Rogers' heirs v. Nall
Rogers' heirs v. Nall
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is an appeal from the Chancery Court at Rogersville. Since the last term of this court, the parties entered into an agreement, dated 30th May, 1845, to submit to the final arbitrament, award, and decision of William Brazleton, John Lynn, Harman G. Lee, William Houston, George Branner, and Nelson A. Senter, all matters in controversy in this suit; the arbitrators to meet the first day of July at the Court House in Rogersville, or as soon thereafter as the arbitrators should agree upon, the award of the arbitrators to be final, and to be made the decree of the supreme court.
The arbitrators met, and entered upon the investigation of the matters in controversy, and on the 11th of July, 1845, signed and made known to the parties their award. On the next day, the 12th of July, the defendant, Nall, communicated to the arbitrators his act of revocation, dated the 11th July, and by which, he purports to annul all the authority which had been, vested in them by the articles of submission. The arbitrators have returned their award into this court, and the complainants ask that it may be made the decree of the court. This, the defendant resists, upon three grounds, viz: First, the submission of the matters in dispute, to arbitrators, without a rule of the court is a discontinuance of the cause in court. Second, the power of the arbitrators to act, was revoked by the defendant. Third, the court has no power to make the award its decree; but if it be binding on the parties, it can only be enforced by suit.
In Yeates vs. Russell, (17th, Johns. Rep. 461,) the submission provided for the entry of judgment upon the report of the referees, and a rule for judgment upon the report was entered. In this case the court held that it was a reference at common law, the case not being referable under the New York statute: — “but that the plaintiff in error could not be “ permitted to allege for error, a rule for reference and judg- “ ment on the report, where the reference and judgment were “ in pursuance of his own consent, in writing. ” So in the case of Caniss vs. Root, (18, Johns. R. 22,) the court refer particularly to the stipulation authorizing the entry of judgment and consider it equivalent to a plea of confession for that
In the case now before us, there is an express stipulation for the continuance of the cause in court, and that the award shall be made the decree of the court. It does not, therefore, fall within the authority of the case of Jewell vs. Blankenship,—but upon the authority of the New York cases, above cited, the jurisdiction of the court still exists over the cause.
2. It is insisted this award cannot be made the judgment of the court, because the power of the arbitrators was revoked by the defendant.
It is very clear that every naked authority is revocable, and within this rule fall all submissions to arbitration.— Either party may, therefore, countermand the authority of an arbitrator at any time before an award is made. (Watson on Arb. and Awd. 16.) But in this case, the award was made, and published to the parties before any attempt was made to revoke the authority of the arbitrators. It is manifestly absurd to assume that an authority already exercised, can be countermanded. The attempt to revoke the submission in . this case, therefore, comes too late.
3. It is objected, that the court has no power to make this award its decree; — but that the plaintiff’s remedy to enforce .it, is by action only.
We think upon general principles, this court has power to carry into effect the agreement of the parties. Such has been its constant practice.
We have entered decrees according to the agreement of parties, made out of court — and a decree upon this award, is only carrying into effect the agreement of the parties in the case. In the case of Farrington vs. Hamblin, (12 Wend. R. 212,) the plaintiff brought suit on a contract for clearing land. After the cause was at issue, the parties entered into arbitration bond, reciting the pendency of the suit, and that they had agreed to refer, and submit the matter in controversy to the award of three individuals, naming them, chosen by
This case has been fully stated, because it is directly in point; — and establishes upon general principles, the power of a court to enter up judgment upon an award, made in a case pending in such court, although the submission be by arbitration bond, and not by a rule of court, — provided the submission contain a stipulation that the award shall be made the judgment of the court.
Let the decree be entered in conformity with the award in this case.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.