Steele v. Culver

122 N.W. 95, 157 Mich. 344, 1909 Mich. LEXIS 1007
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 6, 1909
DocketDocket No. 98
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 122 N.W. 95 (Steele v. Culver) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Steele v. Culver, 122 N.W. 95, 157 Mich. 344, 1909 Mich. LEXIS 1007 (Mich. 1909).

Opinion

Montgomery, J.

This is a bill filed on the equity side [345]*345of the court to set aside and restrain the collection of a judgment obtained by the defendant William Culver against the complainant railroad company for personal injuries amounting to the sum of $19,200. The bill alleges that such judgment was obtained in the circuit court for the county of Van Burén; that an appeal was taken to this court from such judgment, where the same was affirmed; that the complainant the Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland became surety on the bonds given on such appeal; that subsequently, upon a sale of the complainant railroad company to another railroad system, the complainant Steele entered into an obligation to pay whatever sum might eventually be recovered against the company in said action by said Culver. The bill further alleges certain proceedings taken in the Federal court to restrain the collection of this judgment, which, however, resulted in a dismissal of the case on the ground of want of jurisdiction in the Federal court. The bill alleges that, on the trial of the case of Culver against the railroad company, said Culver and some of his witnesses knowingly and wilfully testified falsely upon the material and determining question in the case, and that he and his attorney, Tabor, suborned said witnesses to swear falsely; that the officers of the railroad company and those in charge of such litigation knew in practical effect that such testimony was false, but that with all due diligence they were unable to make proof of such fact, as the same was kept secret and was clandestinely done; that after the rendition of said judgment and after the appeal thereof, and preceding the determination of such appeal, in an effort to make a settlement of the case without the intervention of his lawyers, the said Culver made a full and complete statement and confession to the complainant Steele that he, the said Culver, had testified falsely in such cause on a material and controlling point therein, and that he and his attorney, Tabor, had suborned witnesses to swear falsely in corroboration of his testimony. The prayer of the bill is that the collection of the judg[346]*346ment be forever restrained and enjoined, and for such further relief as equity may require. To this bill of complaint a demurrer was filed, and, upon hearing by the court, was duly sustained. The complainant appeals the case here.

Attention is called in the brief of defendants’ counsel to proceedings had upon motions for new trial and to proceedings in this court, which would have an important bearing upon the merits of the case if properly within the issue. But, in so far as the demurrer attempts to raise these collateral questions of fact, we think it is not good pleading. Both counsel, however, seem to be agreed that the question presented is whether the bill makes a case for equitable relief, and that question we proceed to consider.

It is contended by complainant’s counsel that the question in the precise form here presented has never been determined by this court. It is true that no case presenting precisely the facts averred in this bill has been called to our attention, but we think that in principle the question is stare decisis. The question arose in Gray v. Barton, 62 Mich. 186 (28 N. W. 813), whether, after a judgment at law had been obtained, a court of equity would interfere to restrain the collection of the judgment and to award a new trial, where the bill averred that the defendant in the chancery case (plaintiff in the law case) had committed perjury upon the trial, and that the complainant was not at the time of the trial of the suit at law in possession of the evidence with which to prove the falsity of the defendant’s testimony, but had since been able to procure testimony by which he could establish the real truth. In negativing the right to maintain the bill, it was said:

“The weight of authority is decidedly against the granting of a new trial in a court of equity to impeach the testimony of witnesses, or because a party has committed perjury, or even suborned a witness to commit perjury.”

It was added:

[347]*347“ It might be that a judgment at law might be so manifestly against conscience that a new trial would be granted in equity; as in a case where perjury was established by some instrument or document in writing, or where a witness for the prevailing party has been, subsequent to the trial, convicted of false swearing in the case.”

The case of Miller v. Morse, 23 Mich. 368, was approved, in which case a new trial was asked in a court of equity to relieve against a judgment at law alleged to have been obtained by conspiracy and false swearing of the plaintiff. In disposing of that case, the court said, speaking through Mr. Justice Cooley :

“We do not see why, if this bill should he sustained, the defeated party might not maintain a similar one in nearly every case which the courts of law dispose of.”

The question again was presented to this court in Codde v. Mahiat, 109 Mich. 186 (66 N. W. 1093). In that case it was averred that the verdict was obtained by perjury on the part of the defendant. Complainant averred in his bill that he had now discovered evidence to the effect that the defendant stated to other parties that she was not engaged to complainant, had no love or affection for him, and would not marry him. Again, the claim was made that these were made controlling questions in the case. But in a very brief opinion by Mr. Justice Grant, it was held that the case was ruled by Gray v. Barton, supra. It is undoubted that cases may be found which are not in accord with the views expressed in these two cases, and in which exceptions are introduced which might justify the maintenance of the bill in the present case. But we think the rule is best stated in United States v. Throckmorton, 98 U. S. 61. In an able opinion by Mr. Justice Miller, the rule is stated to be that, if in the trial of a suit at law a mistake has been made in the law, there is a remedy by writ of error.

“ If the jury has been mistaken in the facts, the remedy is by motion for new trial. If there has been evidence discovered since the trial, a motion for a new trial will [348]*348give appropriate relief. But all these are parts of the same proceeding, relief is given in the same suit, and the party is not vexed by another suit for the same matter. So in a suit in chancery, on proper showing a rehearing is granted. If the injury complained of is an erroneous decision, an appeal to a higher court gives opportunity to correct the error. If new evidence is discovered after the decree has become final, a bill of review on that ground may be filed within the rules prescribed by law on that subject. Here, again, these proceedings are all part of the same suit, and the rule framed for the repose of society is not violated.
“But there is an admitted exception to this general rule in cases where, by reason of something done by the successful party to a suit, there was, in fact, no adversary trial or decision of the issue in the case.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
122 N.W. 95, 157 Mich. 344, 1909 Mich. LEXIS 1007, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/steele-v-culver-mich-1909.