Theo. Hirsch Co. v. Scott

100 So. 157, 87 Fla. 336
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedApril 4, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 100 So. 157 (Theo. Hirsch Co. v. Scott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Theo. Hirsch Co. v. Scott, 100 So. 157, 87 Fla. 336 (Fla. 1924).

Opinion

Browne, J.

This is a motion by Pañi R. Scott, Receiver for the McDonald Furniture Company, to dismiss an appeal entered by the Theo. Hirsch Company and the McDonald Furniture Company, jointly and severally, from certain orders and decrees, that will be stated hereafter.

[338]*338The Theo. Hirsch Company brought a bill in equity against the McDonald. Furniture Company for accounting, for the appointment of receiver, and an injunction. Paul R. Scott was appointed receiver and took over the control and management of the property.

On March 28, 1923, a consent decree was entered adjudicating the rights of the parties to the suit, but giving the complainant "leave to file with the receiver his proof of any additional claim he may have against said defendant,” and ordering the receiver to make distribution of the assets of the estate, and to liquidate, settle and wind up the affairs of the estate, "making to the Court, from time to time reports of his acts and doings in the premises under the final decree.”'

On the 2nd of May, after due notice, a petition was filed, by the receiver, Paul R. Scott, asking the Circuit Judge to fix the amount of compensation to be allowed him and his attorney. On May 14th, before the hearing of this petition, there was filed a suggestion of the disqualification of Judge H. F. Atkinson under the provisions of Section 2674, Revised General Statutes, 1920, and the receiver on the same day gave notice of his intention to call up his petition before Hon. E. C. Davis, Judge of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida,, on fire 16tb day of May, 1923.“

On May' 16th, Judge H. F. Atkinson entered an order in which, among other things, he "decreed that the said application for disqualification of Honorable H. F. Atkinosn, Judge of the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida, in and for Dade County, Florida, be and the same is hereby denied and overruled. ’ ’

On file 17th of May, ah order arid decree signed by E. C. Davis, Judge of’ the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Circuit, was filed and recorded in the chancery order 'book [339]*339of the Circuit Court of Dacle County, in which* it was considered, ordered, adjudged and decreed .that Judge H. F. Atkinson was disqualified to hear the application by reason of his prejudice against Paul R. Scott, and awarded and allowed Scott the sum of $15,000.00 for his compensation as receiver.

On the 19th of May, the McDonald Furniture Company filed its answer-to the petition of Paul R. Scott, and protested against allowing him anything for his services as receiver in excess of nominal compensation.

Subsequently the Theo. Hirseh Company filed a petition before Judge E. C. Davis, praying that he cancel and set aside the order entered by him on May 16, 1923, whereby the compensation of Paul R. Scott was fixed by him at fifteen thousand dollars. This was denied, but petitioner allowed to apply for a modification of the order if he so desired, and given until January 7th to present, evidence in support thereof.

On August 30th another motion was made to set aside the order made by Judge Davis of the Fifteenth Circuit, granting compensation to the receiver. It was not addressed to any Circuit Judge, but in view of subsequent proceedings we can assume it was to be presented to Judge Mitchell D. Price, one of the Judges of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

On September 7th there was a suggestion of the .disqualification of Judge Price, because ’ before becoming Circuit Judge he made an affidavit as to the value of the professional services of E. B. Kurtz, attorney for the receiver. The suggestion of his disqualification was denied by Judge Price on the grounds that the question raised by the motion, related only to the “jurisdiction of the Honorable E. C. Davis over the subject matter embraced in his order.”

[340]*340On tile 6tli of September, Judge Price entered an order overruling and denying tbe motion to set aáide tbe order made by Judge Davis, granting compensation to the receiver and to tbe attorney for tbe receiver in so far as it fixed tbe compensation of Paul R. Scott, the receiver, and granted tbe motion to tbe extent that it fixed the compensation of E. B. Kurtz, attorney for the receiver.

From the order of Judge E. C. Davis, 'fixing the compensation of Paul R. Scott as receiver, and from the order of Judge E. C. Davis denying the petition to set aside and vacate bis order of that date, and from tbe order of Judge Mitchell D. Price denying tbe motion to set aside and vacate the order of Judge E. C. Davis made May 16, 1923, fixing the compensation of Paul R. Scott, receiver, this appeal is taken.

Tbe first, second, third and fourth grounds of tbe motion tp dismiss tbe appeal, will be.discussed together, as they involve the right to appeal from orders or decrees made subsequent to the decree adjudicating the rights of tbe original parties to tbe suit.

As a general rule an appeal or other proceeding for review, will not lie from an interlocutory order or decree unless specially permitted by statute or constitutional provision, and in tbe absence of such provision, in order that there may be a review on appeal, a final judgment, order or decree must have been rendered in tbe cause. 3 C. J. pp. 432 and 433, and cases cited.

Section 3169, Revised General Statutes of Florida, 1920, allows appeals from interlocutory orders and decrees.

Interlocutory orders or decrees are defined by Blackstone as “such as are given in the middle of a cause, upon some plea, proceeding, or default which is only intermediate, and does not finally determine or complete the suit.” 3 Blackstone’s Commentaries, 396. See Crockett [341]*341v. Crockett, 132 Iowa 388, 106 N. W. Rep. 944; Reed v. Reed, 9 Cal. App. 748, 100 Pac. Rep. 897; Elliott v. Mayfield, 3 Ala. 223; State ex. rel. Potter v. Riley, 219 Mo. 667, 118 S. W. Rep. 647; Miller v. Crawford, 140 Mo. App. 711, 126 S. W. Rep. 984.

It is contended that this appeal not being from an interlocutory order or decree, nor from the consent decree entered on the 28th of March which determined the equities and adjudicated the matters in controversy between the parties to the main suit, it-cannot be entertained by this court, and should be dismissed.

The controlling rule with regard to this appeal is thus stated in Corpus Juris: “As a general rule, however, even in the absence of special statutory provisions, an appeal may be taken upon matters arising after a final appealable judgment or decree which require the judicial action of the court in relation to the rights litigated in the main suit making necessary a substantive and important order or decree, when such order or decree partakes of the nature of a final decision of those rights. But the appeal must be prosecuted on some new and distinct ground not covered by the original judgment or decree; and it has been held that on such an appeal only matters arising subsequent to the final judgment or decree can be reviewed.” 3 C. J. 518.

The consent decree provided for the continuance of the receiver in his office, and the performance of certain duties in connection therewith.

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Bluebook (online)
100 So. 157, 87 Fla. 336, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/theo-hirsch-co-v-scott-fla-1924.