Cobb v. J. W. Allen & Bro.
Cobb v. J. W. Allen & Bro.
Opinion of the Court
Godwin & Johnson, contractors, entered into a written contract with Mrs. J. C. Barton to erect a residence for her in accordance with certain plans and specifications, furnishing all material and labor for same. The contract price was $11,750, to be paid in partial payments as the progress of the work required, the owner to reserve until final completion and acceptance of the building 20 per cent, of the contract price. The contractors executed the following bond with sureties:
“The State of Texas, County of Red River.
“Know all men by these presents: That we, C. M. Godwin and Beacher Johnson of the city of Denton, Texas, and the city of McKinney, ‘Texas, respectively, do hereby and herein acknowledge ourselves as principals together with the other signers hereto as sureties held and firmly bound unto Mrs. J. 0. Barton of the city of Clarksville, Texas, in the sum of $2,000.00, two thousand dollars, for the payment of which well and truly to be made we bind ourselves severally and collectively, our heirs, executors and administrators, firmly by these presents.
‘The condition of the above, obligation are such that as the above bounden Godwin & Johnson have this day entered into contract with the said Mrs. J. C. Barton for the erection of certain residence building in accordance with plans and specifications mentioned in said contract, now if the said Godwin & Johnson shall faithfully carry out this contract to the full and complete satisfaction of the said Mrs. Barton, then this obligation shall become null and void, otherwise to remain in full force and effect.
“Witness our hands and seals this -day
of April, A. D. 1919.
“[Signed] Godwin & Johnson, Principals.
[Seal.]
“[Signed] H. B. Johnson,
“[Signed] Geo. T. Cobb, Sureties. [Seal.]’’
The appellee, a mercantile firm, furnished certain material to the contractors, which was used by them in erecting the residence. The contractors failed to pay for the material, and the appellee (the seller) brought this suit for the amount of the debt against them and the sureties on their bond. The court rendered judgment against all the defendants; and the sureties on the bond appeal, claiming that they are not liable because the bond is not a statutory, but a common-law, bond.
*830
“If the statute involved in this litigation is invalid, then the fact that the proceedings in the court are regular will not constitute it due process of law, by which the penalties denounced against the railroad company would be enforced.”
This ruling of the Supreme Court is in effect that if a statute is unconstitutional in any respect any attempt to enforce it would be an infringement of the “due process” provision.
The judgment as to the surety George T. Cobb is reversed, and judgment is here rendered in his favor, with all costs of appeal and all costs incurred by him in the trial court, and against appellees. The defendants C. M. Godwin, B. J. Johnson, and H. B. Johnson not appealing, the judgment against them will remain undisturbed.
<&wkey;>For other oases see same topic and KEY-NUMBER in all Key-Numbered Digests and Indexes
Reference
- Full Case Name
- COBB Et Al. v. J. W. ALLEN & BRO.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published