Jemez Land Co. v. Garcia
Jemez Land Co. v. Garcia
Opinion of the Court
OPINION OF THE COURT.
It appears from the briefs of the respective counsel in this case, that section 2950, Comp.-Laws 1897, is relied upon by both of the parties to this litigation, therefore, in order to obtain a clear understanding of the rulings and judgment of the court below, the paragraphs relied on will be set out in full.
“See. 2950. All civil .actions which may hereafter be commenced in the District Courts shall be brought and shall be commenced in counties as follows, and not otherwise:
❖ ❖ ❖
“Fourth. When lands or any interest in lands are the object of any suit in whole or in part, such suit shall be brought in the county where the land or any portion thereof is situate.
“Fifth. Suits for trespass on land shall be brought as provided in the first paragraph, or in the county where the land or any portion thereof is situate. * * * * * *”
The demurrers and motion to strike were interposed after the answers were filed, the demurrers challenging two of the answers, while the motion seeks to strike out only paragraph 5 of the remaining answer, but in the brief of appellant’s counsel it is insisted that the complaint alone must be considered upon the question of jurisdiction; that the complaint is for one hundred dollars damages and that such is the prayer of the complaint.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- JEMEZ LAND COMPANY v. ANTONIO JOSE GARCIA
- Cited By
- 14 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- •SYLLABUS. . 1. Tbe contention that C. L., sec. 2950, par. 5, confers jurisdiction upon tbe District Court of Bernalillo County to try tbe cause notwithstanding tbe fact that tbe complaint shows tbe land involved to be situated in tbe County of Sandoval would be correct if the claim for damages was the sole object of tbe suit, but the claim for damages is not the sole object. 2. Complaint examined and found to contain both a legal and equitable cause of action which is permissible under the Code. 3. It cannot be contended successfully that the allegations of ownership and right of possession cannot be denied by the answer to such a complaint. 4. The action to strike because the answer of tbe appellee not only denies- the ownership and right of possession of the appellant of the land involved, but also claims ownership and right of possession to be in the appellee, was properly overruled. 5. From examination of complaint it is apparent that the injunction prayed for in the complaint cannot be treated as a mere incident to the action for damages. 6. ' Growing trees are part of the realty and no part of the claim for damages for trees already cut. 7. As complaint shows that an interest in land is necessarily involved in the suit within meaning of C. L. 1897, sec. 2950, par. 4, and that the land is situated in Sandoval County, and not in Bernalillo county, there was a want of jurisdiction for which the demurrers were properly overruled by the court, below. 8. The cause is in form- an action of “trespass to try title” which action is authorized by the laws of the state of Texas but not in New Mexico. 9. The answers in this case being responsive to the-complaint and challenging its allegations, are not obnoxious to either the demurrers or motion to strike interposed by the appellant, and therefore errors assigned upon their denial' by the court below, cannot be sustained. 10. As there was want of jurisdiction, as concluded by the court below, there could be no error in sustaining the-motion to strike the reply. 11. As appellant declined to plead further in the court below the judgment of dismissal was properly rendered and error assigned as to this action is overruled.