Tompkins v. Hyatt
Tompkins v. Hyatt
Opinion of the Court
The respondent moves to dismiss the appeal, on the ground that the judgment is not final. The action was brought to enforce certain alleged liens upon real estate owned by the defendants. The judgment of the special term, which was affirmed at the general term, directed the sale of the pre
Hone of the cases upon the question whether the judgment appealed from was final so as to be subject to review here, are precisely in point. In Harris v. Clark (4 How., 78), and Cruger v. Douglass (id., 215), further directions were reserved until the coming in and confirmation of the report upon the reference. It is plain that those judgments were not final, and it was so held. In Swartwout v. Curtis (4 Comst., 415), which was a suit to foreclose a mortgage, there was a judgment for a foreclosure and a reference to compute the amount due, and it was ordered that upon the coming in and confirmation of the report, the premises should be sold and the purchaser let into the possession, and the complainants were to have execution for the deficiency, and no question was reserved. This court considered that the judgment was not final under the present practice, but they denied the motion to dismiss the appeal, on its being shown that the reference had been executed and the report "confirmed by the special term before the notice of appeal was served. The reasoning of the opinion by the then Chief Judge (Bronson) seems to be decisive of the present motion. It was said to be the policy of the Code to
. It is suggested by the appellants’ counsel that if the appeal is not sustained, the judgment of the Supreme Court may be completely executed before an opportunity will be afforded to perfect another appeal, as the sheriff will be authorized to pay over the whole proceeds of the premises on the filing of the report, before any opportunity is afforded to contest it or to review the judgment. This, we think, is a matter for the Supreme Court to regulate. That court could, no doubt, by order, suspend the payment of the money until an opportunity to appeal should be afforded after the final confirmation of the report.
The motion to dismiss the appeal must be granted.
All the judges concurring,
Appeal dismissed.
Reference
- Status
- Published