Flowers v. Wayne Probate Judge
Flowers v. Wayne Probate Judge
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I am unable to agree with the conclusion reached by Mr. Justice Moore in this case. The notice of appeal and bond were filed within the 20 days allowed by law. There is no claim that
“(12486) Sec. 9. No appeal shall be dismissed on account of any informality or imperfection in the bond, affidavit or other proceedings, for the taking of such appeal, if plaintiff shall either by amendment, or by furnishing a new bond, affidavit or other paper, supply the deficiency or defect.
“(12487) Sec. 10. Whenever a bond is or shall be required by law to be given by any person, in order to entitle him to any right or privilege conferred by law, or to commence any proceeding, it shall not be necessary for such bond to conform in all respects to the form thereof prescribed by any statute, but the same shall be deemed sufficient if it conforms thereto substantially, and does not vary in any matter to the prejudice of the rights of the party to whom or for whose benefit such bond shall have been given.
“(12488) Sec. 11. Whenever such bond has been heretofore, or shall hereafter be given, and shall be defective in any respect, the court, officer, or body who would be authorized to receive the same, or to entertain any proceedings in consequence of such bond, if the same had been perfect, may, on the application of all the obligors therein, amend the same in any respect, or may, on the application of the person required to give such bond, allow a new one to be substituted in the place thereof, bearing date at the time when such bond was required to be given, and such bond shall thereupon be deemed valid from the time of the execution of such defective bond. When application is made to amend, said court, officer, or body shall have power to amend such bond in any respect, and without regard to the particular amendment applied for, so as to make said defective bond such a*205 one as might have been required when the latter was given. When a new bond is allowed, it shall be such in form, penalty, and other respects, as might have been demanded when the defective bond was given.” 3 Comp. Laws 1915, §§ 12486-12488.
It is clear that these sections contemplate that a defective bond may be corrected or a new one filed, and it is equally clear that when this is done, it shall have relation back to the time when the original or defective one was filed, and have the same force and effect it would have had if no defect had existed. If it does not mean this, why was the provision inserted in section 12488 that the court may “allow a new one to be substituted- in the place thereof, bearing date at the time when such bond was required to be given, and such bond shall thereupon be deemed valid from the time of the execution of such defective bond” Indeed, it would be difficult for language to make it plainer. This section said to plaintiff, in substance: “Correct the defect in your appeal bond or file a new one, and after doing so you may date it back within the 20 days provided for appeal.” If we hold that plaintiff’s corrected bond came too late to authorize an appeal, how will we construe this provision and what will we say is the meaning of the words “such bond shall thereupon be deemed valid from the time of the execution of such defective bond?” It is obvious that this legislation was passed for the purpose of preventing appeals being lost by reason of defective bonds, where the opposite party is not thereby prejudiced, and it seems to me that these sections are directly applicable to the present case. If we are to say that they are not available in any case where the corrected or substituted bond is not filed until after the time for appeal has expired, then the legislation is in vain because if one discovers the defect before the time for appeal has expired he could file a new bond without the aid of the statute.
I am impressed that plaintiff has done everything which the statute requires him to do in order to effect his appeal. The trial court was of that opinion and I think its order should be affirmed.
Opinion of the Court
We have two motions before us which were argued as one and will be considered in the same way. The first of them is certiorari to Hon. John H. Goff, circuit judge, to review his order allowing writ of mandamus directed to judge of probate, defendant herein, requiring him to allow the plaintiff to appeal from his decision on the final account of plaintiff as executor in the matter of the estate of Jane Arm
An answer was filed by the defendant in which the following was stated:
“On February 27th, 1919, your petitioner declined to grant an extension of time to file notice and claim of appeal, and bond on appeal and upon the facts and evidence before respondent, respondent shows that he was warranted and legally justified in so doing. Respondent further shows that relator had had a full and fair hearing upon the allowance of his final account, and the determination of the amount due from relator to said estate was just and equitable and in accordance with the facts and evidence in the case, and that relator’s disobedience of the repeated orders of the probate court and relator’s dissipation of the assets of said estate and mismanagement'of said assets fully justified and legally warranted the discretion of respondent in declining to grant an extension of time as prayed by relator; and that it did not appear to respondent that justice required a revision of the aforesaid order of the probate court.”
After a hearing the court ordered defendant, among other things, to forthwith allow the said claim and notice of appeal, and also approve of the bond in the sum of $300. Nothing was said in the order about whether the probate judge should have granted an extension of time in which to grant an appeal.
In section 1 of chapter 65 of the judicature act (3 Comp. Laws 1915, § 14145), are the provisions relating to the taking of appeals to the circuit court from the probate court, and to the granting of the extension of time by the probate judge for the taking of
The defendant has such an interest in the proceeding as to authorize him to bring certiorari and the motion to dismiss the certiorari proceedings is overruled.
We are constrained to hold that the order of the circuit judge for mandamus must be reversed and vacated with costs to the defendant. This ruling is made without prejudice to the right of Mr. Flowers to petition the circuit court for a delayed appeal under the provisions of section 14156, 3 Comp. Laws 1915.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.