Welch v. Wilmington &c. R. R.
Welch v. Wilmington &c. R. R.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
This cause came on for trial before Judge Hudson and a jury at the extra April Term, 1893, of the Court of Common Pleas for Sumter County. As soon as the complaint was read, an oral demurrer for want of jurisdiction was interposed by defendants. After argument, the Circuit Judge sustained the demurrer. The defendant sought leave by amendments to cure the jurisdictional defects,'and, also, by proofs to show jurisdiction. Leave to amend was denied, as well as the right to introduce proofs of jurisdictional facts by the judge. Thereupon the plaintiff procured the passage of the following order by the judge: “The counsel for the defendant, the Northeastern Bailroad Company, having demurred to the jurisdiction of the court upon the allegations of the complaint, and the same having been sustained as being brought in the wrong county; and the counsel for the plaintiff having moved to amend the complaint by alleging that the two defendants were at the time of the commencement of this action jointly operating as the lessees thereof the Central Bailroad of South Carolina, running into the County of Sumter, with their agents and officers residing here; and, also, that at the time of the commencement of this action, the defendant, the Wilmington and Weldon Bailroad Company, was operating, as lessee thereof, the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Bailroad, running through the County of Sumter, which motion was refused; and the further motion of plaintiff’s attorneys that they be allowed to produce evidence before the court now, showing the above facts, which was also refused, and exceptions duly taken to all such rulings: Now, on motion of the plaintiff’s attorneys, the defendant’s attorneys consenting, it is ordered, that the place
The plaintiff now appeals from the decision of the Circuit Judge: 1. In denying the court at Sumter jurisdiction to hear and determine the controversy between the parties to this action. 2. For refusing the motion of plaintiff, to introduce testimony to prove that the defendants were operating railroads in the County of Sumter, as lessees thereof, when the action was commenced. 3. For refusing to allow plaintiff to amend his complaint by alleging, that at the time of the commencement of this action, both of said defendants were operating as joint lessees thereof the Central Railroad of South Carolina, a railroad running into the County of Sumter, with officers and agents residing there. 4. For refusing to allow an amendment of the complaint, by alleging that'the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad Company was operating as sole lessee the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroad, a railroad running through Sumter County, with its officers and agents residing there.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WELCH v. WILMINGTON &c. R. R. COMPANY
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Demurrer — Amendment—Appeal—Speculative Question. — Where the Circuit Judge rules, under oral demurrer, that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to show jurisdiction in the court of the county where the action was instituted, and refused leave to amend, the plaintiff may at once appeal, and thereby stay further proceedings on Circuit, or he may await final judgment, and then bring up these rulings for review; but plaintiff having, instead, excepted, and thereupon moved for and obtained an order changing the place of trial to another county,'an appeal at once prosecuted from the order sustaining the demurrer, and refusing leave to amend, raises purely speculative questions, which this court cannot determine, even though the order of removal was granted “without prejudice to the exceptions and right of appeal of the plaintiff herein.” 2. Appeal dismissed without prejudice to further use by appellant of the exceptions upon which the appeal was based.