Corry v. Campbell
Corry v. Campbell
Opinion of the Court
Assuming that the power of the court to-entertain the motion, in the present case, is conferred by the code of civil procedure, steps calling for its exercise were not taken sufficiently early, in point of time, to be of
The plaintiff, however, asks, in case the court is of the ■opinion that the motion should have been filed within three years from the date of the judgment affirming the judgment of the district court, in order to obtain the relief provided for by the code, that the same be treated as an application for a rehearing of the case in error, or for leave to file a bill of review; and claims that such remedy is authorized by section 6 of the act of March 14, 1853 (l S. .& C. 383). That section, inter alia, provides that “all process and remedies authorized by the laws of this state when the present constitution took effect, not hereinbefore provided for, may be had and resorted to in the courts of the proper jurisdiction under the present constitution, . . . so far as such process and remedies . . . are not inconsistent with the the act entitled an ‘ act to establish a •code of civil procedure,’ nor with laws passed since the present constitution took effect, and which laws are still in force.” In Longworth v. Sturges, 2 Ohio St. 104, it was held ■that the 56th section of the chancery practice act of 1831 .(Swan’s stat. 714), authorizing a- rehearing in certain cases, had no application to this court, or its predecessor, the ■court in bank.
The question, whether, independently of the provisions •of said act, the court, being governed by the known usages of courts of equity, as understood and applied by the chancery courts of England.and of the several states, ought to entertain the petition for rehearing, was also considered, and decided in the negative. Upon this point, the court; remarked: “ We have carefully considered it, aided by the practice of other courts, and have arrived at the conclusion that petitions of this character ought not to be
The first of these cases is decisive of the question, that the petition for rehearing, which was authorized by section fifty-six of the act directing the mode of proceeding in chancery, is not applicable to this court; and the second determines, that such remedy, in whatever court it is sought to be enforced, is inconsistent with the provisions of the code, and therefore not saved to suitors by section six of the act above quoted.
It remains to inquire whether, and if so, to what extent, the remedy by bill of review still exists. The act directing the mode of proceeding in chancery, referred to above, having been repealed by the code, the remedy by bill of review therein provided, no longer exists, unless saved by the provision above given of the act of March 14,. 1853. That act saves to suitors the remedy by bill of review, authorized by the chancery practice act of 1831, provided such remedy “is not inconsistent with the provisions of the code of civil procedure.” That such remedy, resorted to in cases commenced after the code went into operation, ■wherein it is sought to vacate or modify a judgment, for a mistake or irregularity in obtaining or rendering it, is in-. consistent with the provisions of the code of civil procedure, seems to us very clear. Section 602, first providing that the provisions of the code shall not apply to proceedings in actions or suits pending when it takes effect, but that they shall be conducted to final judgment or decree, in all respects as if it had not been adopted, declares,that “ the provisions of this code shall apply after a judgment, order, or decree heretofore or hereafter rendered, to the proceedings to enforce, vacate, modify, or reverse it, except as provided in section five hundred and thirty-three.” Section 533 is as follows : “ The final orders or decrees of courts of chancery, heretofore, or which may hereafter he,
These sections, by a just construction of their provisions,, confine the right to the remedy by bill of review to cases-pending when the code took effect, and to orders and decrees before then rendered by courts of chancery. The-cases of Longworth v. Sturges, 4 Ohio St. 690; Grant v. Ludlow’s Adm’r, 8 Ohio St. 1, and Trimble v. Longworth, 13 Ohio St. 431, were of this character. In Myres v. Myres, Supra, it was held: “In all proceedings after the taking-effect of the code, to vacate, modify, or reverse final orders,, judgments, or decrees in civil cases, the code of civil procedure applies, in special statutory proceedings' and in-cases in chancery, as well as at law — saving only the old. remedy by bill of review.” By reference to the case it will be seen that the remedy by bill of review, the right to-which was there held to be saved, is that authorized by section 533, above recited.
It was the object of the code to furnish a uniform mode of procedure for civil actions, and to provide a remedy for the correction of all errors committed in the trial of civil causes. This is manifest from the terms of section 603. That section provides that “ rights of civil action, given or secured by existing laws, shall be prosecuted in the manner provided by this code, except as provided in section 604. If a case ever arise, in which an action for the enforcement and protection of a right or the redress or prevention of a. wrong cau not be had under this code, the practice heretofore in use may be adopted, so far as may be necessary to■ prevent a failure of justice.” The proceedings provided for by section 604, are, while pending, exempted from the operation of the code, but, after final judgment, all proceedings to review or modify them must be such as are authorized by the code. Hobbs v. Beckwith, 6 Ohio St. 252;
Motion overruled.
Okey, J., having been of counsel, did not participate.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.