Russell v. Chamberlain
Russell v. Chamberlain
Opinion of the Court
This is an action to recover damages for an alleged malicious prosecution. Demurrers to the amended complaint were sustained and judgment of dismissal -was entered and the plaintiff appeals therefrom. All of the defendants, except Frank M. Crandall, were served with summons and appeared. The defendant Crandall was not served and did not appear. It is alleged in the complaint that on the eleventh day of April, 1904, in Kootenai county, then said Crandall made, signed, swore to and filed with a justice of the peace, in said county, a certain complaint or in
Two demurrers were filed by respective defendants, and the main ground of demurrer in each was that the amended complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. Those demurrers were sustained and judgment of dismissal was entered.
Two errors are assigned: 1. The court erred in sustaining said demurrers; and 2. The court erred in entering the judgment of dismissal.
It is first contended by counsel for defendants that as the other defendants did not join with Crandall in instituting the criminal prosecution against the plaintiff, they cannot be properly joined with Crandall as defendants in this action. There is nothing in that contention, for in this class of cases
The only remaining question before us for decision is whether the amended complaint contains facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. In limine, the action for malicious prosecution is not favored in law, and hence has been hedged about by limitations more stringent than in the case of almost any other act causing damage to another. (Small v. McGovern, 117 Wis. 108, 94 N. W. 651; Grant v. Deuel, 3 Rob. 17, 38 Am. Dec. 228.) In order to recover in this action the plaintiff must allege and prove (1) that there was a prosecution; (2) that it terminated in favor of the plaintiff; (3) that the defendants were prosecutors; (4) that they were actuated by malice; (5) that there was a want of probable cause; and (6) the amount of damages that plaintiff has sustained.
Upon a careful consideration of the allegations of the complaint, we conclude that they state a cause of action. The judgment and the order sustaining the demurrers must be set aside and the ease remanded, with instructions to the trial court to permit the defendants to answer within a reasonable time. Costs of this appeal are awarded to the appellant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WILLIAM J. RUSSELL v. A. V. CHAMBERLAIN
- Cited By
- 15 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Malicious Prosecution — Defendants .Joined — Want of Probable Cause and Malice — Allegations of Complaint — Demurrer. 1. It is not necessary in an action for malicious prosecution to allege that all of the defendants combined in instituting the proceedings complained of. If, after the proceedings were commenced, they, without probable cause and with malice, participate voluntarily in the prosecution, they may be joined in an action as defendants with the person or persons who instituted the action. 2. Want of probable cause and malice must coexist, 3. Actions for malicious prosecutions are not favored in law and have been hedged about by limitations more stringent than” in many other acts causing damage to another. 4. Held, that the complaint states a cause of action and that the court erred in sustaining the demurrers thereto. (Syllabus by the court.)