73 Ky. 61 | Ky. Ct. App. | 1873
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is not strictly a proceeding to obtain a new trial under the 579th section of the Code of Practice. The allegations of the petition and the prayer for relief bring it within the purview of section 421, as well as of subsection 8 of section 579. Under the practice in force before the adoption of the Code it would have been proper to reserve, in the judgment rendered in the case of Troutman v. Allen’s heirs, the right for the infants (defendants) to show cause against it after attaining full age. It here appears that all the complainants are still infants, unless it be Mrs. Perry, and it does not appear that a year had elapsed after she arrived at the age of twenty-one years before the institution of the action.
The rights and interests of infants are under the special protection of courts of equity, and they have the right at any time within the period prescribed by section 421 of the Code to apply to such courts to vacate any judgment or final order by which injustice has been done them. They need not aver diligence in the preparation of their defense to the action, nor the discovery of testimony, nor in fact any of the special grounds for which new trials may be granted to adults. It is enough that they were infants at the time of the rendition of the judgment, and that it is unjust according to the facts presented by them, and that they apply for relief within the prescribed time. (Newland v. Gentry, 18 B. Mon. 670.)
For these reasons the judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded with instructions to overrule the general demurrer. In case appellee demurs specially as to Mrs. Perry, she should be allowed to amend if she can do so; otherwise the petition, so far as she is concerned, should be dismissed.
Appellee should then be required to answer, and appellants allowed an opportunity to make out their case.