Hockerston v. Hockerston
Hockerston v. Hockerston
Opinion of the Court
This is an action for divorce wherein the defendant did not appear, and the court after hearing the evidence entered judgment. denying the application for a divorce. The plaintiff has appealed from the judgment and from an order denying her motion for a new trial.
The complaint charged personal violence committed by the defendant against the plaintiff on one single stated occasion, and alleged that by- reason thereof grievous mental suffering, anguish, and distress and grievous physical suffering and pain resulted to the plaintiff. The facts shown by the plaintiff’s testimony were as follows: On the evening of the stated day the plaintiff came home after' the defendant had arrived there. Defendant inquired^ why the plaintiff was not at home in time. She informed him that she had been sent for to get their deed to the property which they had purchased. The defendant said that he would call ¡that man up and tell bim he had no business calling her up at that time of day. He took up a desk telephone and attempted to call the party. The plaintiff attempted to interfere. “He said he was going to call them up and cuss them out and. I would not let him phone. ... I just held my finger on the clicker while he was talking to them. . . . And he jerked it loose from me and struck me with it.” At; the end of the encounter “there was the print of his hand úpon my shoulder and my hand was bleeding and my finger was black where he jerked out the knuckle and I had several bruises on my neck. ... Q. Do you know how many times he struck you on that occasion? A. No, I hardly do. . . . He struck me with his fist. I do not know whether it was more than once or not, but I know I fell the three times. . . . I suppose he hit me or I would not have fallen. The most I remember was getting up after the fall. ... He was *197 drinking or he would not have done so. He had been drinking just enough to make him excited.”
At the close of the plaintiff’s testimony, and without waiting for other evidence, the court expressed the opinion that the plaintiff should go back and live with the defendant, and announced that “the decree is denied.” Plaintiff’s attorney inquired if the court would hear any corroboration. The court replied: “If you are only going to prove this same circumstance there is no occasion to waste' time on it, because there is no extreme cruelty shown in that.” Plaintiff’s attorney had other witnesses present in court, but admitted that he offered to do nothing more than to corroborate the testimony of the plaintiff.
It should further be noted that, notwithstanding the judge’s first announcement that “the decree is denied,” the court did not treat the case as closed at that time. On the contrary, plaintiff’s attorney was -permitted to make his offer of further proof, and two or three additional questions were asked of the plaintiff and answered by her. The court then again announced its denial of a decree of divorce.
The appeal from the order is dismissed. The judgment is affirmed.
Shaw, J., and James, J., concurred. X|
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MARGUERITE HOCKERSTON, Appellant, v. FREDERICK HOCKERSTON, Respondent
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published