Petit v. Western Coal & Min. Co.
Petit v. Western Coal & Min. Co.
Opinion of the Court
This suit was originally brought in the state court against the St.- Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company and the defendant for a joint trespass to land. On the trial of the case the plaintiff dismissed as to the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company, on the ruling of the court that the road was a citizen of Arkansas, and therefore that the court was without jurisdiction. The case then proceeded, resulting in a verdict for the plaintiff against the Western Coal & Mining Company, which was afterwards set aside, and a new trial awarded. After this was done, the plaintiff brought a suit for the same trespass in the state court against the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company, and recovered a verdict against that company, upon which a judgment was rendered, and afterwards satisfied in full. After this was done, to wit, on June 16, 1902, the defendant in this case filed an amended answer, in which it set up, in addition to the other defenses, the recovery of the judgment in the state court against the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company for the same trespass, and its satisfaction in full. This defense was conceded to be true, and to be good; but plaintiff contends that it has the right to a judgment for costs accruing up to the filing of the amended answer referred to, and this isr the only question presented for the consideration of the court.
The plaintiff having elected to discontinue his case, the same will be dismissed, and judgment rendered against the defendant for costs accruing up to the 16th of June, 1902, the day the defense of puis darrein continuance was filed. The costs accruing thereafter must be paid by the plaintiff.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PETIT v. WESTERN COAL & MIN. CO.
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Costs—Dismissal on Plea Puis Darrein Continuance—Pleading. A dismissal on pleading a defense in the nature of a plea puis darrein continuance, although set up by answer in accordance with the state Code of Procedure, carries with it the right to the plaintiff to recover the costs accruing up to the time the pleading was filed.