Winn v. Cobb
Winn v. Cobb
Opinion of the Court
In the case of Stewart v. Ramsay, 242 U. S. 128, 37 S. Ct. 44, 61 L. Ed. 192, the Supreme Court holds that a district court in one state cannot acquire personal jurisdiction over a citizen and resident of another state through civil process served upon him while in attendance on such court as plaintiff and witness and while he is returning from the courtroom after testifying. The court says (page 129 [37 S. Ct. 45]):
“The true rule, well founded in reason and sustained by the greater weight of authority, is that suitors, as well as witnesses, coming from another state or jurisdiction, are exempt from the service of civil process while in attendance upon court, and during a reasonable time in coming and going.”
In opposition to the motion of the defendant, plaintiffs have filed a counter affidavit, sworn to by Grover C. Winn, as plaintiff and attorney for the plaintiff in the case. In his affidavit Mr. Winn sets forth his appointment as guardian of the person of John Tuppela, an insane person, and of the execution of a deed of trust, by virtue of which said J. H. Cobb became trustee of the estate of said Tuppela, and by the terms of which said trust agreement the said Cobb is required to make an annual accounting of said trust estate. He further
This affidavit puts directly in issue the presence in the territory of J. H. Cobb as suitor in the several cases, when served. Cobb, in his affidavit, stated that he was here to attend the court in the three cases in Which he was a party; the plaintiffs denied the claim.
Admitting that two of the cases referred to in Cobb’s affidavit had been continued over on May 31, the cases of Koskalainen v. J. H. Cobb, as Trustee, et al., and J. H. Cobb, as Trustee, et al v. Lepisto et al., and that Cobb was informed of such continuance before leaving California for Juneau, the question still remains whether Cobb came to Alaska to attend the trial of the case of Valentine v. J. H. Cobb, as Trustee, et al.
In the latter case, the plaintiffs contend that Cobb never intended trying the case but intended settling the same. The record in the Valentine Case shows that on May 31 the case was set for trial on the arrival of J. H. Cobb at Juneau. Grover C. Winn, at the time being one of the counsel in the case, appeared for Mr. Cobb and it was stated to the court that Mr. Cobb was expected to arrive at Juneau within a few days to attend the case, and for that reason the case was continued over.
On June. 7, 1924, Mr. Winn appeared in court and the case was set by stipulation for trial on June 20. On June 14 Mr. Cobb, with Mr. Wickersham, the attorney for the plaintiff Valentine, appeared before the court in chambers, and requested that the trial of the case be advanced to the 16th. At that time it was said to the court that the case was practically settled, but that it was desired that the court be informed of the facts in the case, and that a decree be entered confirming the settlement. The court consenting to the advancement of the case, the parties appeared on June 16 and submitted testimony of Cobb as to the agreement between'Valentine and Tuppela,. which was the foundation of the action, and at the hearing on June 16 the agreement or settlement between the parties made on June 11, 1924, was made known to the court, and it was therein stated that it was a compromise
In view of this state of facts, was defendant exempt from service of process? I am "of the opinion that he was. Although his statement of his reason for coming to Alaska may not be strictly in accordance with the facts, yet it appears from the statements of counsel at the times of the several continuances that he was coming here to attend the Valentine Case, then set for trial by the court. That he compromised the case after he arrived here, or that he intended to compromise the case on his arrival, does not detract from his privilege of exemption. His attendance here was for the purpose of concluding a case then pending before the court. That being the case, in absence of testimony showing that he attended to other business while present, would.bring him within the privilege. That he remained here after the compromise was made, to enable such compromise to be confirmed by the court, would not, in my judgment, waive the exemption. It may be, although the affidavit'is silent on that question, that the plaintiff Valentine desired the compromise settlement to be confirmed by the court, or that Cobb himself, in view of the answer filed by him and to prevent further litigation, desired that the terms of the settlement of the Valentine claim against the estate of Tuppela be confirmed by a decree of the court.
If this was the desire of the parties, or either of them, as the matter was then pending in court, Cobb, in the absence of 'a showing that he was remaining to attend to other business, was entitled to his exemption until the case then pending could be brought before the court and an order had thereon. See 21 R. C. L. p. 1310, par. 55, and authorities cited in notes.
The motion to. quash will be granted.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WINN v. COBB
- Status
- Published