Ballance v. Samuel
Ballance v. Samuel
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court:
This was a proceeding by attachment, instituted in the Peoria Circuit Court, by Ballance against Jamison Samuel and Churchill Samuel, non-residents of this State. The declaration is in assumpsit, on a bill of exchange drawn on, and accepted by Samuels, as partners. Notice of the pendency of the proceeding was given by publication, and the writ of attachment was levied on certain real estate. At the succeeding term, it was suggested by the defendants’ counsel, and admitted by the plaintiff, that Churchill Samuel had died, subsequent to the commencement of the suit, and an order was made by the Court,' that the suit proceed against his co-defendant, Jamison Samuel, as survivor. A motion was then made to dismiss the suit, on the ground that the Court had no jurisdiction, the real estate attached being the sole property of Churchill Samuel. A continuance was had, without a decision of the motion. Subsequently, and in vacation, the plaintiff filed an affidavit, showing the non-residence of the widow and heirs of Churchill Samuel, and a sene facias was issued against them, and notice thereof given, by publication. At the ensuing term, the defendants’ counsel moved the Court to quash the scire facias, and the motion was sustained. The motion to dismiss, for want of jurisdiction, was then heard and sustained, and judgment rendered against the plaintiff for costs. To reverse this judgment, he prosecutes a writ of error, and the decision of the Court, in quashing the scire facias against the heirs of Churchill Samuel, and in dismissing the suit as against Jamison Samuel, are assigned for error.
The twenty-second section of the attachment act,
It remains to be considered, whether the Court erred in dismissing the attachment as to Jamison Samuel. This question may be satisfactorily determined, by reference to the thirteenth and nineteenth sections of the attachment act, which regulate the judgment and the proceedings on the execution. The thirteenth section provides, that where the attachment shall be returned executed, and the estate attached shall not fyé replevied, or defence made, the plaintiff shall be entitled to judgment for his whole debt and costs, and execution shall issue as in other cases of debt. Although the judgment is in form against the defendant, still it is only "regarded as a judgment in rem ; for, by the nineteenth section, no execution can issue on the judgment, except against the property on which the attachment was served, and against a garnishee who has money or property of the defendant in his hands. Where the defendant is not personally served with the writ of attachment, and fails to enter his appearance to the action, the Court cannot hear the cause, and render judgment against him, without service of the attachment on his property, or on a garnishee who is charged with having property in his possession belonging to the defendant, or with being indebted to him. It is this service which gives the Court jurisdiction to hear and determine the cause. Without it, the Court has no more jurisdiction than in the ordinary action by summons, where the defendant is not served with the process. The Court can only act by dismissing or continuing the cause. . In this case, a motion was made to dismiss the suit, because no service of the attachment was made, on the property of Jamison Samuel, who was the sole defendant, after the death of Churchill Samuel. The Court sustained the motion, and in the absence of any proof to the contrary, we are bound to presume, upon testimony showing that the property attached was the individual property of Churchill Samuel. It may have been shown, on the hearing of the motion, by incontrovertible evidence, that the property in question was the sole property of the deceased defendant. If the Court decided the motion, without evidence, or upon insufficient evidence, it was the duty of the plaintiff to have tendered his bill of exceptions, and spread the facts on the record. A party who complains that a decision is against evidence, should have the testimony incorporated in the record, so that the appellate Court may determine whether the decision is erroneous or not. Upon the facts presented in the record, we cannot say the Court erred in dismissing the attachment. If the plaintiff had asked for an alias attachment, or for process against a garnishee, it might have been the duty of the Court, to have ordered it, and continued the cause; but it does not appear that he made any such application.
The judgment of the Circuit Court is affirmed with costs.
R. L. 91; Gale’s Stat. 71.
1 Chit. Plead. 57; Gow on Part. 172; 3 Kent’s Com. 63.
Concurring Opinion
delivered the following separate opinion:
I concur in "all the resolutions of the Court, except the last, affirming the decision of the Court below, in sustaining the motion to dismiss for want of jurisdiction. Jamison Samuel had a right to enter half appearance, to object to the sufficiency of the service as to himself, which he did, and sustained, by showing that the property levied on did not belong to him, and that for want of a levy, or service on a garnishee, the publication of notice of the pendency of the suit was not such a service as would entitle the plaintiff to proceed. Having done this, he was not in Court, and had no right to make any other motion, without entering some appearance. In the order of pleading, the first plea would be to the jurisdiction of the Court.
Again, there is no distinction, as to the jurisdiction of the Court before service, between actions in which actual or constructive service is to be made. In neither would the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, be ousted by a failure, inability, or neglect to serve the process. In both the service is indispensable, to give the Court jurisdiction to proceed to adjudicate. Whether, therefore, the motion or plea to the jurisdiction is a waiving of service by appearance, or not, the Court had jurisdiction over the cause of action to award other process to obtain service, so as to give it jurisdiction over the person or property.
I am, therefore, of opinion that the judgment below, dismissing the suit for want of jurisdiction, ought to be reversed.
■Judgment affirmed.
1 Chit. Plead. 474.
R. L. 82; Gale’s Stat. 63, § 1, 7.
R. L. 88; Gale’s Stat. 68, § 14,73, 5 30.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Charles Ballance, in error v. Jamison Samuel, in error
- Status
- Published