Naylor v. Lewiston & Southeastern Electric Railway Co.

96 P. 573, 14 Idaho 789, 1908 Ida. LEXIS 72
Idaho Supreme Court·Decided May 25, 1908·Published·Cited by 12 cases

Opinion

STEWART, J.

This appeal is from an order denying the appellants’ motion for a new trial. Before considering the questions presented by appellant on this appeal, our attention is directed to a discussion indulged in by the respondent,, in which it is urged that the order denying a new trial should, be affirmed for the following reason:

‘ ‘ That both the defendants, the Commercial Trust Company and the Northern Pacific Railway Company, are adverse par[793]*793ties herein who did not join in the motion made herein for a new trial, and the record affirmatively shows that no notice of intention to move for a new trial, no motion for a new trial, nor any statement of the case on motion for a new trial was ever served upon them or either of them by the Lewiston & Southeastern Electric Railway Company, the party making the motion, nor did they waive any such service.”

The appeal in this ease is taken by both the Lewiston & Southeastern Railway Company, and the Commercial Trust Company. The Northern Pacific Railway Company was dismissed from this ease, under a stipulation of counsel entered into during the trial to the effect that the interest of the Northern Pacific Railway Company in the real property involved should not be adjudicated in this action. This stipulation was respected by the trial court, and no findings were made with reference to the Northern Pacific Company, nor was any judgment rendered for or against it.

The statement of the case contains a notice of intention to move for a new trial, upon the part of the Lewiston and Southeastern Railway Company, which shows service to have been made upon the attorney for the plaintiffs, respondents herein. Whether service was made upon the Commercial Trust Company does not appear from the record.

In the case of Steve v. Bonners Ferry Lumber Co., 13 Ida. 384, 92 Pac. 363, this court said:

“Under the provisions of our statute, secs. 4443 and 4820, Rev. Stat., the notice of intention to move for a new trial is not made a part of the record on appeal, and we conclude that it has served its purpose when the motion for a new trial has been passed upon, and there is no further use of its being made a part of the record unless the adverse party objects to its sufficiency. If no notice of intention has been given at all, or if for any reason it is insufficient, it is the duty of the respondent to make that objection either upon settlement of the statement or upon the hearing of the motion for a new trial, and have his objection noted and incorporated in a statement or a bill of exceptions. If he fails to do so, the court on appeal will presume that the notice was given. The fact [794]*794that the trial court who heard the motion has entertained a motion for a new trial, considered and passed upon the same, implies that the proper notice of intention to make such motion has been served and filed.
“For the same reasons given above, it is unnecessary to incorporate, in the statement orders made by the trial judge extending the. time for preparation of statement and service thereof. If the adverse party contends that no order has been made, or that the time granted has expired, or for any other reason the statement has been presented too late, he should make that objection either at the time of the settlement of the statement, or if he was not present at such time, then at the time of the hearing on the motion for a new trial, and if he is overruled by the court, he should have the same noted and settled in the statement or a bill of exceptions so that he may present it on appeal/’

It was not necessary, therefore, to incorporate in the record the notice of intention to move for a new trial or the service thereof, and it not affirmatively appearing that service was not made on the Commercial Trust Company, this court will presume that proper service was made and that the respondent was satisfied with the service so made. ' If service was not made, or was insufficient, it was the duty of the respondent to make objection thereto at the time of the settlement of the statement or at the time of the hearing of the motion for a new trial; and if the objection made thereto was overruled, such objection should have been presented to this court by proper bill of exceptions. It is too late to make this objection for the first time in this court.

This action is to enforce an alleged lien claimed by the respondents on a certain right of way or roadbed used for the operation of a railroad by the appellant, the Lewiston and Southeastern Electric Railway Company. Trial was had and judgment rendered for the plaintiffs, respondents herein, for the sum of $3,124.70, and costs, and an attorney fee of $250, and for a foreclosure of the lien claimed. A motion for a new trial was made and denied, and this appeal is from such order.

[795]*795Counsel for appellant have devoted much space to a discussion of the sufficiency of the allegations of the complaint. A demurrer was filed to the complaint but the record does not show what disposition was made of this demurrer. The ruling of the court, therefore, upon the demurrer is not presented to this court for review. The question then arises: Can the sufficiency of the allegations of the complaint be inquired into upon an appeal from an order overruling a motion for a new trial where there is no appeal from the judgment?

While it is true that, under the provisions of Rev. Stat., sec. 4178, the objection that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action is not waived by failing to. object thereto, yet, to review the sufficiency of the allegations of the complaint in this court, an appeal should be taken from the judgment. This court will not consider or review the sufficiency of a complaint on an appeal from an order denying a new trial. (Alpers v. Hunt, 86 Cal. 78, 21 Am. St. Rep. 17, 24 Pac. 846; Bode v. Lee, 102 Cal. 583, 36 Pac. 936; Swift v. Occidental Min. etc. Co., 141 Cal. 161, 74 Pac. 700; Swett v. Gray, 141 Cal. 63, 74 Pac. 439.)

The record in this case shows that a new trial was asked upon the following grounds:

“1st. Insufficiency of the evidence to justify the decision.
“2d. That the decision is against law.
“3d. Errors of law occurring at the trial and excepted to by the defendant.”

Under none of these grounds can the sufficiency of the complaint, in the absence of a demurrer, be considered by the trial court in granting or refusing a new trial. In support of these grounds for a new trial, the appellant assigned as error the insufficiency of the evidence to support findings Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, and 19, and that such findings are contrary to the evidence, certain rulings of the court in admitting and rejecting evidence and that the conclusions of law and decree of the court were not supported by the evidence and were against law.

Sec. 1 of an act approved February 7, 1899, Laws of 1899, page 147, provides:

[796]*796“Every person performing labor upon or furnishing materials to be used in the construction, alteration or repair of any .... railroad ....

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Naylor v. Lewiston & Southeastern Electric Railway Co., 96 P. 573, 14 Idaho 789, 1908 Ida. LEXIS 72 (Idaho 1908).

96 P. 573 (Naylor v. Lewiston & Southeastern Electric Railway Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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