State ex rel. Wright v. Barney

276 N.W. 676, 133 Neb. 676, 1937 Neb. LEXIS 123
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 17, 1937
DocketNo. 30058
StatusPublished
Cited by77 cases

This text of 276 N.W. 676 (State ex rel. Wright v. Barney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Wright v. Barney, 276 N.W. 676, 133 Neb. 676, 1937 Neb. LEXIS 123 (Neb. 1937).

Opinion

Eberly, J.

This action was commenced in the district court for Lancaster county on November 19, 1936, by a “Petition for a Writ of Prohibition,” in which the State of Nebraska, ex rel. William H. Wright, Attorney General, was plaintiff, and Frederick W. Barney, Justice of the Peace, and William R. Linch and Thomas P. Johnson were defendants. These defendants each separately demurred to the petition, which demurrers were by the trial court overruled. The defendants then separately answered in writing, their pleadings each being entitled “Answer * * * to petition and return to alternative writ of prohibition.” To the defendants’ pleadings the plaintiff replied by a general denial. The issues so formed came on to be heard in the [679]*679district court without the intervention of a jury, and the state introduced its evidence, at the close of which the defendants each moved the court orally for a dismissal of plaintiff’s petition for the reason that the court had no jurisdiction to issue a writ of prohibition, and that the evidence presented was “wholly insufficient to support the writ.” This motion was denied by the trial court. The defendants elected to offer no evidence in their behalf. Thereupon the district court entered findings generally in favor of plaintiff, and awarded a permanent writ of prohibition against the defendants as prayed. From the order of the trial court overruling their separate motions for new trial, defendants appeal.

The defendants failed to preserve the evidence adduced at the trial by a proper bill of exceptions duly allowed and settled by the district court, a fact which materially affects the scope of review on appeal.

It will be noted that, after the demurrers of the defendants were overruled, they each answered, and, upon issues joined, trial was had on the merits. As applicable to these facts, the rule approved in this jurisdiction is: “Where a party answers over after an adverse ruling on his motion or demurrer, and goes to trial on the merits of an issue he has elected to join, he waives the error, if any, in such ruling.” Worrall Grain Co. v. Johnson, 83 Neb. 349, 119 N. W. 668. See, also, Palmer v. Caywood, 64 Neb. 372, 89 N. W. 1034; Citizens State Bank v. Pence, 59 Neb. 579, 81 N. W. 623; Lederer v. Union Savings Bank, 52 Neb. 133, 71 N. W. 954; Buck v. Reed, 27 Neb. 67, 42 N. W. 894.

So too, “Under the practice of this court, where the record contains no bill of exceptions and the pleadings are sufficient to support the judgment of the trial court, it will be affirmed.” McIntyre v. Mote, 77 Neb. 418, 109 N. W. 763. See, also, McDaniel v. McDaniel, 131 Neb. 639, 269 N. W. 380.

For, “In the absence of a bill of exceptions, it will be presumed that an issue of fact raised by the pleadings received support from the evidence, and that such issue was [680]*680correctly determined.” Backes v. Schlick, 82 Neb. 289, 117 N. W. 707. See, also, Hayes v. Pilger, 110 Neb. 609, 194 N. W. 727; In re Estate of Raymond, 128 Neb. 568, 259 N. W. 522.

In view of the restrictions embodied in the instant record, the first, and probably the controlling, question is as to the existence of the remedy afforded by the writ of prohibition, and the jurisdiction of the district courts of this state to administer the same. We here use the term “jurisdiction” as expressing the concept of legal power to interpret and administer the law in the premises.

Section 1, art. V of our Constitution, provides: “The judicial power of the state shall be vested in a supreme court, district courts,” etc.

Section 2, art. V, includes: “The supreme court shall have jurisdiction in all cases relating to the revenue, civil cases in which the state is a party, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus, and such appellate jurisdiction as may be provided by law.”

Section 24, art. I of the Bill of Rights, provides: “The right to be heard in all civil cases in the court of last resort, by appeal, error-, or otherwise, shall not be denied.”

Section 9, art. V of the Constitution, provides: “The district courts shall have both chancery and common-law jurisdiction, and such other jurisdiction as the legislature may provide.”

By the terms of these constitutional provisions, district courts were endowed alike with chancery and common-law jurisdiction. These terms “chancery” and “common-law” jurisdiction must be read in the light of their historical use and definition when incorporated as a part of the Constitution of 1875. Within their respective spheres each must be given identical force and effect.

In construing these constitutional provisions, in State v. Nebraska State Bank, 124 Neb. 449, 247 N. W. 31, it was announced, viz.: “This court is committed to the view that not only is equity jurisdiction conferred by the terms of the Constitution, but that, as thus conferred, it is beyond [681]*681the power of the legislature to limit or control; that while the legislature may grant to the district courts such other jurisdiction as it may deem proper, it cannot limit or take from such courts their broad and general jurisdiction which the Constitution has conferred upon them. Lacey v. Zeigler, 98 Neb. 380; State v. State Bank of Minatare, 123 Neb. 109; Burnham v. Bennison, 121 Neb. 291.” See, also, State v. Farmers State Bank, 121 Neb. 532, 237 N. W. 857; Hall v. Hall, 123 Neb. 280, 242 N. W. 607.

It is obvious that the exclusive and preeminent nature of the equity jurisdiction conferred on the district courts by these constitutional provisions is equally true of the common-law jurisdiction likewise vested in the same tribunals.

And, we are also committed to the view: “It is an imperative duty of the judicial department of government to protect its jurisdiction at the boundaries of power fixed by the Constitution.” State v. State Bank of Minatare, 123 Neb. 109, 242 N. W. 278. See, also, State v. Mitchell State Bank, 123 Neb. 120, 242 N. W. 283.

Consistent with these constitutional provisions, in 1879 the legislature of that year enacted the following: “The district courts shall have and exercise general, original and appellate jurisdiction in all matters, both civil and criminal, except where otherwise provided.” Comp. St. 1929, sec. 27-302.

The territorial legislature of Nebraska had by an enactment under the title, “An Act to put into force in this territory the common law of England,” approved March 16, 1855, provided “That so much of the common law of England as is applicable to and not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States, with the organic law of this territory, or with any law passed or to be passed by the legislature of this territory, be and the same is adopted and declared to be law within said territory.” I Complete Session Laws, 1855-1865, p. 144. This provision was reenacted by the territorial legislature of 1866. II Complete Session Laws, 1866-1877, p. 12.

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Bluebook (online)
276 N.W. 676, 133 Neb. 676, 1937 Neb. LEXIS 123, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-wright-v-barney-neb-1937.