Knox v. Vallandingham
Knox v. Vallandingham
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The bill was filed by Yallandingham and Lewis, to compel con
There was first an answer by the guardian ad litem, and then a demurrer. The court proceeded to decree on the merits of the bill and exhibits, and so we shall consider, noticing the state of pleadings.
We do not think the decree can be reasons. It was not a case in which the titled to contribution; they were but sun was no privity between them and Knox, has not claim for contribution. This is the' Tom v. Goodrich, 2 Johns. 214. One partner gavi partnership liability, and his sureties had the money to pay. Chancellor Kent held, that although the partner who gave the bond could have resorted to his co-partners for contribution, yet his sureties had not the same right, as they became bound for the obligor individually. Stewart, by giving the bond, and permitting it to be forfeited, satisfied the judgment, and discharged his codefendants. These complainants were only surety for Stewart in the means employed to discharge the debt. It is not unlike the case cited by counsel, from' 2 Dev. & Batt. Eq. Rep. 399. Their securityship is a separate and distinct transaction, and in such cases the right to contribution does not exist. Burge on Suretyship, 385. It is not a case in which the right of subrogation exists, because the original liability was extinguished; they could, at most, claim to be substituted to nothing else but the right of the plaintiff in the judgment on Stewart’s bond; whether they had such right need not now be decided, since that would not help them.
Decree reversed and bill dismissed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John T. Knox v. Nathaniel W. Vallandingham
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- A. surely of a surety has no claim to contribution. D. as.principal, and S. and K. as sureties, executed a note, and judgment was recovered by the payee against all of them; execution thereon was levied on the property of S., who gave a forthcoming bond with Y. and L. as sureties; on the insolvency of S., Y. and L., against whom and S. judgment on the bond had been rendered, were compelled to pay the money ; and thereupon Y. and L. sued K. for contribution: Held, that the claim could not be maintained.