McGinn v. Benner
McGinn v. Benner
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Most of the assignments of error relate to questions of fact upon which the referee has made distinct and specific findings. These findings have been reviewed upon exceptions in the court below and have been concurred in by the learned judge of that court. It is incumbent on one who alleges error in these findings notwithstanding their approval to point out the error plainly. If this is not done by an appellant this court will adopt the conclusions reached by the referee, and approved by the judge
Under this agreement and immediately after it was made the defendant filed with the referee a brief- prayer for relief in regard to the Christian street house, asking that the plaintiff be required to surrender possession of the house and lot and account for accrued rents during his occupancy. No answer or demurrer to this prayer was filed, but the hearing proceeded without objection on the part of the plaintiff, and the evidence relating to this subject was fully heard. We cannot see why in this state of the record and of the evidence the referee should not have passed upon all the questions which the parties had submitted to his decision, and ascertained the actual balance due from the defendant to the plaintiff. The plaintiff had asserted that the title to this property was held by the defendant in trust for him as the beneficial owner. The defendant asserted on the other hand that he held the title as his own. It became necessary therefore to investigate and decide this question. The prayer for relief filed by the defendant asked that if his contention was sustained the plaintiff should be required to surrender the house to him and account for its use. This in the absence of any objection or reply became, under the agreement of the parties, a subjéct for the examination and decision of the referee. The jurisdiction, if otherwise doubtful, was conferred by the parties by their agreement and subsequent conduct. Under such circumstances the rule of equity that when the court has acquired jurisdiction over a cause for one purpose it may retain it for purposes of equitable relief not covered by the original prayers for relief in the bill is applicable : Allison’s Appeal, 77 Pa. 221. Another well settled rule is that a court of equity seeks to prevent all unnecessary litigation and will, wherever this is 'practicable, dispose of the
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Arthur McGinn v. A. Penrose Benner
- Cited By
- 10 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Referee's findings of fact — Review. A referee’s distinct and specific findings of fact when reviewed upon exceptions in the court below, and confirmed by that court, will not be reversed, except for clear error. Partnership — Account stated — .Equity. On a bill in equity by one partner against another for an account of moneys collected, it appeared that about one year before the bill was filed the defendant had furnished the plaintiff a summary of the amounts collected and paid out for several years, which contained, for one of the years, merely one item for cash collected and one item for cash paid out, with items to be collected and items for bills yet to be paid. No objection was made to the account before the bill was filed. Held, (1) that the summary was not an account stated; (2) that the plaintiff was not estopped from controverting it. Equity — Jurisdiction—Partnership—Controversy over real estate. When a court of equity has acquired jurisdiction over a cause for one purpose, it may retain it for purposes of equitable relief not covered by the original prayers for relief in the bill. It seeks to prevent all unnecessary litigation, and will, wherever this is practicable, dispose of the entire transaction brought under its notice. ' On a bill in equity by one partner against another for an account, the plaintiff prayed that in addition to an accounting the defendant should couvey to him a house and lot alleged to have been bought with partnership funds. Subsequently the parties agreed to submit the case to a referee, and that he should consider and dispose of any prayer for relief that should be made by the defendant, with the same effect as if a cross bill had been filed by him, stipulating only that such prayer for relief be reduced to writing and filed with the referee. Under this agreement the defendant immediately filed with the referee a brief prayer for relief in regard to the house and lot, asking that the plaintiff be required to surrender possession and account for accrued rents during his occupancy. No answer or demurrer to this prayer was filed, the hearing proceeded without objection on the part of the plaintiff, and the evidence relating to the house and lot was fully heard. Held, that the referee had jurisdiction to dispose of the questions relating to the house and lot.