Rarey v. Lee

34 N.E. 749, 7 Ind. App. 518, 1893 Ind. App. LEXIS 284
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 21, 1893
DocketNo. 667
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 34 N.E. 749 (Rarey v. Lee) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rarey v. Lee, 34 N.E. 749, 7 Ind. App. 518, 1893 Ind. App. LEXIS 284 (Ind. Ct. App. 1893).

Opinion

Ross, J.

The appellee sued the appellant to recover damages for injury to his land, from surface water alleged to have been wrongfully thrown upon such land by appellant.

The complaint is in two paragraphs, in substance the same, to each of which a demurrer was filed and overruled. The appellant then filed an answer of general [519]*519denial, under which, it was agreed that appellant could prove all defenses the same as if specially pleaded.

The first and second errors assigned in this court call in question the sufficiency of the complaint, the first paragraph of which is as follows:

“The plaintiff, Stephen P. Lee, complains of the defendant, Daniel Rarey, and says that the plaintiff has been, since the 2d day of September, 1885, the owner in fee and in possession of the following described real estate in Howard county, Indiana, to wit: The northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section twenty-two (22), township twenty-four (24) north, range four .(4) east, except five (5) acres in the southeast corner of the same, being 35 acres; that the defendant is the owner in fee and in possession of the southwest quarter of section twenty-three (23), said township and range, also of the five (5) acres above excepted out of the southeast corner of said section 22, in all 165 acres in said county and State; that running north and south and in a southwesterly direction on the northwest quarter of said 160 acres there is a natural elevation in the land extending almost entirely across the said northwest quarter; that said elevation is several inches in height, there being but about fifteen acres of the defendant’s land in said northwest quarter, on the west side of said elevation or ridge; that said elevation or ridge is of such a character that in its natural condition it causes all the surface water which falls and collects upon the land of the defendant, lying east of said elevation, to flow off the defendant’s land in an easterly and northeasterly direction, and away from the plaintiff’s land and the lands of the defendant that are contiguous to plaintiffs; that the defendant on or about the-day of October, 1885, and at various times since, wrongfully and unlawfully cut ditches from two to three feet deep through said nat[520]*520ural ridge and elevation, and thereby caused the water to flow almost continuously from that time to the time of bringing this action, over and upon the land of the plaintiff, and in large quantities, and in a manner that it would not have done had it not been for the unlawful cutting of said ditches by the defendant, and that on account of the cutting of said ditches and other tributaries cut into the same by the defendant, whereby the water from a great portion of the defendant’s said land has been thrown on the plaintiff’s land and diverted from its natural course, the plaintiff’s crops of corn, wheat, grass, hay, and vegetables, as well as his lands, have been destroyed and injured.

Plaintiff further says, that on the 30th day of September, 1887, this plaintiff commenced an action in the Howard Circuit Court against the said Daniel Rarey to enjoin him, the said Rarey, from thus flowing and delivering the waters from his said land and out of its natural course upon the lands of plaintiff, and to recover-damages from the said defendant for injury to plaintiff’s crops and to his said land; that such proceedings were had in said cause (which was cause No. 8,388, to which 'the said defendant appeared) upon the issues joined therein, that it was adjudged, ordered and decreed by the court that the said Rarey be perpetually enjoined from flowing the water from his said land upon that of the plaintiff, as hereinbefore set forth, and also a decree and judgment for damages was rendered by the court in said cause against the defendant Rarey for the flowing of the water upon the plaintiff’s land by reason of the construction of the ditches aforesaid, and the injury to his crops and land, and a finding was also made in said cause to the effect that the said defendant did unlawfully and wrongfully flow the water from his said land to and upon that of plaintiff, to his injury and damage, which-[521]*521finding, judgment and decree was rendered on the - day of-, 1888, and is still in force.

“Plaintiff further says, that the said defendant wholly disregarded said judgment and decree, and from the time of its rendition to the present time has continued to wrongfully and unlawfully flow the water from his said land, as hereinbefore set forth, to and upon the plaintiff’s land, and greatly injuring his crops and land, and in addition to cutting and constructing said drain and ditches through said elevation and ridge, the said defendant has constructed new and other ditches upon his said land than those that were in existence at the time of the rendition of said judgment, and has thereby caused the water to collect more rapidly and in larger volumes in said drain so constructed through said elevation and ridge, and thereby caused the water to collect more rapidly and in greater quantities upon his said land than it did prior to the rendition of said judgment, and has so constructed his system of drainage upon his said land as to bring about and produce such result, to the plaintiff’s great injury and damage; that by reason of the facts hereinbefore set forth, plaintiff’s crops of hay, corn, wheat, and vegetables, and lands were, during the years 1889 and 1890, damaged in the sum of $300, for which sum plaintiff prays judgment and all proper relief.”

The ' appellant insists that neither paragraph of the complaint states a cause of action, for the following reasons: First. That having brought an action and recovered damages, all injuries occurred, or which might afterwards result from the act complained of, were merged in that judgment; and, second, that having recovered in the former action, in addition to his judgment for damages sustained, an order enjoining the appellant from flowing water upon appellee’s land, appellee’s' remedy, if any he has, is to proceed against appellant for contempt. [522]*522That having invoked the aid of the court to protect him from further injury at the hands of appellant, he must pursue that remedy, and has no other. We think both contentions untenable. For all trespasses comitted to the time the former judgment was rendered, damages were assessed, and all rights to recover therefor were merged in that judgment, and no subsequent action could be successfully maintained for the same trespass. The injunctive relief granted at that time was to prevent future injury by forbidding appellant from further trespassing, yet, if appellant disregarded the order of the court and committed another trespass, which he surely did if he continued to flow water on appellee’s land, a new cause of action accrued in favor of appellee. Any punishment which the court might inflict for the violation of its order would not remedy the injury done the appellee. Neither would a judgment in favor of the appellee, compensating him for the injury sustained, purge appellant of contempt.

It is a settled rule of law that for one injury — the thing causing it being permanent and not subject to being abated — but one cause of action arises, in which all damages must be recovered, for the reason that there is but one wrong, for which there is but one remedy, which can not be divided. City of Lafayette v. Nagle, 113 Ind. 425.

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Related

Fairwood Bluffs Conservancy District v. Imel
255 N.E.2d 674 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1970)
Rarey v. Lee
44 N.E. 318 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1896)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
34 N.E. 749, 7 Ind. App. 518, 1893 Ind. App. LEXIS 284, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rarey-v-lee-indctapp-1893.