Eleventh School District v. Rood

Supreme Court of Vermont
Eleventh School District v. Rood, 27 Vt. 214 (Vt. 1855)
Bennett

Eleventh School District v. Rood

Opinion of the Court

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Bennett, J.

An audita querela can never be sustained for what is only matter of error, whether it be error in law or in fact.

The justice had power to decide on the right of the prudential committee or of others to appear in his court. Such a power must be incidental to all courts; and without it every loafer in the streets might appear in a justice’s court. It is not important in this case to inquire whether the justice decided right or wrong. If a party has legal notice of a suit, and the plaintiff takes a judgment against him before a court of competent jurisdiction, error in law or fact, in the court, whether in a decision upon the merits of the case or upon some interlocutory question, is no ground to set aside the judgment upon audita querela, and to put the party out of court. *216This case must be governed by the case of Sutton v. Tyrrell, 10 Vt. 87, and not by the case of Tyler v. Lathrop, 5 Vt. 170. This latter case has been frequently questioned, and has not been extended to other cases by analogy. ¥e are not called upon to decide whether the plaintiff in the audita querela could have relief by petition under the fraud, accident or mistake law, as it is called.

The judgment of the county court is affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
Eleventh School District in Alburgh v. Horace Rood and Abram Stanbarge
Status
Published
Syllabus
If a party lias legal notice of a suit in which, a judgment is recovered against him before a court of competent jurisdiction; error, in law or fact, in the court, whether upon a decision on the merits of the case, or upon some interlocutory question, is no ‘ground for setting aside the judgment on audita querela. An erroneous decision of a justice of the peace, respecting the right of the prudential committee of a school district to appear and defend a suit against said school district, before said justice, is no ground for relief by audita querela. A justice of the peace has power to decide on the right of the prudential committee or of others to appear in his court. Such a power is incidental to all courts.