Miera v. Sammons

248 P. 1096, 31 N.M. 599
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedMay 13, 1926
DocketNo. 2978.
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 248 P. 1096 (Miera v. Sammons) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miera v. Sammons, 248 P. 1096, 31 N.M. 599 (N.M. 1926).

Opinions

OPINION OP TRIE COURT

WATSON, J.

February 3, 1922, appellants filed in the district court of San Juan county ,a complaint in the ordinary form in a suit to quiet title. May 10, 1923, appellee filed answer denying appellants’ ownership of the lands and a cross-complaint in the usual form, alleging her own ownership of the land, and praying that her title be quieted as against the claims of the appellants. A copy of this answer and cross-complaint was served upon appellants by mailing, at Farmington, to their attorney of record at Albuqerque, September 17, 1923. October 10, judgment was, entered, reciting that, pursuant to a regular setting in open court, the cause came on for hearing on that date, appellee appearing by her counsel; finding that the appellee was the' owner in fee of the lands in question, and that the appellants made claims adverse to appellee’s said title, which claims were without right; and decreeing that appellee’s title be quieted as against the claims of the appellants.

Appellants filed a motion to vacate said judgment upon the following grounds:

“I. Because judgment was taken upon the cross-complaint before the expiration of the time allowed by law within which to plead to said cross-complaint, and in connection with this ground, and as a part thereof, reference 'is hereby made to the affidavit of H. B. Jamison, which is hereby made part and parcel of this motion the same as if incorporated herein.
“II.' Because judgment was taken before the expiration of 20 days from that date when the plaintiffs, or their attorneys, first had the cross-complaint served upon them, all of which was well known to the attorney for Mrs. H. B. Sammons by reason of a letter sent by H. B. Jamison to said attorney for Mrs. H. B. Sammons, and in connection with this ground reference is made to the affidavit of H. B. Jamison, which is made part and parcel of this motion the same as if incorporated herein.
“III. Because there was no authority under the laws of the state of New Mexico to grant a judgment on said cross-corn plaint.
“IT. Because said cross-complaint does not state a cause of action against the cross-defendants, in that there is no allegation that the cross-plaintiff was in possession, or that both parties were out of possession and such an allegation is essential to a decree to quiet title.
“V. Because neither the plaintiffs nor their attorney were served with any summons upon the cross-complaint and no copy of cross-complaint was served more than 20 days before judgment.”

Attached to the motion and made a part thereof was the affidavit of H. B. Jamison, attorney for appellants, setting forth that he had not received the copy of the answer and cross-complaint until September 26, 1923, and that at no time thereafter did appellee’s attorney communicate to him, nor did he otherwise have know!edge or information, that judgment was to be applied for on said October 10, or on any other date. The court made findings of fact and overruled this, motion; from which action this appeal is taken.

The fourth ground of appellants’ motion to vacate is not argued here and is deemed waived.

Grounds 1, 2, and 5 of the motion are based upon the theory that judgment was rendered as upon default for failure of appellants to plead to the cross-complaint. Considering these grounds, it appears, that in the trial court, as here, appellants presented two points as demonstrating that they were not in default: First, that upon the cross-complaint process should have been issued and served upon the appellants; and, second, that •judgment could not be entered so long as appellants had time to plead to the cross-complaint, which-time was 20 days.

Chapter 46, Laws of 1917, provides:

“Section 1. Whenever the defendant seeks affirmative relief against any party, relating- to or depending upon the contract or transaction upon which the action is brought, or affecting the property to which the action relates, he may, in addition to his answer, file at the same time, or by permission of the court subsequently, a cross-complaint. New parties material to the cause may be brought in by the cross-complaint upon summons issued and served as provided in other cases. The cross-complaint must be served upon the parties affected thereby and on the filing of a cross-complaint the same proceedings may be had as on the original complaint.”

It seems to be the clear implication from this chapter that summons is to be issued and served upon cross-complaint only for the purpose of bringing in new parties; while, as to those persons made parties by the original complaint, service of the cross-complaint itself is sufficient. We held in Young v. Vail et al., 29 N. M. 324, 222 P. 912, 34 A. L. R. 980, that the complaint and the cross-complaint constitute but one suit. We can think of no useful purpose to be served by taking out new process when the cross-complaint is filed, except in the case of new parties; and, as the Legislature evidently intended to dispense with it, appellants’ first point above mentioned must be overruled.

Decision of appellants’ second point, above stated, depends upon whether time should be computed from September 17, when the copy was mailed at Farmington, or from September 26, when it was received at Albuquerque. This, requires construction of Code 1915, § 4183, which provides:

“All service of papers, when the party to be notified has appeared by attorney, shall .be made upon the attorney. On pleadings and papers to be filed or served, the attorney shall indorse his name and place of business. Service of papers upon an attorney shall be made either by delivering the paper to him personally, or by leaving’ it at his office between the hours of nine a. m. and four p. m. with some person in charge thereof, or by depositing it in the post-office, securely enveloped, with postage thereon. paid, addressed to the attorney at his place of business. Where the party appears in person the service may be made in like manner on the party himself.”

Under similar statutes it seems to be uniformly 'held that the date of the mailing is deemed the date of service. Case note: ‘ ‘ When service by mail is complete. ’ ’ 18 Ann. Cas. 286.

By finding No. 1, upon the motion to vacate, the court, found the existence of the facts necessary to constitute service by mailing, under Code 1915, § 4183. It is here objected that the affidavit of mailing made by appellants’ attorney was not sufficient to justify the finding, it not being deposed therein that the copy was deposited in the post office at Farmington, but merely that it was “mailed * * *' at the post office in the town of Farmington,” and not being deposed therein that said copy was securely enveloped. No exception was taken to the finding or order, save as appears in the following:

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Bluebook (online)
248 P. 1096, 31 N.M. 599, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miera-v-sammons-nm-1926.