Travelers' Fire Ins v. Miller

27 Ohio Law. Abs. 406, 1938 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1049
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 24, 1938
DocketNo 546
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 27 Ohio Law. Abs. 406 (Travelers' Fire Ins v. Miller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Travelers' Fire Ins v. Miller, 27 Ohio Law. Abs. 406, 1938 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1049 (Ohio Ct. App. 1938).

Opinion

OPINION

By BARNES, PJ.

The above entitled cause is now being determined as an error proceeding by reason of plaintiff’s appeal on questions of law from the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Darke County, Ohio.

Plaintiffs claimed cause of action, as set out in the petition, alleges the following pertinent facts:

On or before the 30th day of May, 1937, David A. Meeker, of Miami County, Ohio, was the owner of a Buick sedan automobile, on which the plaintiff insurance company had issued its policy of insurance under which the company obligated itself to pay the said David A. Meeker for any damage occurring to said automobile by reason of any collision or damage of any nature.

On Monday, the 30th day of May, 1937, about the hour of 12:30 o’clock P. M., while the Buick sedan automobile was parked by its owner, David A. Meeker, in the ditch on the north side of State Route No. 36, in Darke County, Ohio, no part of said Buick auto being on the traveled portion of said highway, a collision occurred between an automobile driven by Dan H. Miller, of Lynn, Randolph County Indiana, and another automobile driven by Edith Mae Burden, of New Paris, Preble County, Ohio, which came into collision through the carelessness and negligence of both defendants. Following said collision both automobiles slid over into the ditch, and the automobile operated by Edith Mae Burden struck and collided with the automobile of the said David A. Meeker, damaging said Meeker car in the sum of $412.64. The petition sets oui in detail the items of injury and damage. On the 20th day of August, 1937, the plaintiff insurance company, in compliance with its contract obligation, paid to David A. Meeker the sum of $412.64, that being the amount of damages sustained. Following the payment of said damages and on the same date, the said David A. Meeker entered into a subrogation agreement with the plaintiff insurance company by which there was set over, transferred and assigned to the plaintiff all rights and claims against the defendants, Dan H. Miller and Edith Mae Burden.

The petition sets out in further detail the specifications of negligence against both defendants. The plaintiff insurance company seeks recovery against both defendants in the sum of $412.64 by reason of its ' claimed right of subrogation of the claim of David A. Meeker.

Praecipe for summons was duly filed slid issued to the sheriff of Darke County, Ohio. The sheriff duly made return that the defendants Edith Mae Burden and Dan H. Miller were not found in his bailiwick.

Thereafter and on the second day two praecipes were issued, one for Edith Mae Burden to the sheriff of Preble County, Ohio, and the other for the defendant Dan H. Miller, of Lynn, Indiana. This praecipe to Dan H. Miller, omitting the formal heading, reads as follows:

“To the clerk:
“Issue summons and copy of petition in the above entitled cause to the sheriff of Darke County, Ohio, for defendant Dan H Miller, of Lynn, Indiana, who is a nonresident of the State of Ohio, through the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio, his agent, and by notice to him by registered mail returnable according tj law. Indorse action for money and. money damages in the sum of $412.64 and costs.”

The summons to the sheriff of Preble County, Ohio, for Edith Mae Burden, was duly returned by the sheriff showing service on her by leaving a true and certified [408]*408copy with all endorsements thereon at her usual place oí residence.

The summons issued for the defendant Dan H. Miller, of Lynn, Indiana, shows the following return:

“State of Ohio, Darke County.
“Received this writ October 18, 1937, at 11:00 o’clock A. M.
“AFFIDAVIT OF SERVICE
“State of Ohio, Franklin County, ss.
Jacob E. Sandusky, first bein3 duly sworn, deposes and says that he has been duly authorized and deputized by the sheriff of Darke County, Ohio, to serve this writ, and that pursuant to his command, on the 21st day of October, 1937, he served the within named defendant, Dan H. Miller, by leaving a true and certified copy of this writ with all endorsements thereon, by serving William J. Kennedy, Secretary of State, as agent of Dan H. Miller.
(Signed) Jacob E. Sandusky, (Notarial Seal) Sheriff of Franklin County,
Ohio.
My commission expires April 1940.”
SHERIFF’S RETURN
“Received this writ on the 18th day of October, A. D. 1.937, and on the 20th day of October, A. D. 1937, I served the within Dan H. Miller, of Lynn, Indiana, by “egistered mail as shown by the attached receipt hereto attached.
“Linn Browne, Sheriff,
By H. D. Neimeyer, Deputy.”

The registered mail return receipt purporting to be signed by S. H. Welch, as agent of Dan H. Miller, dated October 20, 1937, is attached to the sheriff’s return.

On November 18, 1937, following, the defendant Edith Mae Burden, through her attorneys, without entering her appearance except for the purpose of motion, did file in the Court of Common Pleas of Darke County, Ohio, a motion for order to quash service of summons against her for the claimed reason that the court had no jurisdiction of the defendant.

On November 27, 1937, the defendant Dan H. Miller, through his attorneys, without entering his appearance except for the purpose of his motion, filed with the court, in writing, his motion to quash service of summons on him for the following reasons:

1, The venue statute bringing such actions as the instant one within the jurisdiction of this court, creates a special venue for the benefit of “the injured person” only;

2. The summons is neither issued nor returned as required by §6308-2 GC.

On November 27, 1937, an alias summons was issued to the sheriff of Darke County’, Ohio, lor the defendant, Dan H. Miller by authority of praecipe filed on the same day. The sheriff made, return on December 8, 1937, as follows: “Return writ; no service for want of time.”

On December 20, 1937, a second alias summons was issued to the sheriff of Darke County, Ohio, for the defendant Dan H. Miller under authority of praecipe filed December 8, 1937-. The sheriff made return on December 22, 1937, as follows: “The ■within named Dan H. Miller not found in my bailiwick.”

On January 10, 1938, a third alias summons was issued to the sheriff of Darke County, Ohio, for the defendant Dan H. Miller under authorit yof praecipe filed December 27, 1937. The sheriff’s return filed January 10, 1938 is as follows: “The within named Dan H. Miller not found in my bailiwick.”

On January 22, 1938, the trial court released its decision in writing sustaining the motion of both defendants to quash service of summons.

Having reached this conclusion on account of venue, the court did not pass on the second ground of motion of the decndant Dan H. Miller in effect that the summons was not issued or returned' as required by §6308-2 GC.

The trial court also, on its own .motion, ordered the petition dismissed. Final order was filed and journalized under date of February 18, 1938.

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Bluebook (online)
27 Ohio Law. Abs. 406, 1938 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1049, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/travelers-fire-ins-v-miller-ohioctapp-1938.