Milburn v. Phillips

34 N.E. 983, 136 Ind. 680, 1893 Ind. LEXIS 79
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 12, 1893
DocketNo. 16,330
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 34 N.E. 983 (Milburn v. Phillips) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Milburn v. Phillips, 34 N.E. 983, 136 Ind. 680, 1893 Ind. LEXIS 79 (Ind. 1893).

Opinions

Dailey, J.

This cause was commenced in the Clinton Circuit Court, by appellant, against all of the appellees, except Joseph E. Milburn. He alleged that he was the owner, .in fee, of the south half of the southeast quarter of section 25, in township 21 north, range 2 west, in said county.

The complaint sought to set aside a certain sheriff’s certificate of sale, which appellees Phillips and Moore had against said premises. It sets out the judgment on which the sale was made, showing that it was against Joseph E. Milburn, and not, therefore, a lien on the land of the appellant, who was the plaintiff in said cause.

The complaint was answered, in the first instance, in three paragraphs. First, in general denial. The second, in substance, admits that on and before the 11th day of September, 1888, Joseph E. Milburn was the owner of said real estate, and conveyed the same, by deed, to Robert C. Milburn, but says that said deed was executed without any consideration, and in fraud of the creditors of Joseph, and that Phydella E. Phillips was, at the time, a creditor of the grantor. The third paragraph of answer isThe same as the second, save it also alleges that Joseph E. Milburn is the father of the plaintiff, the appellant herein, and that said Robert and Joseph, with the intent to hinder, delay, and defraud the creditors of Joseph, conspired and confederated together, and caused the deed to be made to the former by the latter.

Both paragraphs aver that the father had not, after [683]*683the conveyance was made, sufficient property subject to execution with which to pay his debts, and ever after-wards continued insolvent.

Appellees herein also filed a cross-complaint in two paragraphs, containing, in substance, the same allegations as are embraced in the second and third paragraphs of the answer, and setting out therein the judgment and sale of the real estate, and asking that the deed of date September 11, 1888, to Robert, by his father, be set aside, and the sale of the land, on defendant’s judgment, sustained.

Joseph E. Milburn is made a party to answer the cross-complaint, and the Milburns answer by general denial.

Appellees, defendants below, having secured a sheriff’s deed for said tract, pending the suit in the Clinton Circuit Court, filed a supplemental cross-complaint of ejectment against the Milburns, which was answered by general denial.

The cause was first tried in the Clinton Circuit Court, which resulted in a finding and judgment for the defendants, on their cross-complaint, and against appellant on his complaint.

The supplemental complaint being in ejectment, the appellant was granted, on his own motion, a new trial as a matter of right. Afterwards, on proper affidavit, the venue of the cause was changed to the Boone Circuit Court. In the latter court, the denial was withdrawn to plaintiff’s complaint. The trial of the cause was submitted to a jury, and at the close of the evidence on the part of the defendants (appellees herein) the plaintiff filed his demurrer thereto, and the cause was withdrawn from the further consideration of the jury. The demurrer was, by the Boone Circuit Court, overruled, and the rul[684]*684ing of the court below thereon presents the only question for the consideration of the court.

The appellant has assigned as error:

First. That the court erred in overruling plaintiff’s demurrer to defendants' evidence.

Second. That the court erred in rendering the judgment and decree which is rendered in this cause.

The real question presented for our consideration is: Did the court err in overruling the demurrer to the evidence?

Before presenting the material features of the evidence, it is proper and essential that we should advert to certain rules, the aid of which is invoked as a guide to courts in the consideration, by them, of the evidence in a cause where a demurrer to the evidence has been interposed.

In McLean, Admr., v. Equitable, etc., Assurance Society, 100 Ind. I27 (130 and 131), is a collation of authorities, and their correctness is borne out by an examination of the decisions to which reference is made.

The effect of the demurrer is to concede the truth of all the facts of which there is any evidence against the demurring party, and, if there is a conflict in the evidence, it prevents him from insisting upon any evidence in his favor as to the disputed facts. Willcuts v. Northwestern, etc., Life Ins. Co., 81 Ind. 300.

The demurrer admits all the facts which the evidence tends to prove, and all such inferences as can be drawn therefrom. Willcuts v. Northwestern, etc., Life Ins. Co., supra; Radcliff v. Radford, 96 Ind. 482.

It excludes from consideration the evidence of the party demurring. Ruddell v. Tyner, 87 Ind. 529.

Which is treated as withdrawn. Adams, Assignee, v. Slate, 87 Ind. 573.

As the evidence of his adversary alone is involved in [685]*685the issue raised by the demurrer. Fritz v. Clark, 80 Ind. 591.

If, upon such evidence, with every reasonable inference which may be drawn therefrom, a jury might rightfully find against the party demurring, the demurrer should be overruled (Hagenbuck v. McClaskey, 81 Ind. 577; Nordyke, etc., v. Van Sant, 99 Ind. 188), as the party demurring admits all the facts of which there is any evidence (Trimble v. Pollock, Admr., 77 Ind. 576), and consents that whatever reasonable inferences can be, shall be, drawn from the evidence against him. Ruff v. Ruff, 85 Ind. 431.

And the court is bound to take as true all the facts which the evidence tends to prove, and such inferences from them as the jury could have drawn, though the jury might not have drawn them. Ohio, etc., R. W. Co. v. Collarn, 73 Ind. 261.

But the court is not required, in considering the demurrer, to weigh or reconcile conflicting evidence, nor to^ consider that which favors the party demurring when it is in conflict with the other evidence against him. Indianapolis, etc., R. R. Co. v. McLin, 82 Ind. 435.

The demurrer waives objections to the admissibility of the evidence. Miller v. Porter, 71 Ind. 521.

And no advantage can be taken of any defect in the pleadings as a reason for sustaining the demurrer. Lindley v. Kelley, 42 Ind. 294.

As sustaining a demurrer to the evidence works a final disposition of the case, the court does not err in overruling such a demurrer whenever there is testimony which, although weak and inconclusive, fairly tends to prove every material fact, and is sufficient to justify a court in overruling a motion to set aside a verdict based thereon. Kansas Pacific R. W. Co. v. Couse, 17 Kan. 571.

[686]*686And if, from the evidence, a jury might infer that the plaintiff’s action should be sustained, the demurrer should be overruled, and the plaintiff should have judgment. Wright, Admr., v. Julian, 97 Ind. 109.

In line with these authorities, and in addition thereto, see Palmer v. Chicago, etc., R. R. Co., 112 Ind. 250; Evansville, etc., R. R. Co. v. Marohn, 6 Ind. App. 646, 34 N. E. Rep. 27.

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Bluebook (online)
34 N.E. 983, 136 Ind. 680, 1893 Ind. LEXIS 79, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/milburn-v-phillips-ind-1893.