Smyth v. Moffett

6 Tenn. App. 381, 1927 Tenn. App. LEXIS 158
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedJuly 23, 1927
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 6 Tenn. App. 381 (Smyth v. Moffett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smyth v. Moffett, 6 Tenn. App. 381, 1927 Tenn. App. LEXIS 158 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1927).

Opinion

THOMPSON, J.

This suit was instituted in the circuit court of Hamilton county on November 30, 1926, by a writ of summons the material portion of which was as follows:

“You are hereby commanded to summon Dr. J. A. Moffitt and S. B. Stevens, G. C. Broome, and M. M. Allen, Jr., individually and as partners, doing business as The Stevens-Broome Drug Company, if to be found in your county, to appear . . . and there to answer Rosa Smyth in an action $10,000 damages personal injuries.”

On the same day, i. e., November 30, 1926, the sheriff made the following return on this writ:

‘ ‘ Came to hand same day issued. Executed by reading and making known the contents of this summons to S. B. Stevens, G. C. Broome and Dr. J. A. Moffitt, and M. M. Allen, Jr. not to be found in my county, and summoning defendant as commanded.”

*382 It is undisputed that the three defendants, Stevens, Broome and Allen, were the three partners (Dr. Moffitt not being in the partnership) and that they operated the drug store. It is also undisputed that the return: “not to be found in my country” applied only to M. M. Allen, Jr.

On December 1, 1926, the following order was entered on the minutes :

“This day came the plaintiff by her attorneys, and it appearing to the court that the sheriff has returned the summons in this case in the words following, to-wit:
“ ‘The defendant, M. M. Allen, Jr., not to be found in my county, J. I. McGee, Deputy Sheriff.’ It is therefore ordered, on motion of the plaintiff, that a judicial attachment issued against the estate of the defendant, M. M. Allen, Jr. When said attachment shall have been levied upon defendant’s property, and returned, the clerk will make publication for said defendant as is required by law in original attachment suits.”

On the same day, i. e., December 1, 1926, an attachment-was issued and went into the hands of the sheriff. On the same day, i. e., December 1, 1926, the sheriff made the following return on said attachment :

‘ ‘ Came to hand same day issued. Executed by attaching the stock of drugs, tobacco, etc; located at corner of Central Ave. & Main St. and doing business under the name of S. B. Stevens, G. 0. Broom, and M. M. Allen, Jr., doing business as partners. All‘set out in this writ as defendants in above styled case.”
The next page in the record is the following:
“Forthcoming Bond Rosa Smyth v. Dr. J. A. Moffitt, et al.
No. 36699
- In the Circuit Court of Hamilton County, Tennessee.
“We, M. M. Allen, Jr., principal, and Tom Duff, surety, acknowledge ourselves indebted to Rosa Smyth in the sum of one thousand dollars. But if, in the event the said M. M. Allen, Jr. is cast in this suit with said Rosa Smyth in the circuit court of Hamilton county, Tennessee, wherein the property of said defendant M. M. Allen, Jr. has been attached by judicial attachment issued December 1st, 1926, they, the same defendants shall pay the value of the property attached or deliver said property into the said circuit court in as good condition as when attached, then this bond which is given for said property is to become void.
“Witness my hand this the 1st day of December, 1926.
*383 “M. M. Allen, Jr.
“By S. B. Stevens
“S. B. Stevens,
“T. 0. Duff.”

¥e assume that this bond was filed in the ease on or about the day it was executed, i. e., December 1, 1926, and that the goods were left in the possession of the defendants, etc.

On December 10, 1926, M. M. Allen, Jr., filed a motion as follows:

“M. M. Allen, Jr., one of the defendants in the above styled case, appearing especially for the purposes of the following motion and not otherwise, and specifically disclaiming any intention or purpose of entering a general appearance, now comes by his attorney and moves the court to dismiss the judicial attachment heretofore on the first day of December, 1926, sued' out in this case and levied upon certain property or estate of the said M. M. Allen, Jr., on the ground that said attachment is illegal and void because he, the said M. M. Allen, Jr., was not, at the time the summons in this case was returned by the sheriff ‘not to be found in my county’ or at the time said attachment was issued and levied, a resident of Hamilton county, Tennessee, nor was he ever theretofore or since a resident of said county, and he is not now such a resident.
“The facts heretofore alleged will be fully sustained by affidavits upon the hearing of this motion.”

On December 13, 1926, three affidavits were filed in support of said motion. One of them which is in substance the same as the other two was as follows:

“T. L. Morton, Oak Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee, first being duly sworn, upon his oath deposes as follows:
“Affiant states that he was born and reared near Summerville, Georgia, and that he has known M. M. Allen, Jr., all his life; that he, the same M. M. Allen, Jr., was bom at Summerville, Georgia, and has lived there continuously until about one year ago; that he has been a traveling salesman for the past two years and dnring the last year has maintained headquarters at Atlanta, Georgia.
“Affiant further states that the said M. M. Allen, Jr., now resides in the State of Georgia, and that he does not now live in Hamilton county, Tennessee, and neve! has been a resident of or lived in said county. ’ ’

On January 11, 1927, the following order or judgment was entered on the minutes:

“This cause came on to be heard on this the 10th day of January, 1927, before Hon. Oscar Yarn ell, Judge, on motion of the defendant, M. M. Allen, Jr., to dismiss the attachment levied on certain of the estate of said defendant. Thereupon came the plaintiff and by oral motion made in open court moved the court to strike said motion *384 and the affidavits filed in support thereof on the grounds that said motion is frivolous and unknown in form and substance to the law, and the court having heard plaintiff’s said motion, and the argument of counsel and having fully understood the same, is of opinion that plaintiff’s said motion is not well taken, and the same is overruled, to which action of the court plaintiff excepted.
“And the cause coming on to be further heard on said defendant’s motion to dismiss.the attachment sued out in this cause, and levied upon certain property of the defendant, M. M. Allen, Jr.

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Bluebook (online)
6 Tenn. App. 381, 1927 Tenn. App. LEXIS 158, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smyth-v-moffett-tennctapp-1927.