Taylor v. Hill

46 P. 922, 115 Cal. 143, 1896 Cal. LEXIS 985
CourtCalifornia Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 30, 1896
DocketL. A. No. 60
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 46 P. 922 (Taylor v. Hill) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor v. Hill, 46 P. 922, 115 Cal. 143, 1896 Cal. LEXIS 985 (Cal. 1896).

Opinion

Beatty, C. J.

In the former opinion delivered in this case, it was erroneously held that there was no appeal from the judgment, and accordingly the only questions considered were those presented by the appeal from the order denying a new trial. For this reason alone a rehearing was ordered, and, in disposing of the only question raised by the appeal from the judgment, we readopt the former opinion as to matters therein discussed.

The question now to be determined arises upon the demurrer to the complaint which fails to allege that any notice of the claims of plaintiff and his assignors was given to the defendants in the attachment suit of West v. Palmer & Co. The statute (Code Civ. Proe., secs. 1206, 1207) does not expressly require service of notice-of claims for wages upon the attachment or execution-debtor, but it clearly implies that he is to have notice, for it expressly provides (Code Civ. Proc., sec. 1207) that if he disputes the claim he must, within ten days after-receiving notice, serve upon the claimant, and the officer executing the writ, a verified statement in writing, setting forth that no part, or not more than a specific portion, of said claim is justly due. The plain intention of the legislature is, therefore, that the debtor, as well as the creditor, shall have notice of the claim and an opportunity to dispute it. And this, indeed, is essential to the constitutionality of the act, which would otherwise deprive the debtor of his property without due process of law. (Coscia v. Kyle, 15 Nev. 394.)

It is claimed, however, on behalf of respondent, that although no notice was given to the execution debtors, it was given to their legal representative.

The complaint shows that on March 7, 1894, they were adjudged to be insolvent debtors, and the defendant herein, B. P. Hill, as sheriff, was appointed receiver of their several estates, and that after this date on March 24, 1894—notice of the claim for wages was served upon him.

But the sheriff, as receiver of an insolvent, under the [146]*146Insolvent Act, does not represent him for the purpose of defending actions, unless invested with a special authority in addition to that conferred by law. The statute makes him a mere custodian for safekeeping of the tangible property, deeds, vouchers, etc., of the insolvent, pending the appointment of the assignee, who alone has authority to represent the insolvent in litigated matters. (Act of April 16, 1880, sec. 6.) ■

The court erred in overruling the demurrer, and its judgment is for that reason reversed, and the cause remanded, with leave to plaintiff to amend his complaint.

Van Fleet, J., Temple, J., and Henshaw, J., concurred.

The following is the opinion rendered in Department Two:

Vanclief, C.

This action was brought under section 1206 of the Code of Civil Procedure to compel the defendant, Hill (sheriff), to apply proceeds of a sale of property on execution to the payment of the claims of plaintiff and his assignors for labor performed for the judgment debtors within sixty days next preceding the levying of the execution.

The execution on which the sheriff sold the property was issued on a judgment for five thousand dollars in favor of T. West, Jr., an infant aged seven years, and against J. D. Palmer and W. H. Palmer, copartners, of the firm name of Palmer & Co. The judgment was obtained on February 21, 1894, and the execution was issued and levied on all the property of Palmer & Co. on February 23, 1894.

Before the sale of the property by the sheriff, to wit, on March 24,1894, the plaintiff herein and four others, claiming that Palmer & Co. were indebted to them severally for labor performed by each of them within sixty days next preceding February 23, 1894, notified the sheriff and the judgment creditor of their several claims and the amount thereof, and demanded that said claims [147]*147be first paid from the proceeds of the sale of the property levied on, according to section 1206 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Said claims were disputed by the judgment creditor, and thereupon each of the other claimants assigned his claim to plaintiff, who, in due time, commenced this action.

The court found said claims to be valid claims against Palmer & Co. to the amount of three hundred and thirty-four dollars and nine cents, for labor performed within sixty days next preceding the day on which the execution was levied, and that the sheriff had in his hands six hundred and seventy-five dollars of the proceeds of the sale of said property; and thereupon ordered and adjudged that the sheriff pay to plaintiff, from said proceeds of sale, the said sum of three hundred and thirty-four dollars and nine cents, and costs taxed at twenty-six dollars and sixty cents.

Defendants bring this appeal from an order denying their motion for a new trial; but have not appealed from the judgment.

1. The principal point urged by appellants is that the complaint does not state a cause of action, because it is not therein alleged that either the plaintiff, or any one of his assignors, gave notice of his claim to the judgment debtors, Palmer & Co. They contend that, although the statute does not expressly require such notice to the judgment debtor, it does so by implication.

Upon this point it is necessary to say only that no question as to the sufficiency of the complaint can be considered on appeal from an order denying a new trial. (Spanagel v. Dellinger, 38 Cal. 278; Brison v. Brison, 90 Cal. 326.)

2. It is contended that the finding by the court, that due notice of the several claims of plaintiff and his assignors was served upon the judgment creditor, is not justified by the evidence.

The judgment creditor being an infant, his father (Tom West) was appointed his guardian ad litem for the purposes of the action in which he recovered the said [148]*148judgment for five thousand dollars against Palmer & Co. The guardian ad litem, employed an attorney at law, E. W. Britt, Esq., to commence and conduct that action. The complaint in that action was signed, “Tom West, guardian ad litem, E. W. Britt, attorney for guardian ad litem,” and a demurrer to the answer of the defendants therein was signed, “E. W. Britt, attorney for plaintiff.”

On behalf of defendants herein Mr. Britt testified, in substance, that he was employed by the guardian ad litem to commence and prosecute the action of T. West, Jr., v. Palmer & Co.; that he, as attorney at law, conducted the proceedings in that action, and was the only attorney that appeared therein for either T. West, Jr., or the guardian ad litem; that in his absence his clerk signed his name to the demurrer to the answer in that action, and also to written admissions of service of notices of the several claims and demands of plaintiff herein and his assignors against Palmer & Co. as “attorney for plaintiff” in that action; and. that his clerk had authority from him to accept service of papers for all parties whom he represented as attorney. The judgment creditor having disputed the claims of plaintiff and his assignors against Palmer & Co. as aforesaid, he, with the sheriff, jointly answered plaintiff’s complaint in this action, their answer being introduced by the following language:

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Bluebook (online)
46 P. 922, 115 Cal. 143, 1896 Cal. LEXIS 985, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-v-hill-cal-1896.