Patton v. . Baird

42 N.C. 255
CourtSupreme Court of North Carolina
DecidedAugust 5, 1851
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 42 N.C. 255 (Patton v. . Baird) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Patton v. . Baird, 42 N.C. 255 (N.C. 1851).

Opinion

PeaiisoN, J.

The intestate and the defendant had for' several years, dealt as partners in buying and selling land and other property ; and on the 20th day of December, 1844, made a final settlement and division. They then agreed to deal as partners in buying, raising, and selling cattle, sheep and hogs; which copartnei’ship continued until the death of the intestate in 1848, when the plaintiff administered and delivered to the defendant his share of such of the cattle, &c., as were in the possession of his intestate, and received of the defendant his intestate’s share of such of the cattle, &c., as were in the possession of the defendant. The intestate and the defendant had also after 1844, purchased and held, as partners, two parcels of land — -the-Roberts and the Kelyon tracts — and had, as partners, built a'house and made‘a large quantity of brick.

The bill charges, that the intestate paid much more than his share of the price of the Roberts tract, and contributed more than his share of the labor and incidental expense in building the house and making the brick. The copartnership extended to horses and mules, as well as cattle, &c., ■ and the defendant had on hand a number óf mules belonging to the firm, which he refused to divide. It also extended to the family expenses of the partners, and the defendant refused to pay the one half of the debts, contracted by the intestate for the support of his family. And there are- ' many outstanding debts contracted for the firm, and for which the intestate had given his individual notes. The prayer is for an account.'

*257 The defendant alleges, that he bas paid his full share of the price of the land, and contributed his full share of labor and expense in building the house and making the brick, or nearly so, and, if he is at all in arrear, he is willing to pay whenever the amount is ascertained. He denies, that, after December, 1844, the copartnership extended to any thing, except buying, i aising, and selling cattle, sheep, and hogs, and except the purchase of the two tracts of land and the house and brick. And he denies, that there are, to his knowledge, any notes given by the intestate for cattle, sheep, or hogs, or for which the firm was otherwise bound, except three — one to the administrator of Wolf, of which a small part was for the purchase of cattle ; one to Alexander, and one to Wilson; and of these he has paid, or is willing to pay, his part; and, if there be any others, for which the firm is liable, he is willing to pay his part.

Upon the coming in of the answer, the cause was referred by a rule of Court. The arbitrators made their award,, and filed it on the 5ih of March,, 1851, as follows;.

“M. Palton, Adm’r of Israel Baird, dec'd. vs. Wm. R, Baird.
This case having been referred to the undersigned for-settlement,, and we having examined complainant’s bill and defendant’s answer thereto, also heard the testimony introduced by the parties, and argument of counsel thereon, beg leave to report the following, as the result of our investigation, to wit — First: That Israel Baird and Wm-. R. Baird: were joint owners of two tracts of land, purchased since-. December 20th, 1844, to wit: the Pearce Roberts or Cas-suda, and the Lester or Kelyon tracts; and that the claim of the said defendant to. the half of the sale thereof is right,.
“ Second : That they were jointly interested in the buying, raising, and selling of cattle, sheep, and hogs; but not in horses an,d mules.
*258 "Third: That the debt to the estate of W. Wolf for 'stock is joint, except $>47, that being the individual debt of the defendant, Wm. R. Baird ; also the debt to the estate of N. Alexander is joint; the debt clue to F. M. Wilson is made up of $37 or $38, due by I. Baird, and $7 or $8 by said W. R. Baird : all outstanding debts for cattle, if any such, are joint,
“Fourth : The debt of $425 is chargeable to L Baird’s estate, and due to said W. R. Baird.
“Fifth: We charge defendant with $125, it being a deficiency on his part in work and furbishing lumber towards making the 60,000 bricks and building house; which sum the said defendant is to pay to the plaintiff.
“Any other charges in said bill, we consider a's settled, dnd need not be especially mentioned in this report.
“ All of which is respectfully submitted,
JAS. W. PATTON,
W'. U. RANKIN,
JAS. M. SMITH-.”
'“March 5th, P85P.

At April Term, 1851, the plaintiff moved to set aside the award, because it was uncertain in many particulars-, 'and because it was not final,

The defendant insisted, that the award was valid ; but to pbviate all objections, moved the Court to allow the arbitrators, (who were then present,) to withdraw the award and amend it, so as to. make it certain and final. To this .’the plaintiff objected, The Court refused the njotión, and 'set aside the award.

The objection, because of the omission -to decide as to 'the costs, cannot be sustained. In such cases, each party 'pays his own costs.

All of the other objections, except two, are met by the rule, “ id cerium esi, quod cerium reddipotest.’1 The seem *259 ing uncertainties can be removed by reference to the pleadings, and by simple calculation.

’This part — ' the debt to Wilson is made up 'of $37 or $38, dúe by J. Baird, and $7 Or $8, due by W. R. Baird”-^ is uncertain, and cannot be aided by the above rule. It is a small matter, and, probably-, might be obviated by the defendant’s submitting to 'take it most strongly against himself. We would consider of this, but for the fact, that the other objection fe fatal-.

The award is not final in this : “ All outstanding debts for cattle, if any such, are joint.’’ Thus, upon its face, leaving the question, which of the outstanding debts are for cattle ? open for further litigation,

The object of a submission is, to put an end to litigation in reference to all 'matters embraced in it. If this object is not completely answered, the consideration of the agreement fails, and either party may insist upon setting aside the award, and claim the right 'to stand in “ statuo quo.1'’ That an award must be final, is a settled rule, in reference to all submissions. Where it is a rule of Could-, besides the reason above stated, there is the further one, that, unless it be final, the Court cannot enforce it. In this State, judge-ments are entered upon such awards, and the parties are then out of Court; Simpson v McBee, 3 Dev. 531.

No judgment óañ be rendered upon this award; and, consequently, the Court cannot enforce it. Suppose the plaintiff pays off a note of the intestate, and insists it was 'given for cattle. The defendant insists it Was given for family expenses! or mules.

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Bluebook (online)
42 N.C. 255, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/patton-v-baird-nc-1851.