Rafter v. Hurd
Rafter v. Hurd
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The appeal in this case is from an order dismissing and dissolving the garnishment proceedings and discharging
The appellant has most ably and convincingly briefed these legal propositions and applied them to the allegations of the petition, but from the brief of the appellee we learn that defects and irregularities in the issuance and service of garnishment summons were the immediate reasons for the action of the trial court in dismissing the garnishments, rather than the fundamental features expressed in the motions and argued by the appellant, the motions being sufficiently comprehensive to include other defects and irregularities.
The briefs and explanations of counsel convince this court that a serious confusion exists in this appeal by the use of general instead of specific and definite terms. There are a number of garnishees made such, and many of them served or attempted to be served at different times.
The first motion, filed October 31, 1930, is general and all-inclusive in its terms and could refer to all parties made garnishees prior to its being filed. The second motion, filed November 15, 1930, is definite and names the parties against whom it moves that the proceedings be dismissed. The journal entry is general and could include all the garnishments issued in the case. Appellant urges her appeal, applying the law to the facts as to certain of the garnishees, which leads the appellee to state a limitation as to certain garnishees only, whom the motions were intended to cover or reach, disclaiming any intention to attack the garnishment proceedings as to the other garnishees. This greatly simplifies the matter. The first motion is said to apply only to the garnishees A. L. Hoover, Myrtle Wright and J. Arthur Myers, Myers being designated as attorney of record for Hoover and Wright. Service was had on J. Arthur Myers and no service has been made upon either Hoover or Wright.
The motion was made and filed by the defendants, and not by the garnishees, so that there is no appearance by them on account of the motion, and as to the two not served, they need no dismissal or discharge of proceedings. They are in no way obligated or con
The second motion definitely asks for the dismissal of the garnishment issued to the defendant, the Rafter Farm Mortgage Company, and M. A. Bender, its attorney of record. It is urged by appellee that a letter from the attorney for plaintiff is the only basis for service upon them. This is true if they are to be regarded as garnishees. Our attention is not directed to any affidavit stating the necessary facts to make them garnishees. But the letter when fully read does not attempt to make them garnishees, but only suggests the duty of serving the necessary notice upon the defendant as to the making of other parties garnishees in the action, which process should be served in compliance with the statute (R. S. 60-943) upon the defendant or its attorney of record.
The summons, however, that was issued and served upon the defendant and Mr. Bender, its attorney, was one that made them garnishees in the action — an absurd situation as far as the defendant itself is concerned.
The purpose and plan of R. S. 60-943 were apparently misunder
With the distinct understanding, as expressed by the appellee, that the motions do not affect any of the garnishees except Hoover and Wright and J. Arthur Myers, their attorney, and the Rafter Farm Mortgage Company and M. A. Bender, its attorney, as above stated, we find the sustaining of the first motion was erroneous and such order should be set aside; and, as to the second motion, we find no error in sustaining it and dismissing the garnishment proceeding therein attacked. It is so ordered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Amy O. Rafter v. Robert J. Hurd, James T. Rafter and The Rafter Farm Mortgage Company
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published