Smith v. Downey

34 N.E. 823, 8 Ind. App. 179, 1893 Ind. App. LEXIS 52
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 19, 1893
DocketNo. 674
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 34 N.E. 823 (Smith v. Downey) 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
Smith v. Downey, 34 N.E. 823, 8 Ind. App. 179, 1893 Ind. App. LEXIS 52 (Ind. Ct. App. 1893).

Opinions

Davis, J.

In the court below, in an action of replevin, appellees recovered judgment against appellant for the possession of “a certain certificate of stock issued by the Snow-Storm Mining and Milling Co., of Durango, Colo., an incorporated company existing in and created under the laws of the State of Colorado, and doing business therein, the said certificate consisting of 110,000 shares of said stock.”

The principal question presented for our consideration [180]*180on this appeal arises on the ruling of the court below in sustaining a demurrer to appellant’s answer.

The material facts alleged in the answer are, that appellant, in 1887, instituted an action in the Marion Superior Court, against James E. Downey, to recover damages for breach of covenants in a deed of warranty for conveyance of real estate; that said Downey was a nonresident of the State, and due notice was given him of the pendency of the action by publication as required by statute; that an affidavit in attachment against Downey, and an affidavit in garnishment against Theodore P. Haughey, a citizen of Marion county, Indiana, were duly hied, alleging that Haughey had in his possession, and under his agency and control, property credits and effects of said James E. Downey which could not be reached by a writ of execution, and that proper writs of attachment and garnishment were issued, and said Haughey was duly served as such garnishee defendant, and that said corporation was also duly served with a writ of garnishment issued on proper affidavit, charging that said company held property rights and credits of said James E. Downey which could not be reached by execution; that said Haughey afterwards appeared and filed his answer in said cause, admitting that he had in his possession, at the time of said service, the said property of said Downey, hereinbefore described.

It is also alleged in said answer, that said corporation had its office and place of business, and its books and papers, in Indianapolis, in said county, and that its officers and directors were citizens of, and resided in, said county of Marion; that on failure of said James E. Downey and said company to answer, they were each duly called in open court, and made default, and that the cause, being at issue as to- Haughey, was submitted to the court for trial, on the 5th day of June, 1888, on said [181]*181answer of Haughey, and the default of the other defendants, and resulted in judgment in favor of appellant against James E. Downey for $5,950, also sustaining the attachment proceedings and ordering the sale of the shares of stock evidenced by said certificate.

It is also averred in said answer, in general terms, that said James E. Downey “at one time, by counsel, appeared in said suit,” but when, how, or for what purpose he so appeared is not stated, and, also, it is in like manner alleged that appellees were represented in said suit by counsel, who defended said suit as to the attachment and garnishment proceedings for the purpose of protecting said certificates and stock from being held by said attachment proceedings as the property of James E. Downey, but when, how or through what issue such defense was made or attempted, is not stated.

The answer of Haughey was an admission that he held the certificates of stock now in controversy as the property of James E. Downey, and the other defendants made default.

It is earnestly insisted, by counsel for appellant, that this answer is good as a plea of res adjudícala.

In the first place, notwithstanding the unsatisfactory character of the averments in relation to the connection of appellees with the former suit, and the apparent inconsistencies between such averments, and the other facts which appear in the answer, it might be conceded, if it appeared that any answer had been filed or defense made by or in the name of James E. Downey, that appellees would be bound by the result as fully as said Downey might be. Roby v. Eggers, 130 Ind. 415.

Yet the difficulty remains, so far as shown in the answer, that no defense was made or attempted by or in the name of Downey or any other defendant to the action.

[182]*182The doctrine of res judicata, as to persons who are not parties to the record, can only arise by virtue of some issue joined or contest made in the name of another, and it logically follows that when there is no such issue joined there can be no former adjudication. For the same reason the answer can not b® sustained on the theory that it shows there is a prior action pending between the same parties. The appellees can not be regarded, under the facts stated therein, as attachment defendants under section 1266, R. S. 1881.

If appellees had been joined as defendants in the former action, or if they had appeared therein by counsel to sustain or contest any issue joined between the parties, a different question would be presented. The facts disclosed in the answer, however, clearly show there was no such issue tendered or contest made.

The statement that James E. Downing “also, at one time, by counsel appeared in said suit,” should not be construed as an averment that he appeared to the attachment and garnishment proceedings, but if such construction was given, it could not, in any event, be so extended as to hold that an answer had been filed or issue joined by him as to the attachment proceedings. For aught that is shown, he may have appeared on the occasion referred to for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of the claim or in order to be heard, notwithstanding the default, on the question of the measure of damages.

The general allegations that appellees “in said suit were represented by counsel,” and that such counsel “defended said suit as to the attachment and garnishment proceedings for and on behalf of the plaintiffs (appellees ) in this action, and with their knowledge and by their authority, for the purpose of protecting the said certificate and stock from being held by said attachment [183]*183proceedings, as the property of said James E. Downey,” and "because their interests were represented, and the litigation controlled, by them for the purpose aforesaid, ’ ’ can not overcome the affirmative showing that no issue was joined as to the attachment proceedings, and that no answer was filed therein (except the admission of Haughey, as garnishee defendant, that he held the certificate of stock for, and as the property of, James E. Downey), and that there was no defense or contest in the case, and that there was no appearance to attachment and garnishment proceedings, except by Haughey, and that judgment was rendered, as to other defendants, by default.

If issue had been joined or defense made, either by or in the name of Downey, the question would arise whether such appearance, defense, and judgment would constitute a former adjudication, in the event it should be determined that the court had no jurisdiction over the thing in controversy. Brown on Jurisdiction, section 10.

The vital question is, can the stock of a nonresident, in a foreign corporation created and existing by virtue of the laws of another-State, be garnisheed in an action in a court in this State, when the certificate of stock is held here in trust?

On investigation we find that the great weight of authority is against the proposition.

Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
34 N.E. 823, 8 Ind. App. 179, 1893 Ind. App. LEXIS 52, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-downey-indctapp-1893.