Bassett v. Loewenstein and Hahn
Bassett v. Loewenstein and Hahn
Opinion of the Court
The defendants, Loewenstein and Hahn, are sued as copartners. In the District Oourt Loewenstein offered no defence, but testified that Hahn was his copartner. After a decision for the plaintiff, Hahn claimed a jury trial in the Common Pleas Division of this court, without joining his co-defendant. Under our statutes this operates as an appeal. The case was dismissed for want of joinder in the claim for jury trial, and this petition is filed, under Gen. *25 Laws, cap. 251, § 2, for a new trial in the Common Pleas Division, on a claim for a jury trial in the names of both defendants, alleging a mistake in making the former claim.
In addition to the cases cited in the opinion, the petitionein this case relies on Bassett v. Wickes, Ex. 2795, now pending on exceptions to the refusal of a judge in chambers to dismiss the claim for jury trial by one of two defendants, as in this case.
Inasmuch as the judge who so ruled afterwards sat in the case of Bassett v. Loewenstein, supra, which held the contrary rule, it is evident that when he came to consider the question deliberately, he saw that his first impression was not according to our practice. The practice in this respect is not peculiar to this State. In 2 Ency. of Pl. & Pr. 182, the general rule is thus stated: “All the parties against whom a joint judgment is rendered must be joined as co-appellants on an appeal taken by one or more of them, although statutes sometimes provide that an appeal may be taken by'any one or more of the parties to a judgment or *26 decree, and that such judgment or decree shall remain in full force as to those not appealing.” It also states that the rule is elementary, adopted to make the I’ecord on appeal agree with the record below, and that it is a matter of right for one to appeal in the name of all and against their consent.
Such being the long settled rule, it follows that the mistake set out by the petitioner is a mistake of law.
In Howard v. Capron, 3 R. I. 182, it was decided that a mistake of law was not of the character which entitles a party to a new trial under the statute. Obviously 'this must b,e so, since otherwise almost any wrong advice or mistake by counsel would entitle his party to a new trial.
The petition for a new trial is denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Nanna S. Bassett v. Joseph Loewenstein and Isaac Hahn.
- Status
- Published