Roelofs v. Wever
Roelofs v. Wever
Opinion of the Court
About March 1, 1895, complainant was the owner of, and resided upon, a farm of 60 acres of land. One Pycock held three mortgages upon the property,
Complainant claims that, after conducting the business for a time, the defendants stole and destroyed the land contract, claimed that the complainant was not a partner, and that they were sole owners of the land and machinery, forcibly excluded him from participation in the business before any brick could be sold, and commenced summary proceedings to evict him from' the farm. Complainant filed the bill in this cause to restrain the proceedings before the circuit court commissioner, and for an adjustment of the dealings between the parties. The cause was heard upon pleadings and proofs taken in open court; and in his decree, dated December 15,1897, the learned circuit judge adjudged the facts to be substantially as alleged by the •complainant, and decreed that the partnership be dissolved,
No appeal was taken from this decree, but on April 30, 1898, the defendants filed a petition for leave to apply for a rehearing, which being granted, a petition was filed in May. The answer was filed, and, upon.the hearing, the prayer of the petition was denied, in August, 1898, and the defendants have appealed from the order denying the rehearing. As reasons why the rehearing should have been ordered, counsel assert that the petitioners had erected a brick house upon the premises, for which no allowance was made, and that they had deeded a portion of the premises to a Mr. DeWitt, who was not made a party. It is further urged that the court erred in not ordering an accounting, and that the decree “authorizes the performance of contingencies out of court, and makes the complainant the judge of their sufficiency,” and that “it declares the Wevers’ deed a mortgage, but makes no provision to foreclose as in case of default,” and that the decree “directs defendants to reconvey a fee, while declaring them only mortgagees.”
Had the defendants desired that DeWitt be made a party, steps to that end should have been taken at an early stage of the proceedings. It is not shown, however, that the defendants are injured by complainant’s failure to make him a party. Counsel for the complainant claims that his deed was not recorded, and that he was unaware that he had an interest. We do not discover that he was an indispensable party.
It is not necessary that a reference be made to take an account, as the circuit judge has a right to hear it. Barnebee v. Beckley, 43 Mich. 613. Whether the court proceeded properly or not does not appear. If he did not, counsel should have asked that he do so; but it is not shown that any complaint was made, and the petition for rehearing is not based upon that ground.
We think that the other questions are without merit, and the order denying a rehearing is «affirmed, with costs.
Reference
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