State v. Hindman

65 N.E. 911, 159 Ind. 586, 1903 Ind. LEXIS 18
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 7, 1903
DocketNo. 19,694
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 65 N.E. 911 (State v. Hindman) 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
State v. Hindman, 65 N.E. 911, 159 Ind. 586, 1903 Ind. LEXIS 18 (Ind. 1903).

Opinion

Dowling, J.

— Action upon a recognizance, taken by a justice of the peace, the condition of which was that the appellee Charles Hindman should appear before the Greene Circuit Court on the first day of its next term to answer a charge of petit larceny, and abide the judgment of the court. The complaint alleged a breach of the bond, in that the appellee failed to appear. In addition to the general denial, the appellees filed a special plea alleging that the said Charles Hindman was not called at any term of the court, and that no forfeiture of his recognizance was taken; but that after the final adjournment of the court said court was irregularly reconvened in the night-time, and that the appellee was then called and a forfeiture taken. A cross-complaint stating the same facts was filed by the appellees, and a vacation of the order of forfeiture was demanded. Eeply in denial of second paragraph of answer. A motion to strike out the cross-complaint and a demurrer to that pleading were overruled. Special reply to second paragraph of answer, alleging that after the adjournment of the Greene Circuit Court, it was regularly reconvened, and the appellee Charles Hindman called and defaulted. A second paragraph of answer to the cross-complaint was filed, alleging the same facts stated in the special reply. Demurrers to the second paragraph of appellant’s reply to the second paragraph of appellees’ answer, and to the second paragraph of appellant’s answer to the cross-complaint, were sustained. A trial by a jury resulted in a verdict for the appellees, and, over a motion for a new trial, judgment' was rendered on the verdict.

[588]*588The questions presented are: (1) Whether a defendant in an action upon a recognizance, alleged to have been forfeited, may show by way of defense that the supposed forfeiture was not in fact taken during the term at which the defendant was recognized to appear, but after the final adjournment, and in vacation; and (2) if these facts are not available by way of answer because a collateral attack upon the j>roceedings of the court as they appear of record, whether they may be taken advantage of by cross-complaint or counterclaim.

The liability of the principal and his sureties upon a recognizance in a criminal case is made to depend upon the neglect of the defendant, without sufficient excuse, to appear for trial or judgment, or upon any other occasion when his presence may be lawfully required according to the condition of his bond. On such failure to appear, the statute provides that the court shall direct the fact to be entered upon its minutes, and thereupon the recognizance is forfeited. As soon as the fact of such forfeiture is entered, the prosecuting attorney must proceed against the bail upon the recognizance. §§1790, 1791 Burns 1901, §§1721, 1722 R. S. 1881 and Horner 1901.

Until a forfeiture is taken by the proper court, no action can be maintained, upon the recognizance, and the fact of such forfeiture must be alleged in the complaint. Patterson v. State, 12 Ind. 86; Votaw v. State, 12 Ind. 497; Kiser v. State, 13 Ind. 80; Hawkins v. State, ex rel., 24 Ind. 288; Gachenheimer v. State, 28 Ind. 91; Hannum v. State, 38 Ind. 32; Friedline v. State, 93 Ind. 366; Rubush v. State, 112 Ind. 107; McGuire v. State, 124 Ind. 536. And such forfeiture must be taken at the term at which the defendant is required by his recognizance to appear. It can not be taken at a subsequent term. Kiser v. State, 13 Ind. 80.

It appears from the answer and the cross-complaint not only that no forfeiture was taken during the term specified in the recognizance, but that the supposed forfeiture [589]*589was taken in vacation. Tlie calling of tlie defendant, and, upon liis neglect to appear, the forfeiture of his recognizance, were judicial acts which could be performed in term time only. If anything in the record disclosed that such acts were done in vacation, the proceeding would be void. Newman v. Hammond, 46 Ind. 119; Davis v. Fish, 1 G. Greene (Iowa) 406, 48 Am. Dec. 387; In re Terrill, 52 Kan. 29, 34 Pac. 457, 39 Am. St. 327.

But it did not appear from the complaint, nor was it alleged in the answer, that there was anything in the record indicating that the forfeiture was not regularly taken at the proper time during the term, and while the court was in session. This being so, the action of the court was not subject to collateral attack*, and an attempt by answer setting up fraud, mistake, or any other matter outside the record, to impeach or evade such action was such attack, and the demurrer to the ansAver should have been sustained. Oster v. Broe, 160 Ind. —; Emerick v. Miller, ante, 317; Weiss v. Guerineau, 109 Ind. 438, 443, 444; Vanfleet, Collat. Attack, §855; Black, Judgments (2d ed.), §245, and cases cited in note 1, and'§§972, 973; Indianapolis, etc., R. Co. v. Harmless, 124 Ind. 25.

While the validity of the proceedings as they appeared of record could not be questioned by an answer, they were subject to a direct attack for fraud relating to an act in securing jurisdiction, or concerning the trial, or the judicial proceedings themselves. 17 Am. & Eng. Ency. Law (2d ed.), 828, 829.

It is said in Ereeman, Judgments (4th ed.), §99, that “The maxim That fraud vitiates everything,’ is applicable to judgments.” Upon proof of fraud, or collusion in their procurement, they may be vacated at any time. In Adams School Tp. v. Irwin, 150 Ind. 12, 17, this court stated the rule in such cases, Avith its limitations, as follows: “The fraud that will annul or Amcate a judgment, is not that arising out' of the facts Avhich w§re actually or necessarily in. [590]*590issue in the cause in which it was rendered. The rule is that the fraud which vitiates a judgment, must arise out of the acts of the prevailing party, by which his adversary has been prevented from presenting the merits of his side of the case, or by which the jurisdiction of the court has been imposed upon. Or, in other words, the fraud relied on must relate to some act in securing jurisdiction, or as to something done concerning the trial, or the judicial proceedings themselves; and the rule has no application to cases of fraud in the transaction, or matters connected with it, out of which the legal controversy arose.”

The adjournment of the court without day ended its power over the business and records of the term. Newman v. Hammond, 46 Ind. 119 ; Ferger v. Wesler, 35 Ind. 53; 1 Ency. Pl. & Pr., 203, and note 3. After such adjournment no defaults could be taken, no judgments rendered, no orders made, or proceedings had as of the term. All persons summoned or recognized to appear at the term, who had not been called, were authorized to depart from the court, to presume that no further proceedings would be taken against them at that term, and 'to cease their attendance upon the court until its next term. After the annouñcement of a final adjournment, the statutes gave the judge no authority to reconvene the court, or to hold an adjourned term on the same or on any subsequent day, without the notice prescribed by law. §1443 Burns 1901.

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Bluebook (online)
65 N.E. 911, 159 Ind. 586, 1903 Ind. LEXIS 18, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-hindman-ind-1903.