Woodruff v. Perrotti

122 A. 452, 99 Conn. 639, 1923 Conn. LEXIS 130
CourtSupreme Court of Connecticut
DecidedOctober 5, 1923
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 122 A. 452 (Woodruff v. Perrotti) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Woodruff v. Perrotti, 122 A. 452, 99 Conn. 639, 1923 Conn. LEXIS 130 (Colo. 1923).

Opinion

Btjepee, J.

The record shows that the trial judge filed a finding of facts on February 13th, 1923; that on February 19th, 1923, the appellant defendant filed a motion to correct and add to the finding, to which no exceptions nor evidence were annexed; and that on the same day he filed and perfected his appeal, containing an assignment of errors in which he presented claims for the same corrections and additions to the finding which he asked for in his motion to correct and add to the finding. The record does not disclose that the appellant filed a motion that all the evidence and rulings in the case be made a part of the record on appeal, but it contains a copy of such evidence and rulings, apparently certified and filed on February 19th, 1923, although no date is endorsed upon it. On February 23d, 1923, the trial judge filed a correction of the finding which did not make any material change, and otherwise denied the appellant’s motion. On the same day the finding was refiled.

Upon this record, the appellee suggests that the ap *642 pellant is trying to take advantage of both of the remedies by appeal provided by the statutes. This he could not do. Hartford-Connecticut Trust Co. v. Cambell, 97. Conn. 251, 254, 116 Atl. 186. But the record does not indicate plainly that he has attempted to do so. It is true that he filed a motion to correct the finding, but it evidently was not adapted to the requirements of the motion which must be made by an appellant who seeks to pursue the remedy provided in General Statutes, § 5830, because no exception nor evidence was annexed to it, nor is any exception assigned as a reason of appeal. Possibly the appellant began with the intention of using the first method of appeal; but if he did, he evidently abandoned it and followed the method provided by General Statutes, § 5832. Hartford-Connedicut Trust Co. v. Cambell, 97 Conn. 251, 254, 116 Atl. 186. Although it is not stated in the record, as it should be if it was a fact, that the appellant filed with the clerk of the trial court a motion that all the evidence and rulings in the case be made a part of the record, it does appear that a copy of such evidence, duly certified, was made and printed as a part of the record; and we assume that this was done in compliance with the provisions of General Statutes, § 5832. His motion to correct the finding conformed to the best practice if he intended to follow the method prescribed in that section. Hartford-Connedicut Trust Co. v. Cambell, 97 Conn. 251, 254, 116 Atl. 186. Moreover, accepting, the privilege granted in that section, the appellant in his assignment of errors has set’ out his claims for the corrections and additions he asked for in his motion. The record shows that the appellant, apparently expecting the refusal of the court to make the corrections he desired, perfected his appeal some days before the corrected finding was refiled; and therefore in reality undertook to *643 base an appeal upon a finding which had not been made, —that is, upon no finding. Whatever might have been the consequences of this premature action under other conditions, we do not discover that in this instance it was followed by any considerable results. The appellant is fairly entitled to any advantage he may derive from examination of the record as printed, including the statement of the evidence and rulings iñ the case, under the provisions of General Statutes, § 5832.

It is manifest, and the appellant concedes, that he cannot prevail in his appeal unless this court, upon examination of the entire record, shall correct the finding in at least the most material of the particulars he has specified in his assignments of error. He claims that all of the paragraphs of his draft-finding should be added to the finding. Manifestly this should not be done, because some of these paragraphs contain statements of merely evidential or irrelevant matters, or that no evidence was offered or no claim made concerning certain matters; others set out in the appellant’s language facts which the trial judge has stated in his own; and others assert or imply facts at variance with facts found. A finding made up with such additions would be prolix, repetitious, contradictory, obscure and useless.

The appellant further claims that certain paragraphs of the finding should be struck out. In these paragraphs the trial judge states that the services specified in the bill of particulars were rendered for the benefit of the appellant and at his request, made in person or by his wife, who is the other defendant, and who acted as his agent, and whose acts were acquiesced in and ratified by him. In the circumstances and situation disclosed by the evidence in this case, these facts were the foundation of the judgment against the appellant. It could not be supported without them, and with them it can- *644 riot' be upset. Trie' appellant claims that they should be struck out because there is no allegation of agency in the complaint and bill of particulars, because the action is against two joint defendants, and because there is no evidence that his wife acted-as his agent nor that he ratified her acts. It may first be noted that the appellant iri his second defense himself alleges that the plaintiff’s services were rendered under an agreement with the appellant and his agent, and this allegation at least suggests an agency in the transactions and indicates that the appellant was fairly'apprised of the facts which would be proved. But if there were an omission in the plaintiff’s pleadings that could be cured by amendment, the defendant ought to be held to make the objection seasonably, so that there might be such an amendment, and the parties might reach and settle, their controversy upon its merits; and if the defendant postpone his objection till judgment has been rendered, he must not be allowed to gain any advantage on that account. ‘ Santo v. Maynard, 57 Conn. 157, 161, 17 Atl. 700. The proper way to take advantage of the rule of pleading which requires that an act done by a known agent of an individual should be so stated (Practice Book, 1922, § 181, p. 283), is to object to evidence that it was so done unless it is so alleged. Irwin v. Judge, 81 Conn. 492, 71 Atl. 572. The appellant’s objection on this ground appears too late.

It is evident, as the appellant states, that this action is brought against two joint defendants. The appellant thereupon assumes that the bill of particulars contains items presenting two kinds of services, one for services rendered to the appellant defendant, and the other for services rendered to the other defendant. That assumption is erroneous. It is a fair inference from the bill of particulars that all the services were rendered to the appellant defendant, and that the other *645 defendant was brought in on the theory that she had made herself liable as a joint obligor. The trial court reached the conclusion that all the services were rendered to the appellant defendant, but did not adopt the theory that the other defendant had bound herself personally to pay for them. It held that the cause of action Had not been sustained against her, and rendered judgment in her favor. This it had power to do. General Statutes, §5792; Dean v.

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Bluebook (online)
122 A. 452, 99 Conn. 639, 1923 Conn. LEXIS 130, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/woodruff-v-perrotti-conn-1923.