Watts v. Sanders
Watts v. Sanders
Opinion of the Court
delivered tbe opinion of the Court.
. It appears, from the facts agreed in this case, that Watts had purchased of McCauly and Patterson a lot-of ground in Smithland, and executed to them, in consideration thereof, three notes of $166 66|- each. One of these notes was assigned to Sanders, who brought suit thereon and obtained judgment. Actions at law were pending on the other notes. Watts filed his bill and obtained an injunction to stay Sanders from collecting his judgment at law., and to prevent the rendition of judgment on the other notes. Sanders, Mc-Cauly and Patterson were made defendauts to-the bill. The bill is not copied into this record, and the only ground of equity stated in the agreed facts is, that the wives of McCauly and Patterson had not united in the deed and relinquished' their right to dower. Upon ob-
The action now before this Court by appeal, was instituted in the name of all the obligees, as plaintiffs, against the defendán ts, on the injunction bond, tore-cover the amount of Sanders’ judgment, the collection of which had thus been enjoined.
The first objection taken to the proceedings is, that as the action is brought only for the injury to Sanders, ■and the other plaintiffs have no interest in this suit, they are improperly united as co-plaintiffs with Sanders. They are joint and not joint and several obligees. The bond is made with them jointly and not severally. This action is in debt upon the bond and averring the non-payment of the penalty of the bond; sets out the condition, and specifies the failure of the ‘defendants to keep the condition. The action was properly brought in the name of all the joint obligees, although, in fact, only for the benefit of one: (1 Chitty, 9-10.)
The main question, however, is whether the facts show such a breach of the condition of the bond as will justify the maintenance of an action upon it.
The first case differs from this in several particulars. There the injunction was dissolved with damages and costs against the complainant. Here no damages are assessed against the complainant, and costs are decreed in his favor.
In the second case, that of Hunt vs Scobie, the condition of the bond was this: “Now if the said Porter & Hunt, or either of them, shall well and truly pay the amount of the judgment aforesaid, together with all damages and costs that shall be awarded against them to the said Scobie, in case said injunction is dissolved, or bill dismissed, then,” &c. In that case the duty of the obligors to pay, depended solely upon, the dissolution of the injunction or dismissal of the bill, and in view of these stipulations, the Court said, “as the injunction was dissolved and the bill dismissed, the obligors were bound by the express terms of the bond and condition to pay the judgment enjoined, although the complainant in the bill may have been so far justified in resorting to a Court of Equity, as that no damages were decreed against him upon the dissolution of the injunction, and he recovered his costs in the chancery suit.”
In this case the obligation of the defendants to pay the judgment enjoined, is not made to turn upon the dissolution or perpetuation of the injunction, but on
If this view of the facts and law of the case be correct, as we are satisfied it is, it follows that the Court, to whom the facts and law were submitted, ought to have rendered judgment for the defendants, and not having so done, but having given judgment for the plaintiffs, the judgment is erroneous. It is, therefore, reversed, and the cause is remanded with directions to set aside the judgment, and grant a new trial to defendants.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Watts, &c. v. Sanders, &c.
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- 1 case
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- Published