Kane v. Kane
Kane v. Kane
Opinion of the Court
This is an action for divorce, involving also the adjustment of property interests. On or about the 1st day of October, 1901, Patrick Kane and Elizabeth Kane became husband and wife. Thereafter, on March 31, 1902, the wife filed a complaint in the superior court of Douglas county, asking for a divorce from the husband. That action not having been brought on for trial, the husband thereafter, on the 15th day of November, 1902, filed a complaint in the same court asking for divorce from
In the action brought by the husband, issues, as tendered by the complaint and cross-complaint, were joined by the several parties aforesaid. It was stipulated between the husband and wife that the separate actions for divorce should be consolidated and tried as one action, but the issues were really made up under the title of, and within, the case brought by the husband. The husband charged the wife with cruel treatment, and with other unbecoming conduct. The wife made like charges against the husband, and also charged that he broke into her trunk and took from her, without her consent, and appropriated to his own use, the sum of $1,800 in money, the same being her sole and separate property.
By stipulation, and for the convenience of the parties, the cause was transferred to Lincoln county for trial, where it was afterwards tried. The trial was by the court without a jury. Bindings of facts and conclusions of law were made, and a decree was entered thereon, by the terms of which the wife was granted a divorce upon her cross-complaint, and was awarded $1,200 as permanent alimony, together with $250 as counsel fees. It is also provided that she shall recover from her husband the further sum of $1,800, which the court fixes as her just and equitable
It is assigned that the court erred in overruling the motion for a new trial, and in entering judgment, for the reason that it had jurisdiction neither of the subject matter nor of the persons of the litigants. In suppbrt of the contention on the question of jurisdiction it is argued that, at the time the stipulation was made to try the cause in Lincoln county, said county was in the same judicial district with Douglas county, and that Judge Heal, who was
“This cause came on for trial on the 13th day of July, 1903, at 10 o’clock A. M., before C. H. Heal, Judge, it having been stipulated by the attorneys representing the plaintiff and defendant, as well as defendants to cross-complaint, that the same might be tried at Davenport, Lincoln county, Washington, before the above named judge.”
The above statement, certified in the record, sufficiently shows the consent of appellant James L. Kane to try the case in Lincoln county.
It is urged that the court erred in refusing to sustain the challenge interposed by appellants to the evidence, when respondent, Elizabeth Kane, rested her case in chief, and in refusing to dismiss the case. It is not necessary that we should discuss the evidence, or pass upon its sufficiency, as it stood when the challenge and motions to dismiss were made) for the reason that appellants proceeded at once to the introduction of evidence on their own behalf, and did not stand upon their challenge and motion to dismiss. This court held, in Scoland v. Scoland, 4 Wash. 118, 29 Pac. 930, that, in an action for divorce, although the court may have erred in denying a motion to dismiss at the close of the plaintiff’s testimony, yet the error was cured by the defendants thereafter proceeding with the case.
It is further insisted that error was committed in permitting respondent to reopen her case, after the challenge to the sufficiency of her evidence was made. We think the court did not abuse its discretion in reopening the ease. Appellants were not prejudiced thereby. The additional evidence consisted of a formal introduction as evidence of the answers of Patrick J. Kane, Jr., and James L. Kane, to the cross-complaint, which were already in the ease in the form of pleadings.
It is contended by appellants that certain of the material findings of facts, as made by the court, are not supported by the evidence. But it is urged by respondent that, under the record, this court would not, in any event, be justified in disturbing these findings, for the reason that it is apparent from the record that all the evidence is not here. The certificate of the court first recites that it contains all the evidence, whereas it is apparent that said recital is erroneous, as the depositions of four persons are shown to. have been read in evidence, and much time was consumed by objections to questions therein. The record discloses only the names of the several persons whose depositions were read, the numbers of the several interrogatories challenged by objections, the objections thereto, and the rulings thereon. The deposition evidence itself does not, however, appear in the record. The action is triable de novo here, and this court must have all the evidence before it which was before the court below, in
The conclusions of law are not inconsistent with the findings. The provisions of the decree as to alimony, attorney’s fees, and division of the property, are not unreasonable under the record showing. The cancellation of the conveyances, as having been intended by the parties
Appellant Patrick Kane complains that the court denied his motion to strike the respondent’s cost bill. The point urged seems to be that the cost bill was. served the day before it was filed, and before the judgment was filed, it being claimed that, for said reasons, it was not a cost bill. Said appellant directs attention to no statute or ruling of court which requires that a cost bill shall necessarily be filed before it is served, or that it cannot be served before the judgment is filed. It is admitted that the court considered the cost bill, allowing some items and disallowing others. Ko specific items are pointed out, and no prejudice to said appellant’s rights appears. The judgment is affirmed.
Mount, Anders, and Dunbar, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Patrick Kane v. Elizabeth Kane
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Venue — Divorce—Stipulation for Trial in Another County— Legislative Change of District. A stipulation between tbe parties to a divorce suit to try tbe case in another county of the same judicial district, the same judge presiding, amounts to a change of venue, and such judge does not lose jurisdiction to try the case in such county pursuant to the stipulation, by a subsequent legislative change putting that county in a separate district and appointing another presiding judge for the county in which the suit was originally commenced. Same — Consent to Change. A recital in a statement of facts that defendants to a cross-complaint had stipulated that the action might be tried in another county, sufficiently shows their consent to the change of venue, although the written stipulation therefor was originally made between the other parties and before said cross-defendants had been made parties. Divorce — Jurisdiction—Residence of Plaintiff Within State for One Year — Consolidation of Actions. Where the husband and wife commenced independent actions for a divorce, and it was stipulated that the two actions should be tried as one, the action should not be dismissed for want of jurisdiction because the wife’s suit was commenced before she had been a resident of the state for one year, when the husband was duly qualified by residence to bring his action, and the wife had resided in the state one year before filing a cross-complaint in that suit, and the trial was had upon the issues raised by the pleadings in the husband’s suit, the wife’s action being in effect abandoned. Trial — Motion for Nonsuit in Equity — Waiver. Appellants’ challenge to the sufficiency of respondent’s testimony and motion to dismiss an action for divorce are waived by proceeding to introduce evidence in their own behalf, instead of standing upon the challenge and motion. Trial — Reopening Case — Discretion. It is not an abuse of discretion to allow appellant to reopen her case after a challenge to the sufficiency of her evidence was made, where the additional evidence consisted of a formal introduction of pleadings in the case. Appeal — Statement oe Facts — Certifícate — All the Evidence. In‘an equity case triable de novo on appeal, where it appears from the record that all of the evidence has not been sent up, it is not sufficient that the lower court certifies the statement of facts to contain all the material evidence, but the certificate must be that it contains all the facts which the parties have agreed to be material, in order to secure a review of the evidence on appeal. Divorce — Cancellation of Fraudulent Conveyances — Lien for Amount Awarded Wipe. Where, in an action for a divorce, a certain sum is. awarded the wife as permanent alimony, and certain conveyances by the husband are canceled as a fraud upon her, it is proper to declare a lien on the property in her favor for the amount due. Costs — Taxation. A cost bill should not be struck out because’ it was served before it was filed and before the judgment was filed, no prejudice appearing.