Adams v. Horsefield
Adams v. Horsefield
Opinion of the Court
This was a proceeding under the statute for a forcible entry and detainer, at the suit of the plaintiffs in error. On the trial before the justice of the peace,
It is now assigned for error, that the judgment of the justice of the peace should have been reversed, and that the several motions of the defendants should have been allowed. If the law shall be ruled against the defendants, upon these points, they pray that a mandamus may be awarded to the circuit court commanding the judge thereof to allow some one, or all of these motions.
The opinion of this court was given upon the errors assigned, and was an ample warrant for the judgment of af-firmance by the circuit court. It became the law of the case, and furnished a guide to all ulterior proceedings, so that it is not now allowable to look behind it, and again review questions which we have passed on and' adjudicated. This rule has been so often recognized, not only here, but in all appellate tribunals, that it is needless to cite authority to support it. We may however add, that we
In remanding the cause to the circuit court, this court did not intend that that court should again consider the errors assigned. We incline to think that upon the cause being sent back, the circuit court had no other duty to perform than affirm the judgment of the justice, and award a procedendo. But however this may be, we consider it perfectly certain, that that court could not re-examine the assignment of errors on which it had previously passed; for these had been reviewed by this court, and adjudged insufficient to authorize a judgment of reversal.
Without stopping to consider whether the refusal to award a certiorari, or to grant a motion' to perfect a record, is revisable on error, under any circumstances, we are satisfied, that in the posture of the present case, the defendants have not been prejudiced by the denial of their motions. No matter what facts were disclosed by the records, they sought to have attached to the transcript, we have seen that the result of the cause would not have been varied.
It is incumbent upon a party, before he assigns errors, to see that the record is in the condition in which he is entitled to have it; if he proceeds upon an imperfect transcript, and the judgment of the court is against him, he cannot then, as a matter of right, claim a certiorari to the inferior tribunal. In the case before us, we have seen that a change in the record would have availed nothing, as the supposed errors which the circuit court were called on to consider, had been definitely examined and decided on, here.
Conceding it was competent for the circuit court to have allowed other errors to be assigned upon the cause being remanded, yet if that court possessed such 9. power, its exer
What we have said, will also serve as an answer to the application for a mandamus. If it had been competent for the circuit court to have allowed the assignment of other errors than those passed on, no others were assigned; those in the transcript could not have been aided by the amendments proposed. A mandamus then, would be unavailing to affect the judgment complained of. The motion is therefore denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ADAMS AND KNAPP v. HORSEFIELD
- Status
- Published