Whiteley v. Ingham Circuit Judge
Whiteley v. Ingham Circuit Judge
Opinion of the Court
This was an action of ejectment, and on the trial in the circuit court the plaintiff had judgment. The defendants removed the case to this court by writ of error, where the judgment was affirmed. Subsequently defendants exercised their statutory right of a second trial, by the entry of the usual order, conditioned on the payment of all costs up to that time, which costs the defendants paid, and the case stood for trial in the usual manner. Before another trial was reached, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed her suit; the defendants consenting thereto on payment of costs to be taxed. The defendants presented
The respondent contends that there is no statute entitling the relators to tax the costs and fees of the first trial, and that they are entitled only to such costs and fees as are given by law on the discontinuance of a case. It is insisted that the proceedings to and including the first trial were fully and forever closed when the order for a second trial was entered, and the defendants, as a condition therefor, paid the costs of that trial, which the statute imposed, and that, therefore, relators cannot claim any costs arising before that time. On the other hand, counsel claim that the relators are entitled to all their costs incurred since the commencement of suit, under the provisions of section 11260, 3 Comp. Laws 1897, which provides :
“In all actions and proceedings in which the plaintiff would be entitled to costs upon a judgment rendered in his favor, if, after the appearance of the defendant, such plaintiff be non-suited, discontinue his suit, be non-prossed, or judgment pass against him on verdict, demurrer, or otherwise, * * * the defendant shall have judgment to recover against such plaintiff his full costs, which shall have the like effect as all other judgments.”
We think the relators are correct in their contention. The claim made by them is not that they are entitled to recover back what they paid on the removal of the case to this court, nor what they paid to obtain a second trial in the action of ejectment. Those costs they would have no right to recover, under the rule laid down in Jeffery v.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). Eelators were defendants in an ejectment suit tried in the circuit court, appealed to this court, and affirmed. Whiteley v. Whiteley, 110 Mich. 556. Eelators were granted a new trial under section 10981, 3 Comp. Laws 1897. Before trial was had, plaintiff submitted to a voluntary nonsuit, which was consented to by the relators. Eelators now seek to recover costs of the first trial, in which the judgment was affirmed in this court. But for the statute, relators’ right to further litigation would have been ended. The statute, however, gives them the right, upon certain conditions, to
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WHITELEY v. INGHAM CIRCUIT JUDGE
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published