Rich v. Dessar

50 Ind. 309
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 15, 1874
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 50 Ind. 309 (Rich v. Dessar) 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
Rich v. Dessar, 50 Ind. 309 (Ind. 1874).

Opinions

Downey, J.

Action by the appellee against the appellants, to enjoin the collection of a judgment. The complaint is in two paragraphs.

The judgment was rendered on the 10th day of November, 1871, in the superior court, in favorof the Merchants’ National Bank of Indianapolis, against Daniel C. Rich, Abijah Rich, Harvey Rich, Reuben D. Rich, and Dessar, the appellee, on a promissory note made by the Riches to Dessar, who, as alleged in the first paragraph of the complaint, was only an indorser and surety of said Abijah, Daniel, and Harvey Rich.

It is also alleged in the said first paragraph of the complaint, that, after the rendition of the judgment, Dessar, surety a© aforesaid, paid to and deposited with the bank the amount of [311]*311the judgment, with the special understanding and agreement by and between Dessar and the'bank that Dessar should and did thereby become the equitable owner of the judgment, and that the same should be collected of and from the said principal debtors in said judgment, Daniel C., Harvey, and Abijah Rich, in the name of the bank, by and for the use of said Dessar; that afterward, on the 25th day of June, 1872, the cashier of the bank, without the authority, consent, or knowledge of Dessar, made an assignment of the judgment to the defendant William C. Rich, who has since caused an execution to issue thereon against the plaintiff to the defendant Ruckle, sheriff, etc., who is about to levy the same on the property of the plaintiff; that said William C. Rich took and held no greater right than said assignment, and holds the judgment subject to the equities of the plaintiff. Prayer, for injunction, and that the judgment be decreed satisfied.

The second paragraph of the complaint differs from the first in alleging the payment of the judgment to the bank, and that the same, as to the plaintiff, thereby became satisfied and extinguished. It contains the same prayer for relief.

The defendants answered:

1. A general denial; and,

2. That at the December term, 1872, of the superior court, the plaintiff impleaded the defendants in a civil action, on the same identical causes of action in the complaint mentioned, and such proceedings were had, that in December, 1872, the defendants, by the consideration and judgment of said court, recovered in said action judgment on the same identical causes of action in the complaint mentioned, with his costs, as by the record, etc., will appear, which judgment is in full force, etc.

After demurring unsuccessfully, the plaintiff replied to the second paragraph of the answer, that, in the action referred to, it was solemnly agreed and linderstood by and between the plaintiff and defendants, in open court, as appears by the record in said cause, that the question of the equitable ownership of the judgment by Dessar, on account of the payment to the bank, was not raised in said cause, and, on the agreement [312]*312and the plaintiff’s understanding thereof, no evidence was introduced by him in said action touching the equitable ownership of the said judgment, etc., and the question of the equitable ownership of the judgment was not passed upon or decided in said action; wherefore the defendants are estopped to set up the alleged former adjudication, etc.

The issues were, by agreement, tried by the court at the March term, 1873, and there was a finding and judgment for the plaintiff at the April term, 1873.

A motion for a new trial was made and overruled at the same term, and twenty days were given in which to file a bill of exceptions, and the same was filed on the 7th day of May, 1873.

The grounds stated for a new trial were the following:

1. Admitting in evidence the bill of exceptions in the former action as part of the record of former recovery, over the defendants’ objection.

2. The finding of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence.

3. The finding is contrary to law.

4. Overruling the demurrer to the complaint.

5. Granting the injunction prayed for by the plaintiff.

In the general term, two errors may, by liberality, be regarded as having been properly assigned :

1. That the complaint did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action; and,

2. Overruling the motion of the defendant for a new trial.

Upon consideration of these alleged errors in the general term, the judgment in special term was affirmed.

In this court, it is alleged that the superior court in general term erred in affirming the judgment of the court in special term.

The first objection to the complaint, stated in the language of the brief of counsel for the appellant, is, “ The court erred in rendering judgment and granting an injunction on the complaint, because the complaint is not verified by affidavit, and hence is not sufficient under the statute.” When the court is [313]*313asked to grant a restraining order or injunction during the pendency of the action, and before the final hearing, the complaint, or so much thereof as pertains to the acts or proceedings to be enjoined, must be verified by affidavits. 2 G. & H. 133, sec. 138. But it has been held that no verification of the complaint is necessary, where no restraining order or temporary injunction is sought. The Sand Creek, etc., Co. v. Robbins, 41 Ind. 79; Denny v. Moore, 13 Ind. 418.

The next objection urged against the complaint is, that it does not allege a release of errors in the judgment sought to be enjoined. The release of errors, when necessary, is required by the statute to be indorsed on the complaint. 2 G. & H. 135, sec. 145. It is not required in any case to be stated in the complaint. Moreover, it need not be indorsed on the complaint, unless required by the judge or court. 2 G. & H. 135, sec. 145.

It is objected that the first paragraph of the complaint does not state a payment of the judgment by the plaintiff, but only that he paid to and deposited with the bank the amount of the judgment,” etc.

The second paragraph alleges that the plaintiff herein, Joseph B. Dessar, surety in said judgment, paid to the Merchants’ National Bank the amount of said judgment, and was thereby discharged from all further obligation to said bank on said judgment, and the same was, as to this plaintiff, forever satisfied and extinguished.” This allegation, we think, sufficiently shows that the plaintiff paid the judgment.

The second paragraph of the complaint being good, the assignment of error, that the complaint does not state facts sufficient, is not sustained. In such case, if there is one good paragraph in the complaint, although there may be another which is bad, the assignment of error in that form, like a demurrer to several paragraphs of a pleading, where one of the paragraphs is good, must be disallowed. Waugh v. Waugh, 47 Ind. 580.

The next question relates to the overruling of the motion for a new trial. The first point made under this head is, that the [314]*314court erred in admitting as evidence the bill of exceptions in the former action between the parties.

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Related

Lake Erie & Western Railroad v. Cluggish
42 N.E. 743 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1896)
Reissner v. Dessar
80 Ind. 307 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1881)

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Bluebook (online)
50 Ind. 309, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rich-v-dessar-ind-1874.