Thompson v. Horgan
Thompson v. Horgan
Opinion of the Court
These two actions are before this court on appeal by the plaintiff in each case from an order of the Superior Court that the demurrer of the defendant to the .declaration of the plaintiff be sustained. In substance the demurrer in each action assigns as a reason therefor that the declaration does not set forth a legal cause of action.
In the case of Thompson v. Horgan the defendant on July 14, 1919, obtained a judgment in the Superior Court
In each action the plaintiff in substance alleges that the defendant omitted to make proper credits with fraudulent intent to obtain an execution for a larger amount than the defendant was entitled to. In the case of Thompson v.
An execution issued on a merged or satisfied judgment is without force, and all proceedings thereon taken subsequently to the satisfaction are without justification. An execution upon a judgment partially satisfied, although it erroneously states the amount of the judgment, is amendable and is voidable only, and an action under it is valid even if it is not amended. Dewey v. Peeler, 161 Mass. 135. Berry v. Gates, 175 Mass. 373, 375, 376, and cases cited. In the absence of evidence of fraud of the creditor, whereby the debtor was induced to forego his right to a day in court, a judgment against the debtor cannot be collaterally attacked on the ground that the amount of it had been unconscien-tiously computed and recovered, in that the creditor intentionally had omitted to credit the debtor with sums which he had paid. Fuller v. Shattuck, 13 Gray, 70. Bremner v. Hester, 258 Mass. 425. It is said in Homer v. Fish, 1 Pick. 435, 439, 440, "that a matter of controversy, which has been inquired into and settled by a court having jurisdiction of the subject, cannot be drawn into question again, in another suit between the same parties, for the purpose of defeating or avoiding the effects of a judgment of the court to which it has been submitted. . . . ‘It is most clear, that the merits of a judgment can never be overhauled by an original suit, either at law or in equity. Till the judgment is set aside, or reversed, it is conclusive, as to the subject matter of it, to all intents and purposes.’ . . . ‘It is a principle of the common law, that a man cannot collaterally impeach, or call in question, a judgment of a court of law, or decree in
The entry in each case must be
Order affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Walter S. Thompson, trustee v. Frank T. Horgan Samuel C. French v. Freeland D. Leslie
- Status
- Published