Lee v. Caswell
Lee v. Caswell
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Carl G. Caswell brought his action of replevin in the court of a justice of the peace against Mrs. Cena Patterson for a diamond ring. The process was issued against Mrs. Patterson, and the officer’s return is that the writ was executed by “taking possession of within described ring, value $100, and by summoning the defendant personally. This 3/15/1907. The defendant having entered into bond according to law, with James Pinch and W. P. Mills as her sureties, I turned ring back to her and now return said bond and writ. This 3/16/1907.” No such bond appears in this record. Mrs. Euna Caswell, who, it turned out, was a daughter of Mrs. Patterson, made oath that the ring was her property, and not the property of her mother, Mrs. Patterson, and winds up with the statement that her mother was erroneously made defendant in the suit.
The first instruction asked by the plaintiff, Oaswell, in the circuit court, which was given, was this: “The court. instructs the jury, for the plaintiff, that Mrs. Cena Patterson has no interest in the suit.” Testimony was had, and a jury, and verdict rendered for Mrs. Caswell, and that she “retain possession of the ring.” On the facts it is not possible to reverse this case, because on the testimony the jury believed that Mr. Caswell had given the ring to his wife before marriage. It seems that after the marriage there was a separation, but no divorce. There further appears in this record the following; “Now comes the plaintiff and moves the court for a judgment in the case of Carl G. Caswell v. Mrs. Cena Patterson, for the reason that all the pleadings are in and have been read to the jury, and the jury accepted by both sides, the defendant answers ready for trial, and has filed no pleading claiming pos
On this whole record we decline to reverse the judgment in this case. It is manifest that Mrs. Patterson dropped out of it in the justice’s court, where it was recited that she was not the proper defendant, but that Mrs. Caswell was, and the trial was had as if Mrs. Caswell were the .actual defendant. The docket of the court of the justice of the peace does not show any objection was made there because Mrs. Patterson did not plead, -and the very right of the case was determined as between plaintiff and Mrs. Caswell, whether she be called defendant or claimant. We think it abundantly shown by the evidence that Mrs. Caswell was the real owner of the ring by a gift from her husband before they were married.
Pending proceedings in the circuit court on the appeal, P. M. Lee moved to be entered of record as plaintiff, “as administrator of said estate.” There seems -to have been no action, of the court on this motion. The real controversy in the circuit court was between W. A. Caswell, a brother of the deceased, and his widow, Mrs. Caswell; the brother claiming to own in virtue of a will made by Carl G. Caswell. No will is produced, and no title is shown in W. A. Caswell whatever. Mrs. Euna Caswell, being the wife of Carl G., if they left any children, she inherited and became the owner of the ring, subject only to his debts, if he had any, or some valid bequest to another, none of' which is shown in this record..
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Frank M. Lee, Admr. v. Euna Caswell
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Practice. Replevin. Parties. When in a justice’s court the defendant in replevin had been sued by mistake, and, without objection by plaintiff or the entry of a default against the defendant, an issue between the plaintiff and a claimant was made up and tried, the fact that there was no contest by defendant, who was not a party to plaintiff’s appeal from a judgment in favor of the claimant, affords no reason for disturbing a verdict in favor of the claimant in the circuit court — ■ the real controversy being between her and the plaintiff.