Brust v. Green
Brust v. Green
Opinion of the Court
The ojúnion of the court was delivered by
This action was commenced originally before a justice of the peace of Republican township, Clay county, by Henry Green against Jacob Brust, to recover on an account amounting to $110.62. A summons was issued December 13, 1882, and directed and delivered to “James Tate, special constable of said township,” and made returnable on December 18, 1882, at 10 o^clock a. m. ■ On December 14, 1882, the constable returned this summons to the justice, with
“Now conies the defendant, Jacob Brust, by Anthony & Kellogg, his attorneys, appearing specially and only for the purpose of this motion, and moves the court to set aside the service of the summons in this action, for the reason that there has never been a copy of the summons served with the indorsements thereon certified by the person serving the same to be a true copy delivered to the defendant or left at his usual. place of residence, nor has there been any other act xlone in this case equivalent to service of summons.”
This -motion Avas heard by the justice upon affidavits, and possibly upon other evidence, but upon what other evidence, if any, the record does not sIioav; and neither does the record sIioav Avhether we have all the evidence before us which was presented to the justice of the peace on this motion, or not. This motion Aras overruled by the justice, Avho at the time made the folloAAnng order and entry on his docket, to wit:
“The court, after hearing the arguments of counsel, overruled said motion, on the ground that defendant voluntarily appeared in said cause; that on December 15, 1882, the defendant voluntarily appeared, and had three subpenas issued in his behalf in said cause and took copy of bill of particulars filed by plaintiff, to which ruling the defendant excepted; and the defendant and his attorney, after filing their bill of exceptions, AAÚthdrew from the court. Witnesses for the defendant claimed their fees and mileage.”
The justice then heard the plaintiff’s evidence, and rendered judgment in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant
“The record in this case does not show affirmatively that the justice was authorized to appoint the special constable who served the summons, or that he took the oath required by statute. (Sec. 172 of the Justices Code; Comp. Laws of 1879, p. 729.)”
Now we do not think that the judgment of the court below can be reversed, for either of the grounds alleged in the defendant’s motion before the justice of the peace to set aside the service of the summons, or the grounds urged in this court in the defendant’s (plaintiff in error’s) brief. The record brought to this court does not show that no duly-certified copy of the summons, with the indorsements thereon, was served upon the defendant; but the record, so far as it goes, shows that a duly certified copy of the summons, with all the indorsements thereon, was duly served upon the defendant. And no question was raised in the justice’s court as to whether the justice was duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of § 172 of the justices code, to appoint the special constable who served the summons, or not; or whether the constable took the oath required by said section, or not.
In all probability the justice of the peace Avas amply authorized to make the appointment under the circumstances of the
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jacob Brust v. Henry Green
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published