Pelkey v. National Surety Co.
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Pelkey v. National Surety Co.
Opinion of the Court
This is an action on an injunction bond. ‘ A verdict was directed for "the defendants at the close of the testimony. The plaintiff appeals from the order denying his motion for a new trial.
The plaintiff seeks to recover as one item of his damages the reasonable value of the services of his counsel in defending the action. It was held that he was not entitled to recover counsel fees. The bond is “conditioned for the payment to the party enjoined of such damages as he shall sustain by reason of the writ, if the court finally decides that the party was not entitled thereto.” G. S. 1913, § 7891. An action on the bond is the only remedy of the party enjoined, unless there be malice. *178 Hayden v. Keith, 32 Minn. 277, 20 N. W. 195. The right to damages depends upon the construction of the bond.
By the temporary injunction it was directed “that pending the final determination of said cause and the judgment of the court therein, the defendant, his agents, employees and servants refrain from filling, storing and keeping ice upon the above described premises, except such as was placed thereon prior to the commencement of this action, and from carrying on the business complained of in the complaint herein.”
The prayer of the complaint was “that defendant, his agents and employees, be forever restrained and enjoined from storing ice in or upon said premises and from carrying on an ice business upon and from said premises.” And there was a prayer for a temporary injunction which was issued in the form quoted above.
The purpose of the action was to obtain a permanent injunction restraining Pelkey from making the designated use of this property. There was no other. Nothing else was wanted. It was distinctly an action for an injunction and not an action to which an injunction was incidental. It is held upon good authority that when the temporary injunction is ancillary to the main action counsel fees incurred in defending such action are not recoverable in an action on the injunction bond. Lamb v. Shaw, 43 Minn. 507, 45 N. W. 1134, is such a case. But where the sole purpose of the action is to obtain a permanent injunction counsel fees incurred in defending the main action are by like good authority damages within the terms of the injunction bond. Weierhauser v. Cole, 132 Iowa, 14, 109 N. W. 301, and cases cited; Loofborow v. Shaffer, 29 Kan. 415; Raupman v. City of Evansville, 44 Ind. 392; Bush v. Kirkbride, 131 Ala. 405, 30 South. 780; Jackson v. Millspaugh, 100 Ala. 285, 14 South. 44; Curry v. American, etc., Co. 124 Ala. 614, 27 South. 454; Jamison v. Dulaney, 74 Miss. 890, 21 South. 972. A good collection of cases is found in a note in 16 L.R.A. (N.S.) 49, 69. And see note 8 Ann. Cas. 715; 13 Ann. Cas. 262; Ann. Cas. 1912D, 715; 1 Joyce, Inj. § 203; 22 Cyc. 1053.
The cases are not in harmony, but Nielsen v. City of Albert Lea, 87 Minn. 285, 91 N. W. 1113, brings the case before us within the doctrine stated. A plaintiff who seeks a permanent injunction only, and can gel and takes a temporary injunction giving him the same relief temporarily, *179 is much, in the position of one taking execution before judgment, and if he fails to get a judgment it is not harsh that he be required to pay the damage he has caused. There is nothing strained in holding, as is held in the line of cases cited above, that the value of services of counsel in defending the main action is an item of damage within the terms of the bond, and a contrary construction is permissible. The plaintiff is entitled to recover the reasonable value of the services of his counsel in defending the main suit.
In a suit on the injunction bond the plaintiff in the injunction suit cannot relitigate the matters there involved. Terre Haute & I. R. Co. v. Peoria, etc., R. Co. 182 Ill. 501, 55 N. E. 377; Nansemond Timber Co. v. Rountree, 122 N. C. 45, 29 S. E. 61; Revell v. Smith, 25 Okla. 508, 106 Pac. 863; Fullerton v. Pool, 9 Wyo. 9, 59 Pac. 431; Sipe v. Holliday, 62 Ind. 4; Citizens, etc., Co. v. Ohio Valley Tie Co. 138 Ky. 421, 128 S. W. 317; Slack v. Stephens, 19 Colo. App. 538, 76 Pac. 741. In the injunction suit the plaintiff did not claim anything by virtue of the order of the building inspector, though it was alleged that the defendant had been refused a license to repair, and it was found by the court to be so because of neighborhood influences. Perhaps she could not, but if it is a bar now it was then a valid ground of affirmative action, and cannot now be asserted as a bar. The issue was whether Pelkey had the right to continue his ice business and the judgment determined that he had.
It may be noted that the injunction goes farther than the order of the building inspector. It restrains Pelkey from using his premises for the storage of ice, except such as was there prior-to the commencement of the action, and restrains him from carrying on his ice business on the premises. Evidence was offered that he could have carried on an ice business without the ice house. In any event the injunction was broader than the order.
*180
There is not much in the claim that the plaintiff is collaterally attacking the order of the inspector. The defendants are seeking to take advantage of it collaterally. The order may not be of further importance and we pass it without further remark.
Order reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- E. J. Pelkey v. National Surety Company and Another. [Fn1]
- Cited By
- 12 cases
- Status
- Published