Neff v. Palmer

118 N.E.2d 719, 66 Ohio Law. Abs. 590, 1953 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 314
CourtFayette County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedDecember 11, 1953
DocketNo. 21649
StatusPublished

This text of 118 N.E.2d 719 (Neff v. Palmer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Fayette County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Neff v. Palmer, 118 N.E.2d 719, 66 Ohio Law. Abs. 590, 1953 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 314 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1953).

Opinion

OPINION

By CASE, J.

On August 4, 1953, Plaintiff filed his petition herein which reads as follows:

“Plaintiff states that defendant, The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Ohio, and as such is and was at all times hereinafter mentioned, authorized to do a general surety business within said state; that on the 13th day of July, 1953, said defendant, Robert C. Palmer, was a policeman and patrolman of the city of Washington, Fayette County, Ohio; that on the 25th [591]*591day of August, 1950, as well as on said 13th day of July, 1953, Sections 42 and 43 of the General Ordinances of said city were in full force and effect and read, in part, as follows to wit:
“Section 42 ‘* * * That the following officers and employees of said City shall give bond in the amount set out herein; that surety thereon, except on the bond of the City Manager shall be approved by the City Manager; * * *’
“Policeman _______________________________________$1,000.00
“Section 43 <* * * a surety company authorized to do business in this state shall be sufficient surety on the bond of any officer or employee above described * * *’
“Plaintiff further states that on said 25th day of August, 1950, said defendant, Robert C. Palmer, duly qualified as said policeman and patrolman for an indefinite term by giving bond in the sum of $1,000.00 as required by said ordinance with said defendant, The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, as surety thereon; that said bond was thereupon approved by the City Manager of said city; that said bond was and is expressly conditioned that said defendant, Robert C. Palmer, would well, truly, and faithfully perform all official duties required of him by law; that on said 13th day of July, 1953, said defendant, Robert C. Palmer, in his official capacity as said policeman and patrolman, and by virtue of said office, falsely, maliciously, and without reason or probable cause charged said defendant in the Municipal Court of said city with unlawfully and feloniously carrying about his person a dangerous weapon, to wit; a Colt, .38 Detective Special Revolver No. 583,054; that said defendant, Robert C. Palmer, caused a warrant to be issued for the arrest of said plaintiff on said charge; that defendant, Robert C. Palmer, arrested said plaintiff under said warrant; that thereupon said plaintiff was imprisoned for three hours, and to secure his release was compelled to give bond; that on the 15th day of July, 1953, at the trial of said cause said plaintiff was acquitted of said charge and said prosecution is wholly ended and determined; that said charge, arrest, and trial, was reported by the newspaper of said city; that by reason thereof said plaintiff has been greatly injured in his credit and reputation; that he incurred an expense of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for counsel fees in defending himself; and that by reason of the facts herein set forth said plaintiff has been and now is damaged in the sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).
“Wherefore, plaintiff prays judgment against said defendants for said sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) together with the costs of this action.”

On August 4, 1953, summons was issued thereon; and the [592]*592Sheriff’s Return thereof was filed on August 7, 1953, which reads, in part, as follows:

“The State of Ohio, Fayette County.
“Received this writ August 5th, 1953, at 2:30 o’clock P. M. And on August 7th 1953, I served the within named Robert C. Palmer and The Ohio Casualty Co., Mac Dews Agent by personally handing to each of them a true and certified copy thereof * with all the endorsement thereon”

On September 4, 1953, Defendants filed their demurrer to the aforesaid petition which reads as follows:

“Defendants demur to the petition because it appears on its face;
“1. That there is a misjoinder of parties defendant;
“2. That several causes of action are improperly joined;
“3. That separate causes of action against several defendants are improperly joined.”

Said demurrer was accompanied by a memorandum which reads as follows:

“MEMORANDUM.
“Secs. 11309, 11255 GC
“30 O. Jur. 765
“Reidy v. Deitsch 7 O. N. P. 620, 10 O. D. n. p. 382
“32 O. Jur. 1002
“Solomon v. Allaback 26 N. P. n. s. 145.”

It is noted that no memorandum or brief contra said demurrer has been filed on behalf of Plaintiff herein.

The first case cited by Defendants in support of their demurrer herein is Reidy v. Deitsch, 7 O. N. P. 620, 10 O. D. n. p. 382, decided by the Superior Court of Cincinnati, Special Term, May, 1900, and the first headnote thereto reads as follows:

“Sureties on a bond of a member of the police force, under Sec. 1882, Rev. Stat., can be subjected to liability only upon judgment against such officer. They cannot, therefore, be joined in the original action against the officer for damages.” (10 O. D. n. p. 382.)

The reasoning by which that court reached such determination appears on page 383 (10 O. D.) and reads as follows:

“Upon motion of counsel for Caleb Dodsworth and Herman P. Goebel, defendants in this case, the court has ordered a judgment in favor of those defendants, Caleb Dodsworth and Herman P. Goebel, because it appears that they were bonds-' men upon Colonel Deitsch’s bond, and the statute in such case seems to provide that the bondsmen are liable to answer only for a judgment, which has been rendered against a police officer, and as no judgment has yet been rendered, they are [593]*593properly dismissed from this action. Any verdict, therefore, that you may render in favor of the plaintiff against the defendant, will be against Philip Deitsch only.” (Emphasis by the court.)

This Court has emphasized that portion of the above quoted decision which appears to explain the reasoning by which said court arrived at its holding that sureties on a police officer’s bond could not be joined in the original action against such officer for damages.

We must now look to the provisions of the statute referred to by said court concerning that language whereof that court stated “the statute in such case seems to provide that the bondsmen are liable to answer only for a judgment, which has been rendered against a police officer, and as no judgment has yet been rendered, they” (the bondsmen) “are properly dismissed from this action.”

The pertinent portion of Section 1882, Revised Statutes of Ohio, as in effect at the time of said decision, reads as follows:

“* * * and each patrolman shall give a bond in the sum of one thousand dollars; said bonds shall each have two sureties, and shall be conditioned on the faithful discharge of the duties of the principal, and for the payment of any damages that may be adjudged against such principal by any competent tribunal for the illegal arrest or imprisonment, or injury by him, of any person; * * (Emphasis by the Court.)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
118 N.E.2d 719, 66 Ohio Law. Abs. 590, 1953 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 314, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/neff-v-palmer-ohctcomplfayett-1953.