Wilkes v. Coopwood
Wilkes v. Coopwood
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court:
This action was instituted on the 17th of November, 1856, to recover certain sums of money alleged to be due the plaintiff’s testator, Mark Prewitt, by the defendant, for money paid and expended, and for work and labor. The declaration avers that on the 12th April, 1847, an action was instituted by the plaintiff’s testator, in his lifetime, against the defendant; that on the 28th March, 1855, a judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff’s testator, in that suit, for two thousand two hundred and ninety dollars, from which the defendant took an appeal to this court, where the judgment was reversed on the 18th
The question now is, whether the court erred in sustaining the demurrer.
The facts in relation to the two judgments mentioned in these pleadings do not appear to be set forth with clearness or certainty.
It appears, by the pleas, that a verdict and judgment were rendered for the defendant in a suit upon the same causes of action embraced in this action, and that judgment was rendered thereon in this court, which remains in full force. This would certainly be a bar to a subsequent action founded upon the same causes of action. But the plaintiff replies that this judgr ment was a part of the same proceedings referred to in the declaration, by which the judgment in his favor was reversed in this court; and this is admitted by the demurrer. It thus appears that two judgments were rendered in the same cause in this 'court, one reversing the judgment of the Circuit Court
It is insisted in behalf of the plaintiff in error that the statute (Rev. Code, 401, Art. 19) authorises the institution of a new action after the reversal of the plaintiff’s judgment and within one year thereafter. But the pleadings here not only show that the - plaintiff’s judgment was reversed, hut that a judgment or verdict was rendered for the defendant in the previous- suit. Such a case is clearly not within the statute; for the judgment for the defendant must be presumed to have been rendered on the merits of the demand, as it was upon verdict; and such a judgment, remaining in full force, is in law a final and conclusive bar to .another action on the same account; and this right to the defendant was not intended to be disturbed by the provisions of this statute.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- William B. Wilkes, Exor., &c. v. Thomas Coopwood
- Status
- Published