Hesse v. Ledesma
Hesse v. Ledesma
Opinion of the Court
delivered the following opinion:
Here is a motion made by defendant G. Ledesma y Cia., not verified, but reciting certain facts, asking that, as more than ten days have elapsed since the entry of the decision of this court and no amended bill has been filed, the court close up said receivership without delay, discharging the said receiver and dismissing the cause. The motion is not in terms one to dismiss the bill. It is to discharge the receiver and incidentally dismiss the cause. The question comes up, What should be the action of the court upon this, the petition not being supported by any verification? What has been said in argument, of course, the court is glad to hear, but there are no facts before the court, no evidence or anything, except simply the record.
1. In the first place, as to the jurisdiction of this court as the matter stands at present, the court does not think that its jurisdicion is at an end. So far as the court knows, some parties lhay take the case higher, but whether that is so or not, a case is in court absolutely, for all purposes, until it is taken out of court, and that can only be done by a judgment or decree of some sort. In this case it would be a decree or an order of dismissal. Until that is entered, no matter what the views of the court are as to what it will do, the case is in court for all purposes. I think this must be held to be the situation at pres
2. The next thing to be considered is, supposing that the-motion is granted at present, What is the effect upon the property in the custody of the court? Whether it was a bill containing equity or not, the court took jurisdiction of it, and until it dismisses the bill has jurisdiction of the property-through its receiver. What is the effect of that upon the local proceeding to foreclose by a sale ? The law seems to be that the local marshal, theoretically at least, takes possession of the-property and sells it under the order of the local court, and under the order of the court turns over the possession to the-purchaser. Now in point of fact this court has interfered with-that. The marshal certainly has not possession of the property at present; this court has through its receiver. Shall the court
3. In tbe next place, it is claimed on tbe one side tbat tbis ■court must release entirely because there is a controversy as to canes, and dismissal will enable one party to take what steps be thinks proper under bis view of bis rights to tbe cane. It is said on tbe other side tbat tbe court should keep possession until tbe day before tbe sale, so as to prevent tbat very thing, tbe determination of tbe right to tbe possession of tbe cane by one party. As to tbat I think tbe proper rule would be tbis: Apart from tbe fact there are no facts before tbis court relative to tbat one way or tbe other, if those facts were properly in evidence, tbe court could probably not proceed on them. Tbe object of a receivership is not to aid or to injure any party. It is to keep tbe property intact until tbe determination of tbe case, and that is, as stated above, when there is a final decision; but there is tbis tbat occurs to me. In tbe Yannina Case [ante,
So it seems to the court that it must refuse this motion so far as it is a motion to dismiss the bill, but the motion is granted to the extent that the receiver is directed to file as soon as practicable an account current or a written statement of his proceedings as receiver, and report upon the condition of the property as he found it, and as it is now, with a view to winding up this receivership at the earliest date possible, and that just as soon as that is done and the expenses are provided for, the case will be dismissed. It may be dismissed sooner than that if a bond
Reference
- Full Case Name
- HESSE, NEWMAN, & COMPANY v. G. LEDESMA Y CIA.
- Status
- Published