Southern Pac. Co. v. Kelley
Southern Pac. Co. v. Kelley
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts as above). [1] The judgment, whereof reversal is sought on behalf of the defendant below, dismisses the suit, and thus may be reviewable for error well assigned. So the plaintiff’s motion to dismiss the writ of error, for want of jurisdiction, is overruled, and we proceed to consideration of the proposition of error relied upon for reversal — in substance, that the grant of a nonsuit, under the facts of record, was an unauthorized exercise of judicial power.
The bill of exceptions does not preserve the testimony, nor circumstances in reference to the prior finding and judgment of the court (April 15th) in favor of the defendant, beyond these statements (in substance): That the plaintiff, introduced evidence and rested his case; that the defendant (under, leave of court) then “filed a notice of set-off, and moved for a finding in its favor (1) on the issues presented by the plaintiff and (2) on the issue of set-off”; that the court sustained^ such motion as to the plaintiff’s declaration, but overruled the branch as to set-off, and thereupon “made and announced a general finding upon the facts in favor of the defendant, and rendered and announced judgment accordingly in favor of the defendant”; that plaintiff then entered motion for a voluntary nonsuit; and that such motion was taken under advisement by the court, stay was granted, and the cause continued for disposition of the motion. Subsequently the plaintiff entered an alternative motion to have the judgment set aside and a new trial granted, but the request for a new trial was withdrawn at the hearing. On June 29th the hearing occurred, resulting in the rulings and judgment complained of, reciting (in substance) vacation of the “judgment” of April 15th and granting a judgment of nonsuit and dismissal of the cause “at the plaintiff’s costs.” Exceptions were entered on behalf of the defendant; and this writ is prosecuted therefrom, with no other matters preserved of record affecting the inquiry.
1. The first proposition appears to be twofold, resting on the theory that vacation of the prior ruling of the court is inhibited by the stah utory rule of Illinois, which is likewise relied upon for denial of power to' grant the nonsuit. The local statutes cited are two recent enactments (1907) governing the practice of the state courts in Illinois— one for the municipal court of Chicago (Hurd’s R. S. 1909, § 293, c. 37) providing that “every person desirous of suffering a nonsuit on trial shall be barred therefrom unless he do .so before the jury retire from the bar, or before the court, in case the trial is by the court without a jury, states its finding,” and the other, amending the practice act (Hurd’s R. S. 1909, § 70, c. 110) as follows:
■‘Every person desirous of suffering a nonsuit shall be barred therefrom, unless he do so before the jury retire from the bar, or if the case is tried before the court without a jury, before the case is submitted for final decision.”
The judgment of the Circuit Court, accordingly, is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SOUTHERN PAC. CO. v. KELLEY
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- 3 cases
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- Syllabus
- 1. Appeal and Error (§ 105*) — Judgments Reviewable — Nonsuit. A .judgment on nonsuit, dismissing the cause, Is reviewable on error. (Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Appeal and Error, Cent. Dig. §§ 717- ■ 723; Dec. Dig. § 105.* Orders, decrees, and judgments reviewable in Circuit Court of Appeals, see notes to Salmon v. Mills, 13 C. C. A. 374; Taylor v. Breese, 90 C. C. A. 500.] 2. Courts (§ 354*) — Practice in Federal Court — Vacating Judgment. The right of a federal court to set aside, vacate, or modify its earlier rulings or judgment in a cause at any time during the term is inherent, and unaffected by the provisions of a statute regulating practice in the-state courts. (Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Courts, Cent. Dig. § 934; Dec. Dig. g-354.*.] 3. Courts (§ 331*) — Federal Courts — Practice—'Voluntary Nonsuit — Construction op Statute. Hurd's Rev. St. 111. 1909. c. 110, § 70, amending the practice act by pro - viding that “every person desirous of suffering a nonsuit shall be barred, therefrom, unless he do so. * * * if the case is tried before the court without a jury, before the case is submitted for iinal decision,” if applicable in any case in a federal court, does not affect the right of the court to grant a nonsuit after a finding has been made, where it has been set aside. I Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Courts, Cent. Dig. § 900; Dec. Dig. g 331.*] 4. Appeal and Error (§ 927*) — Review—Nonsuit. An order granting a nonsuit was presumptively made for good cause shown, and cannot be reviewed by an appellate court, where the record-does not show the facts on which the court acted. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Appeal and Error, Cent. Dig. § 3748; Dec. Dig. § 927.*]