State Ex Rel. Wuebker v. Bockrath

87 N.E.2d 462, 152 Ohio St. 77, 152 Ohio St. (N.S.) 77, 39 Ohio Op. 389, 1949 Ohio LEXIS 329
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedJune 29, 1949
Docket31551
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 87 N.E.2d 462 (State Ex Rel. Wuebker v. Bockrath) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio 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. Wuebker v. Bockrath, 87 N.E.2d 462, 152 Ohio St. 77, 152 Ohio St. (N.S.) 77, 39 Ohio Op. 389, 1949 Ohio LEXIS 329 (Ohio 1949).

Opinions

Turner, J.

We are here presented with a shotgun attack on the Court of Appeals’ decision and judg- . ment.

At one point in the brief of appellant (who was plaintiff below) it is said:

“The original action by appellant, the plaintiff, was based on two principal contentions, first, that the proceedings of the joint township hospital district •board of trustees with reference to the organization *80 of said district and the issuance of bonds were not in conformity with the statutes and were, therefore, unlawful and void and, secondly, that the provisions of General Code Sections 3414-1 et seq., providing for the creation of a joint township hospital district are unconstitutional and void.”

A little later in the brief appellant says:

“Plaintiff’s [appellant’s] contentions in the instant case fall under two main headings :
“1. That the defendant board [joint township hospital district board], in its proceedings for election and issuance of the bonds in question, has disregarded the mandatory provisions of the Uniform Bond Act, and that such proceedings are therefore unlawful and void.
“2. That the township district hospital act (G. C. Sections 3414-1 et seq.) are unconstitutional and therefore the proceedings thereunder for issuance of the bonds in question are unlawful and void.”

However, the actual challenge in the many pages of the briefs is still wider.

The case was tried de novo in the Court of Appeals. Even a new pleading to conform with the evidence in the Court of Appeals was filed. Where a transcript of the evidence in a tidal court is the basis of the decision in the Court of Appeals, the finding, opinion and journal entry of the judge of the Common Pleas Court, are usually helpful. However, as here, where the transcript from the trial court is abandoned and a new record is made, the proceedings in the Common Pleas Court are of little or no help. Notwithstanding, .appellant’s briefs contain much reference to what took place in the Court, of Common Pleas.

In its decision, the Court of Appeals said:

• “In consideration that grounds for injunction existed at the time the action was commenced in the *81 Court of Common Pleas of Auglaize county, Ohio, * * * such grounds do not now exist by reason of correction of defendants’ records * *

Appellant’s contentions are based largely upon the claim that neither exhibit “7” nor exhibit “8” should have been admitted in evidence and that without such exhibits there was nothing upon which to base the judgment of the Court of Appeals. We hold that exhibit “7” was properly admitted as a part of the record and exhibit “8” was properly admitted as a nunc pro tunc correction of the record.

The Court of Appeals’ finding in regard to the record of the board’s proceeding is set forth in the decision as follows:

“Under the first complaint we find that at a special meeting of the joint township district hospital board, held at St. Marys, Ohio, on Friday, March 26, 1948, the records of the hospital board were corrected to conform with the actual truth. At this board meeting all of the members of the board present voted by unanimous action and the minutes were corrected in conformity to what had actually happened, and in •compliance with the statutes relating thereto. * * *
“This court specifically finds that the record, as •amended, presents the real facts and shows that the board acted in accordance with law. * * *
“No real defect existed in the original resolutions and the voters were not confused by the notice of •election or by the ballot issued to them which were in no wise contradictory.”

Much time was used in the argument and much space in the briefs is devoted to exhibits “7” and “8.” Exhibit “7” is a part of the record of the joint board. According to the testimony of the assistant to the secretary, the records of the board were kept in two books, the minutes of the board being kept separate *82 from the resolutions. There is no provision which requires all the record to be kept in a single book. Indeed, keeping the minutes separate from the resolutions appears to be a reasonable practice.

While appellant claims that the connection between the different parts of the record was established by parol, appellant does not question the use of parol to identify an exhibit but does question the use of parol to supply an omission in the written record of reference to other exhibits which are sought to be linked by parol as a part of the same record. There was no violation of the parol-evidence rule but simply an identification of the different parts of the record.

Appellant contends that exhibit '‘7,” which was exhibit “B” in the Court of Common Pleas, and appellant’s exhibit “8” cannot be reconciled. This overlooks the fact that exhibit “8” is a nunc pro iunc record of what actually happened.

The Court of Appeals found specifically that the record as set forth in exhibit “8” presents the real facts and shows that the board acted in accordance with law.

Harry Freet testified that he was chairman of the hospital board and served as assistant to the secretary and as such had charge of the records of the board. On cross-examination Mr. Freet was asked:

“Q. Then you go through appellant’s exhibit 7 and tell the court which of those sheets constitute your original records other than your minute book? A. I will say all original record. ’ ’

Mr. Freet was also asked:

“Q. I now hand you defendants-appellants ’ exhibit ‘8’ and ask you to state what that is? A. This is the original copy of the meetings, resolutions and procedure of the hospital board * *

Later, Freet was asked by the court in respect of ex- *83 Mbit “8”: “Does that correctly state the facts that actually happened on September 4? By the witness: Yes, sir.”

In the opinion in the case of Village of Vinton v. James, 108 Ohio St., 220, 231, 140 N. E., 909, Judge Allen made the following observations which are pertinent here and in keeping with the holding in that case:

“The question further arises whether, in such a case as this, where the court has specifically found that council did comply with the law, a record of that fact can be made after the proper time for record, in order that the action of council may have validity. * * *
“It is in accord with the spirit of-the law to permit the amendment of errors in records after the proper time for the making of the record has passed. Nunc pro tunc entries are authorized in courts when the proof is that the written memorial does not accurately reflect the facts, 15 Corpus Juris, p. 975, et seq.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
87 N.E.2d 462, 152 Ohio St. 77, 152 Ohio St. (N.S.) 77, 39 Ohio Op. 389, 1949 Ohio LEXIS 329, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-wuebker-v-bockrath-ohio-1949.