Wolverton v. Wolverton

71 N.E. 123, 163 Ind. 26, 1904 Ind. LEXIS 113
Indiana Supreme Court·Decided May 24, 1904·No. No. 20,344·Published·Cited by 37 cases

Opinion

Dowling, J.

Action by the appellee against the appellant for a divorce, alimony, custody of four infant children, and an allowance for their maintenance. The causes for divorce alleged in the complaint were cruel and inhuman treatment of the plaintiff by the defendant, and his failure to make reasonable provision for his family for more than two years. Answer in three paragraphs, the first being a general denial, the second alleging condonation of the injuries charged, and the third a plea that the [28] defendant at the time the grievances occurred was a person of unsound mind. Reply in denial. The cause was tried by the court and at the request of the defendant, a special finding of facts was made, and conclusions of law w'ere ¡stated thereon. The conclusions were favorable to the plaintiff, and judgment was rendered against the defendant. The court also made an order requiring the defendant to pay to the plaintiff, as a part of her necessary expenses in prosecuting her action, the fees of her attorney to the amount of $500. By a further order he was directed to pay the sum of $30 per month for the maintenance of the children until the further order of the court. From this judgment and from these allowances the defendant appeals.

No question is made upon the pleadings. The errors assigned, and not waived by failure to discuss them, are as follows: “(9) The court erred in the conclusions of law stated upon the special finding of facts; (10) the court erred in overruling appellant’s motion to modify the. conclusions of law stated upon the special finding of facts; (11) the court erred in overruling appellant’s motion for a new trial; (12) the court erred in overruling appellant’s motion to modify the decree and judgment; (13) the court erred in overruling appellant’s motion to modify the judgment.”

The court stated six separate conclusions of law, which were, in substance, as follows: (1) That the plaintiff was entitled to a divorce from the defendant; (2) that the plaintiff was entitled to the care and custody of the four children; (3) that the plaintiff was entitled to recover from the defendant, as alimony, $8,466; (4) that the defendant be required to pay to the plaintiff $500 for her attorneys’ fees in the action, and that he also pay to her for the maintenance of the said children $30 per month until the further order of the court; (5) that the deed executed by the defendant, October 18, 1902, to Margaret Noonan, was fraudulent and void, and for that reason should be [29] set aside; (6) that the plaintiff had a lien upon the said real estate for the amount of her judgment in this action, and that the said real estate should be sold to pay the same.

The ninth assignment of error (being the first set out in this opinion), stating that the court erred in its conclusions of law, is joint, and therefore, unless good as to all said conclusions, it is good as to none. Jones v. State (1903), 160 Ind. 537, and cases cited; Saunders v. Montgomery (1895), 143 Ind. 185; Clause Printing Press Co. v. Chicago, etc., Sav. Bank (1896), 145 Ind. 682; Royce v. Bourne (1897), 149 Ind. 187, 190; Jones v. Mayne (1900), 154 Ind. 400; Maynard, v. Waidlich (1901), 156 Ind. 562, 565. It is not contended that all the conclusions of law upon the facts stated were erroneous; hence this assignment could not avail the appellant. But, even if the assignment had been several, it could not have been considered. Neither in appellant’s statement of points and propositions in his brief nor in his printed argument is there any point or proposition to the effect that any conclusion of law stated by the court is erroneous.

Eule twenty-two of this court contains this requirement: “Fifth. * * * Following this statement [of so much of the record as fully presents every error and exception relied on], the brief shall contain, under a separate heading of each error relied on, separately numbered propositions or points, stated concisely, and without argument or elaboration, together with the authorities relied on in support of them. * * * No alleged error or point, not contained in this statement of points, shall be raised after-wards, either by reply brief, or in oral or printed argument, or on petition for rehearing.” . Under the heading of “propositions and authorities,” in appellant’s brief, two propositions only are set out, viz.: “The decision of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence; the decision of the court is contrary to law.” Where error is predicated of or upon conclusions of law stated on a special finding of [30] facts, each error relied upon should be set out separately in the assignment of errors; and it sliould also be separately numbered and stated in the brief of the party complaining, under its proper heading. The propositions or points relied on to support each separate error, together with the authorities to sustain them, must also be set out under such headings. The supposed errors of the court in its conclusions of law are not stated in the brief for appellant, as required by rule twenty-two, svpra, and therefore objections to such conclusions can not be raised by appellant in any manner.

The tenth error assigned — that the court erred in overruling appellant’s motion to modify the conclusions of law — presents no question. Such a motion is not recognized by our code of procedure. The correctness of conclusions of law can be contested only by proper exception to each conclusion, and by assigning as error in this court that the trial court erred in each conclusion of law, or that the conclusion, of law which is challenged is erroneous. Maynard v. Waidlich, supra, and cases cited.

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Wolverton v. Wolverton, 71 N.E. 123, 163 Ind. 26, 1904 Ind. LEXIS 113 (Ind. 1904).

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