and sections 1339, 1340, and 1340& of the statutes shall apply to such claims.”

But instances where the unsafe and dangerous condition was caused by a town, city, or village, or a public-service corporation are excepted, in which event such corporation causing the defect shall • be liable for such claim. These provisions clearly indicate that counties are placed in the saíne relation and have imposed on them the same legal duties respecting the maintenance of the state trunk highways and liability for defaults in-the performance of such duties as were'imposed on towns, cities, and villages prior to these statutes. It is obvious that this legislative policy carries with it the legal obligations that arise out of the relation created by the statutes imposing these burdens on counties, and that in case of a breach thereof the county is liable to the persons injured thereby to the same extent as towns, cities, and villages were liable for such defaults before the enactment of these statutes. It naturally follows that the legal remedies appropriate to enforce redress for breaches of such duties by counties are. available to parties to enforce their claim against counties.

It is averred in behalf of the county that the alleged cause of action charges a default by the county in its dis7 charge of a governmental function and that therefore no legal liabilities exist therefor. The claim of the county rests on the proposition that what the county’s officers and agents may do in discharge of its duty in maintaining a public highway are acts in discharge of its governmental duty and the law imposes no legal liability for the injuries or damages caused thereby, regardless Of the manner in which such duty is performed, unless the legislature has created a liability in such cases. The proposition asserted as controlling in [527]*527this case is not sustained by the adjudications in this court. In the case of Folk v. Milwaukee, 108 Wis. 359, 84 N. W. 420, this court, in speaking of the doctrine of nonliability of a city in its discharge of a governmental function, states:

“We do not lose sight of the fact that there is another principle frequently approved by this court, namely, that a municipal corporation may not construct or maintain a nuisance in the street or upon its property to the damage of another, or negligently turn water or sewage upon the lands ■of another, without liability.” Gilluly v. Madison, 63 Wis. 518, 24 N. W. 137; Hughes v. Fond du Lac, 73 Wis. 380, 41 N. W. 407; Schroeder v. Baraboo, 93 Wis. 95, 67 N. W.

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Bluebook (online)
179 N.W. 774, 172 Wis. 522, 1920 Wisc. LEXIS 260, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matson-v-dane-county-wis-1920.