Butterworth v. Brown's heirs
Butterworth v. Brown's heirs
Dissenting Opinion
dissentients. I do not see any error in the revival of the suit, the trial of the issue made by Brown in his lifetime, or in the giving judgment against the
The summary mode of taking judgment by motion, (which is this case, so far as the securities are proceeded against,) is in derogation of the principles of the common law, and of the constitution of Tennessee securing the right of trial by jury. In all such cases, the summary course of proceeding must be direct and within the provisions of the act which gives it, or it will not be followed.
Here is no judgment against the principal in the bond, no affirmance of the judgment of the county court, and therefore the act of assembly is not broad enough to authorize the judgment against the securities; for the judgment rendered is a new judgment against the estate of the deceased.
From the very words of the act of 1794, ch. 1, sec. 63, the right and power to render the judgment against the securities is made to depend apon the judgment against the principal. The newly substituted defendants,
But it is assumed that there shall not be an abatement. The act provides: “that the cause may be proceeded in by the heirs, executors, administrators,' or assigns of either” (plaintiff or defendant); and that inasmuch as the suit may be revived, the same judgment may follow as would have been rendered had the appellant lived. This consequence does not follow hy the words of the act; nor do I think the argument can be borne out even by in-tendment. We have uniformly denied giving these summary judgments, by construction of law; they have been withheld where the very letter leaves the authority to proceed doubtful. 4 Yerg. 569, 157: 3 Yerg. 62, 414, 355, 41: 2 Yerg. 484, 400, 413: 5 Yerg. 203.
I may here venture to say, that no class of cases in our books of reports can be found more numerous or uniform than this class, which resists the right to give the judgment unless the case is brought directly within the provision of the act authorizing it.
Two 'considerations are very forcible with me, to show that the judgment cannot be given. 1. In all cases where judgment is given against the securities, they are instantly entitled to a judgment over against the principal; here this judgment cannot be given. 2. What form of execution must follow this judgment.
An execution, special and limited, against the estate in the hands of the heirs of Brown, and genera) against, (not the securities of the heirs,) but the securities of the deceased, against whom all proceeding abated by his death.
“Actus dei nemini faciet injuriam,,” is a maxim which applies; when the suit abated as to the principal, by consequence it abated as to the securities. We cannot say
Judgment affirmed.
Opinion of the Court
Judgment was had in the Giles circuit court, on an appeal from the county court by John Butterworth against Lewis H. Brown, the principal debt- or, and also against James Patterson and Edward M. Brown, his securities for the appeal, from the county to the circuit court. From this judgment a writ of error was prosecuted to the supreme court, and the judgment of the circuit court was reversed and another trial ordered. The cause was accordingly remanded to the cir
The first objection is made in favor of the heirs, that the judgment ought to have b.een, for some special lands designated by the scire facias. No plea was pleaded by them, and even had there been, the proper judgment was entered; it is, that the debt and the costs be levied of the lands descended generally. This was the conclusion of the court, and the bar, ten years since, in causes against Christopher Stump’s heirs, upon much consideration, and is the settled practice of the courts. There, judgment for costs was given against the heirs personally, which was reversed, because the creditor was pursuing a fund to which he was entitled, and to nothing more.'— Judgment in this case is the same as if Lewis H. Brown’s estate had been administered upon; the administrator had pleaded fully administered; the plea had been found for him, and then a scire facias had been run against the heirs to subject the lands descended. In such cases
2. It is objected on the part of the securities, that they were bound “that Lewis H. Brown should prosecute his appeal with effect, or in case of failure thereof, he should abide by, perform and fulfil the judgment, sentence or decree of the circuit court,’' but that they did not undertake for the performance of any judgment that might be had against the heirs of Brown.
The form of the bond is prescribed by the 63d section of the court law of 1794, which this bond substantially pursues: first, that the appeal shall be prosecuted with effect; and second, that the securities, on failure, shall perform the judgment of the court above. The bond, by the 64th section, is to make part of the record, and binds the securities for the judgment that may be rendered in the circuit court, not only against the defendant personally, but against those who represent him. By the same section, it is provided, that “no appeal in any cause or court shall be abated by the death of either plaintiff or defendant, but may be proceeded on by application of the heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns. The case that has here occurred, was contemplated by the legislature, and is provided for by preventing an abatement, and causing to be substituted a representative of the appellant, for the performance of a judgment against whom, these curities are just as much bound as if it had been against the intestate.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.