Union India Rubber Co. v. Babcock

1 Abb. Pr. 262, 11 Duer 620
CourtThe Superior Court of New York City
DecidedDecember 15, 1854
StatusPublished

This text of 1 Abb. Pr. 262 (Union India Rubber Co. v. Babcock) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering The Superior Court of New York City primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Union India Rubber Co. v. Babcock, 1 Abb. Pr. 262, 11 Duer 620 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1854).

Opinion

Hoefhah, J.

The plaintiffs recovered a judgment against the defendant, on the 22d day of December, 1853, for the sum of $1353 92. This was an affirmance by the General Term, of a judgment obtained at Special Term on the 9th of July, 1853. The defendant appealed to the Court of Appeals, on the 24th of December, 1853. And on the 4th of December, 1854, an order of that court was made, dismissing the appeal, with costs, for want of service of printed copies of the case, as required by the 7th rule of that court, more than forty days having elapsed since the appeal was perfected. The order also directed the record and proceedings to be remitted to the Superior Court, there to be proceeded upon according to law. This has been done by transmitting to this court the record as returned to the Court of Appeals, under a certificate of the clerk.

By the 12th section of the Code, the judgment of the Court of Appeals, shall be remitted to the court below, to be enforced according to law. The provision of the Revised Statutes was similar;—that when an" appeal shall have been heard and determined, all the proceedings, together with the decree or order therein, should be remitted to the Court of Chancery, where such further proceedings should be had as might be necessary to carry it into effect. (2. Rev. Stats., 167, § 29).

The 469th section of the Code retains all the former rules and practice of the courts, not inconsistent with the act. And [264]*264although the order to dismiss an appeal is entered as of course, with the clerk, yet the theory is, that it is the same thing as if made in open court, by the judges themselves. It may also be well considered that such an order is a judgment within the meaning of the 12th section of the Code. Justice Parker in Tillspaugh v. Dick, (8 How. Pr. R., 33,) calls a dismissal of a complaint for want of prosecution, a judgment.

The practice upon remittitur of appeals was well settled. Application was made to the Court of Chancery for an order or decree making the decree of the Court of Errors the decree of that court, and that it be carried into effect. Occasionally, the decision above rendered it necessary to make an entirely new decree, as in the case of the James will. But where there was a mere decree of affirmance with costs, the decree in the court below recited the remittitur, and the amount of the costs as taxed, and thereupon adjudged and decreed that the judgment of the Court for the Correction of Errors, and the decree of this court thereby affirmed, be carried into full execution and effect, and that the party have execution for the costs directed to be paid by the judgment of said Court of Errors, and the said decree of this court thereby affirmed. (Decree in Gregory v. Dodge, stated 3 Hoff. Ch. Pr. 220. Bowen v. Idley, ibid. 211).

In Dale ads. Roosevelt (1 Wend. 25), the practice on writs of error is pointed out. It was held that the remittitur could be filed in vacation, that an entry on the original record of the writ of error and remittitur, was unnecessary, that the costs taxable after the record had came down, were to be inserted in the remittitur, and an award of execution for such costs, I apprehend, would be proper. It appears settled law that no new rule for execution as to the original judgment was necessary. (2 Cow. 510).

The theory of this course of proceeding was, that the original decree remained in full force, dating from its original entry, and of course if for a money demand and docketed, retaining its lien. Then the decree made upon the remittitur operated in cases of affirmance, simply to give and declare a right to the costs of the appeal, and direct an execution to issue for them, and also where execution for recovery of money or [265]*265performance of an act had been decreed, to award execution for that also.

"I apprehend that a similar course may be pursued under the Code, and that an order may be entered upon the filing the remittitur substantially in the form used in the Court of Chancery in similar cases of appeals.

In Hosack v. Rogers, (7 Paige, 108), the chancellor adverted to the practice in the Supreme Court and the Court of Chancery upon filing remittiturs, and settled, as the future course in the latter court, that they must either be presented to the chancellor in the first instance, or the party to whom the remittitur was delivered might give notice for a regular motion day in term or vacation, that he would file the remittitur and ask for such decree or orders as he considered himself entitled to, upon it

There is one point, however, which requires consideration. The costs of the appeal have been adjusted by the clerk of this court. The question is, whether this is regular.

By the course of the House of Lords, a specific sum is usually inserted in the decree or judgment, as the amount of costs to be allowed. As there is no officer of the House authorized to tax costs, if the agents cannot agree, and the House does not fix the amount definitely, a reference is sometimes made to a solicitor agreed upon by the parties. (Palmer’s Pr. 74, 2 Daniel's Pr. 1371). It appears also that the House of Lords may order a party into custody for a contempt in not paying them, or direct the recognizance to be estreated into the Exchequer. (Ibid. 1372).

The original 19th rule of the Court of Errors, adopted in April, 1827, directed the costs to be taxed by the chancellor or judge of the Supreme Court or clerk of the Court of Errors. (9 Cow. 289). This was considered to be inconsistent with the fee bill, (2 Rev. L. 4), directing taxation of costs in the usual manner of the respective courts. Accordingly in April, 1829, the rule was amended to conform it to the language of the fee bill, and the costs of that court were afterwards taxed by the regular taxing officers of either court. This could be done after the record had been sent down. (Legg v. Overbagh, 4 Wend. 188).

[266]*266The Code has nowhere in terms prescribed either that costs shall be taxed, or by whom they shall be taxed. The power is deduced from the 311th section, and is considered as belonging to the clerk, from the language there used that he shall insert in the entry of judgment the sum of the "charges for costs as provided in the Code, and the disbursements and fees of officers allowed by law. (Whipple v. Williams, 4 How. Pr. R., 28. Nellis v. De Forrest, 6 How. Pr. R., 413).

It "has been decided in several cases, that the power of the clerk under the Code to tax costs is limited to a taxation upon final judgment. (Nellis v. De Forest, 6 How. Pr. R. 413; Mitchell v. Westervelt, Ibid. 265; Burnside v. Brown, 6 District, January, 1852, cited 6 How. Pr. R. 415 ; Echerson v. Spoor, 4 How. Pr. R. 361; Morrison v. Ide, Ibid. 304).

In Van Schaick v. Winne, (8 How. Pr. R. 5), Justice Harris held that the taxation of costs by a judge at chambers was a nullity. 'The clerk was the only officer authorized by the Code to tax or adjust" costs. His authority was limited to the taxation of costs upon the entry of judgment.

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Related

Lyon ex. dem. Eden v. Burtis
2 Cow. 510 (New York Supreme Court, 1824)
Dale v. Rosevelt
1 Wend. 25 (New York Supreme Court, 1828)
Hosack v. Rogers
7 Paige Ch. 108 (New York Court of Chancery, 1838)
Legg v. Overbagh
4 Wend. 188 (Court for the Trial of Impeachments and Correction of Errors, 1830)

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Bluebook (online)
1 Abb. Pr. 262, 11 Duer 620, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/union-india-rubber-co-v-babcock-nysuperctnyc-1854.