Taylor v. Taylor

63 N.W. 893, 5 N.D. 58, 1895 N.D. LEXIS 12
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedMay 18, 1895
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 63 N.W. 893 (Taylor v. Taylor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota 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. Taylor, 63 N.W. 893, 5 N.D. 58, 1895 N.D. LEXIS 12 (N.D. 1895).

Opinion

Bartholomew, J.

The condition of the record in this case has caused us some embarrassment. The action was for a divorce, and was dismissed. It was tried after the enactment of Ch. 82, Laws 1893, the first section of which contains the following language: "In all actions tried by the District Court without a jury, wherein issue of fact has been joined, all the evidence offered in the trial shall be taken down in writing, or the court may order the evidence or any part thereof to be taken in the form of depositions, or either party may, at pleasure, take his testimony or any part thereof by deposition; provided, that whenever such evidence is taken down in shorthand and written out at length, it shall be deemed to have been taken down in writing, and all testimony so taken in shorthand must, at the request of either party, be so written out at length, and filed with the clerk. All evidence taken as provided by this section shall be certified [60]*60by the judge at any time after the trial, and within one month before the time allowed for the appeal of said cause shall, have expired, and shall thereupon become a. part of the judgment roll, and the original of such judgment roll shall go on appeal to the Supreme Court, which shall try the cause anew upon such judgment roll and render final judgment therein, according to the justice of the case, and in the decision of all equitable actions the rules of equity must prevail. And in all actions tided in the District Court according to the provisions of this act no exceptions need be taken on findings of fact made.” This is the first appeal that has reached us under that act. No question is made upon the legality or constitutionality of the act, nor upon any matter of procedure thereunder; and we therefore disclaim passing upon any questions of practice arising under said law except such as are herein specifically mentioned. Both parties treat the case as properly in this court for trial de novo, and for no other purpose. It is clear that it was the duty of the trial court to try the case under the above statute, and equally clear that we can only try it de novo in this court. But there is nothing in the abstract from which we can gather that it is an abstract of all the evidence adduced at the trial. This, under the circumstances, may be a violation of rules of this court. But as the foregoing statute marks a most radical change in procedure in this court, and as the rule was formulated to meet the previous practice, we are not inclined to favor any strict application of the rule to cases of this character until we have indicated the proper practice under the new statute. We have carefully explored the record. We find the oral evidence offered at the trial all properly preserved and certified. We find, however, that plaintiff (appellant here) offered in evidence two exhibits (Exhibits A and B,) which, on defendant’s objection, were rejected by the court. Exhibit C offered by plaintiff, was received. There are certain papers found in this record marked Exhibits “A,” “B,” and “C,” respectively, but these papers are in no manner authenticated or identified by any certificate of the trial judge. Two of the [61]*61exhibits (A and B) were rejected. If we treat them as not in the record, the respondent cannot complain, as they were excluded on his objection, and we must presume that their presence would be to his detriment and appellant’s advantage. Lumber Co. v. Mitchell, 61 Iowa, 132, 16 N. W. 52. Nor can appellant be heard to object to their absence, as the preliminary oral testimony which is in the record, and which led up to the offer of the exhibits, shows so clearly that they were inadmissable that they would not be considered for a moment if here. We wish to say in passing, however, that we deem it the proper practice in cases tried in this method to make the record show all the evidence offered in the lower court, and the objections thereto, whether such evidence he x'eceived and considex'ed by the trial court or not. When the case x'eaches this court, the objections will be passed upon as original objections, and without regax'd to the rulings of the trial court, and evidence impropei'ly excluded below, under objections, will be considered here, and evidence impx-operly admitted below, over objections, will not be considered here. Such seems to be the practice under similar statutes. Taylor v. Kier, 54 Iowa 645, 7 N. W. 120; Blough v. Van Hoorebeke, 48 Iowa, 40; Lumber Co. v. Mitchell, supra. Exhibit C, while not indentified by the certificate of the trial judge, is yet so far identified that we deem it our duty to consider it in this case. The oral evidence discloses its date, the signatures thereto, and its purport. The paper found in the record, and marked “Exhibit C,” coiTesponds in all respects with the paper described in the ox-al testimony. No suggestion is made that it is not properly before us. On the contrary, both parties are in this court, claiming rights under such instrument; and we shall therefore in this instance regard it as properly before us. But it is evident that in these cases the proper and orderly practice requires all exhibits offered in the trial court to be made a part of the record in the case, together with the objections thereto, if any; and all such exhibits should be certified to this court in the same manner that exhibits received in evidence are certified in other cases.

[62]*62Turning to the evidence in the case, we are unanimously of the opinion that under it appellant should have a decree in this case. No good purpose can be subserved by setting out the evidence. The complaint was for cruelty, and the evidence shows a case of almost unparrelled cruelty, by use of personal violence and brute force. There is no attempt to deny or palliate this extreme cruelty. Respondent relies solely upon this plea of condonation. In this, we tljink, he signally failed. Exhibit C is an instrument dated December 23, 1893, and signed by the parties hereto, and by which respondent releases to appellant all claim to certain real estate and personal property therein described, and agrees to pay her $100 per year for the support of the two minor children. The last paragraph of the instrument is as follows: “And, until after seeding next spring, William Taylor is to have the use of the granary on said land for his wheat and oats, and the barn for his stock, in the same manner as the same is now used by him, and likewise the use of the fanning mill.” Respondent contends, and so testifies, that this instrument was signed upon appellant’s promise to condone his past conduct, dimiss her complaint for divorce then pending, and resume her relations as his wife. At the time the instrument was executed, respondent had served no answer to the divorce complaint, nor did he intend so to do. Appellant testifies that there was no promise to condone or dismiss, and that the instrument was intended as a settlement of property questions between them, and provision for the two minor children, in anticipation that a decree of divorce would be granted her. She has swoim corroboration in the oral testimony. But we think the instrument itself is almost conclusive against x'espondent’s position. The exception from the household furnitux'e tx-ansfeiTed to appellant of “the bedding and the bed occupied and used by William Taylor,” the px'omise to pay appellant the $100 per year for the suppox't of the two little girls', and the reservation of the use of the granaxy and barn and fanning mill “until after seeding time next spring,” are all cleaxdy inconsistent with any purpose to resume and continue [63]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
63 N.W. 893, 5 N.D. 58, 1895 N.D. LEXIS 12, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-v-taylor-nd-1895.