Barron Bros. v. New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad
Barron Bros. v. New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad
Opinion of the Court
(After stating the foregoing facts.) The answer of the trial judge sets forth the following evidence: “ On July 22, 1920, plaintiffs delivered to the Macon and Birmingham Railway Co., at Thomaston, Ga., 456 crates of peaches in good order, which were loaded in car FGE 24063 and consigned to the Georgia Fruit Exchange at Potomac Yards, Ya. Upon arrival of the car at Potomac Yards the same was diverted to H. B. Fisk & Co., Providence, R. I., and said car was delivered to the defendant in time for the peaches to have arrived in Providence July 28,
The above-stated facts bring the instant case squarely within and under the ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co. v. Whitnack Produce Co., 258 U. S. 369, where it was held: “1. When goods moving in interstate commerce upon a through bill of lading are delivered in bad condition and the evidence shows that they were sound when received 'by the initial carrier but does not affirmatively establish where the loss occurred, there is a common-law presumption, applicable under the Carmack Amendment,- against the delivering carrier, that the injury occurred on the delivering carrier’s line. 2. There is no inconsistency between this rule and the provision of the amendment making the initial carrier also liable.” See also Illinois Central R. Co. v. Banks, 31 Ga. App. 756 (502 S. E. 756).
It follows that since the evidence introduced upon the trial
Section 46 of the act establishing the municipal court of Atlanta (Ga. L. 1913, p. 145) provides: “In all cases of default, the Chief Judge of said court, or any other Judge acting therefor, may enter judgment without any call of the docket on or after the Monday on which the action in default is returnable.” In construing this section the Court of Appeals in the case of Bacon v. Douglas, 23 Ga. App. 262, 264 (97 S. E. 862), said: “The validity of this act is not in question, and under it no entry of default or call of the docket is required, but the provision is that ‘in all cases of default’ the judge ‘may enter judgment without any call of the docket on or after the Monday on which the action in default is returnable.’ Do the words, ‘in all cases,’ authorize the judge to thus ‘enter judgment’ where the service, though legal, is not personal? We concur in the opinion held by the judge who entered the judgment, and by the superior-court judge, that they do. While the act creating the municipal court establishes the practice of that court to be the same as that which obtains in justice’s courts, except as may herein he otherwise provided, here it seems that there is a specific exception to the rules of such uniform practice and procedure. In justice’s courts it is only in some cases that' such a default judgment without proof may be entered; while in this municipal court such power is, under the terms of the act, vested in it in all cases.” The provisions of section 46, supra, referring to “all eases of default” is obviously broad enough to include an attachment case in which no answer has been filed at the appearance term; and in the instant case the practice pertaining to default eases'in the municipal court of Atlanta was strictly followed.
It is. true that the defendant was never notified of the trial. However, it would have received notice if it had filed an answer. The attachment was ample notice to the defendant that a defense should be made, if any existed, and after the levy the defendant had a reasonable time in which to file an answer. See, in this connection, Pennoyer v. Neff, 95 U. S. 714 (24 L. ed. 565). In the instant case no general judgment in personam was rendered, but merely a judgment in rem. The failure to place the case upon the tentative calendar published in the Eulton Daily Report is of no
It is our opinion that the case was tried in accordance with the rules of the municipal court, and that the evidence demanded the verdict and judgment in favor of the plaintiffs. The judge of the superior court, therefore, erred in sustaining the certiorari and granting a new trial.
Judgment reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BARRON BROTHERS v. NEW YORK, NEW HAVEN AND HARTFORD RAILROAD COMPANY
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published