Hastings v. Hastings
Hastings v. Hastings
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff brought this action to set aside a deed for failure of consideration. The defendant James Franklin Hastings failed to make an appearance in answer to the complaint and a 'default judgment was taken against him. Thereafter the plaintiff amended her complaint and the defendant Alta Agnes Hastings made answer thereto, and after trial upon issues joined, the court entered a judgment setting aside the deed and appointing a commissioner to reconvey the real estate to the plaintiff. Alta Agnes Hastings alone appeals from that judgment.
But two errors are assigned, to the effect that the court erred in rendering judgment against James Franklin Hastings on the amended complaint, and in rendering judgment vesting title to the real estate in the plaintiff. We think there is no merit in either of these assignments. Counsel for the appellant argues that, because no amended complaint was served on James Franklin Hastings after the default had been taken against him, the court was without jurisdiction of that defendant. It is not necessary for us to decide in this case whether that defendant shoúld have been served with the amended complaint, because the record before us shows that he was served with both the original and the amended complaints and failed to answer thereto. He appeared as a witness upon the trial. He therefore had ample opportunity to defend if he desired to do so. The court clearly had jurisdiction to render a judgment against him.
It is next argued that the court-erred in rendering the judgment vesting the title in Elizabeth Hastings. The record shows without dispute that Elizabeth and Frank Hastings, during the lifetime of the latter, were the owners of the real estate in question as community property. They deeded this property to their son, James Franklin Hastings. The consideration ex
It seems clear that there is no merit in either of the contentions of the appellant.
The judgment is therefore affirmed.
Ellis, C. J., Holcom:b, Webster, and Chadwick, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.