Scott v. House
Scott v. House
Opinion of the Court
This is an action to restrain the defendants from enforcing by execution a judgment against the real estate of plaintiff. The case was heard upon an agreed stipulation of facts, and at the conclusion of the trial the court entered his findings of fact and conclusions of law and enjoined the enforcement of the judgment as prayed. Defendants appeal.
The material facts which appear by the stipulation are, as follows: The plaintiff is a married woman living with her husband. A bill of particulars was filed by John B. House (defendant herein), as plaintiff, against Ida O. Scott (plaintiff herein) in justice court for the recovery of $61.50, and interest, for goods, wares and merchandise, sold and delivered to her at her request. She appeared, obtained a continuance, but made no appearance at the trial, at the closé of which a judgment was rendered for the amount found due. A transcript of this judgment was filed in the district court, and an execution was issued and levied upon 80 acres of land belonging to her.
While fully conceding the general principles of law with respect to former adjudication and judgments against married women urged by defendants, the writer is of the opinion that the argument made as to the conclusiveness of the judgment cuts both ways, and that a judgment cannot be shown, solely for the purposes of an execution, to be a judgment for necessaries by facts dehors the record. The record does not show that the judgment was rendered for necessaries furnished the family. If we concede that the defenses of coverture and of the failure to issue an execution against the husband
It is stipulated “that the basis of the claim for which the judgment complained of was rendered was for necessaries furnished by the defendant John R. House to the plaintiff and her husband,” and that the “judgment obtained * * * against the said Ida C. Scott was obtained without having first obtained a judgment against her husband, Frank Scott, for necessaries.”
Section 1, ch. 53, Comp. St. 1911, provides that all the property of a married woman of every kind and nature “shall remain her sole .and separate property, notwithstanding her marriage, and shall not be subject to the disposal of her husband, or liable for his debts; provided, that all property of a married woman not exempt by law from sale on execution or attachment shall be liable for the payment of all debts contracted for necessaries furnished the family of said married woman after execution against the husband for such indebtedness has been returned unsatisfied for want of goods and chattels, lands, and tenements whereon to levy and make the same.” This statute has been considered by this court a number of times and uniformly upheld. George v. Edney, 36 Neb. 604; Small v. Sandall, 48 Neb. 318. It was held in Noreen v. Hansen, 64 Neb. 858, that in such a case as this “the cause of action does not arise against her until an execution based upon a judgment against her husband has been returned unsatisfied.” In Fulton v. Ryan, 60 Neb. 9, 13, where it was sought to avoid the effect of a plea of coverture in the answer by the allegation in the reply that the note was given for necessaries, the court held
Having reached this conclusion, we find it unnecessary to determine the claim made that her real estate is exempt under the laws of the United States relating to the property of members of the Omaha Tribe of Indians.
The judgment of the district court is
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ida C. Scott v. John R. House
- Status
- Published