Rabinowitz v. Crabtree
Rabinowitz v. Crabtree
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiffs recovered judgment in the lower court upon a jury trial. The defendant instructed his attorneys to move for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or for a new trial, and in case this motion was denied to appeal to this court. Owing to a misunderstanding with the official court stenographer a transcript of the evidence was not ordered, and plaintiffs, assuming that no appeal would be taken, issued execution. This was defendant’s first intimation that no appeal had been taken, and he thereupon made application to the court for an order granting him additional time in which to procure a transcript of the testimony, to prepare a statement of the case, and to move for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, etc. This motion came on for hearing\upon affidavits, and was denied by the court. From this order of denial defendant appealed to this court, and the present controversy is brought about through a motion of the plaintiffs to dismiss the said appeal upon the ground that the order is not appealable. This opinion will not deal with the merits of the case itself or of the application for an extension of time, but will be confined to the proposition; viz., is the order of the trial court one that can be reviewed upon appeal to this court ?
(1) The application to the trial court was made either under § 7068 or § 6884, Rev. Codes 1905. Section 6884 reads: “The court may likewise, in its discretion and upon such terms as may be just, allow an answer or reply to be.made, or other act to be done, after the time limited by this Code, or by an order enlarge such time; and may also, in its discretion and upon such terms as may be just at any time within one year after notice thereof, relieve a party from a judgment, order, or other proceeding taken against him through his mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect, and may supply an omission in any proceeding; and whenever any proceeding taken by a party fails to -conform in any respect to the provisions of this Code, the -court may, in like manner and upon like terms, permit an amendment of such proceedings, so as to make it conformable thereto.” This section was formerly § 143, Code of Civil Procedure 1877. Sections 7058 and 7065 relate to preparations and settlements of statements of the case, and
Under either section, however, it is clear that the trial court may extend the time for settling a statement of the case in furtherance of justice and upon good cause shown. Whether or not such cause was shown in this case was a matter in dispute before the trial court, and his decision was challenged by the defendant. As already stated, this opinion will not deal with the correctness of such order, but merely with the question of the rights of the defendant to appeal at all.
Section 7225, Bev. Codes 1905, specifies what orders may be appealed to the supreme court, and subdivision 2 provides that an appeal may be had from a final order affecting a substantial right made in special proceedings, or upon a summary application in an action after judgment. The above section covers the legal proposition here involved. The order of the trial court ended the remedies of the defendant. If he cannot avoid such order he can take no further steps in the litigation, but must submit to the judgment entered against him. It is conceded that the trial court can extend the time only upon good cause shown, but whether or not good cause has been shown is a dispute of fact in the decision of which the trial court must use his discretion, and has a right to err. Lindblom v. Sonstelie, 10 N. D. 140, 86 N. W. 357. It being conceded, then, that the trial court has jurisdiction of the subject-matter, it cannot be reached by mandamus or certiorari. In Sly v. Kilbourn City, 144 Wis. 203, 128 N. W. 872, it is said: “There is no question but that this was the final order made upon a summary application in an action after judgment. But it is contended that the order does not affect a substantial right, and .therefore is not appealable. It has long been a rule of practice in this court that upon appeal from discretionary
In the case at bar, mandamus evidently will not lie, because the court has exercised his discretion. Had he refused to act, a different case would be presented. Had he allowed the extension of time, the order would be reviewable in connection with the main appeal, and there would be no necessity for a separate appeal from the order; but the application was denied, thus making the order final. It therefore affects the substantial right of the defendant, and is appealable. Motion to dismiss the appeal is denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SAMUEL J. RABINOWITZ v. W. S. CRABTREE
- Status
- Published