182 N.E. 745 | Ill. | 1932
From a judgment entered by the circuit court of Lake county imposing upon Richard Macek, Robert C. Abt and Harry P. Lowry jail sentences and fines for contempt of court the parties appealed to the Appellate Court for the Second District. That court reversed the judgment. The cause is here oncertiorari.
Macek was the tenant of certain premises in Lake county upon which there was an amusement hall. A bill was filed in the circuit court of that county to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises, and on May 12, 1930, Leo Dailey was appointed receiver and went into possession thereof. On May 28, 1930, Macek executed to Lowry, who was in the plumbing and heating business, a chattel mortgage covering two oil burners and an electric plant which were then on the premises. The instrument was drafted by Abt, a real estate man. On July 21 Dailey padlocked the doors and locked all the windows of the building. He also posted notices on the doors which recited the order entered by the court and stated that anyone interfering with the receiver's possession would be ruled to show cause why he should not be cited for contempt. Macek, Lowry and Abt had personal knowledge of the appointment of the receiver. Subsequent to July 21, Macek, Lowry and Abt went together to the office of James G. Welch, an attorney, and discussed with him the matter of the chattel mortgage. Welch asked Lowry what he wanted to do, and Lowry said he presumed there was nothing to do but replevy the goods. Welch prepared the papers. Lowry executed the affidavit and Abt signed the bond. Macek was named as defendant in the suit. After unsuccessful attempts to reach the sheriff by telephone, Lowry and Abt encountered Sidney Dibble, a constable, who was under the impression that he was a deputy sheriff, and so stated. The writ was given to him to execute. With a screw-driver and a pair of pliers he gained entrance to the building. Macek and Lowry entered the premises and assisted in removing the oil burners and electric *137 plant. Abt testified that he did not then, enter the premises but that he drove up and sat in his car while the removal was going on. Other evidence was to the effect that he went into the building. The goods were stored in a barn which he had leased to Lowry that day. Upon learning of what had been done, Dailey filed a petition for a rule upon Macek, Lowry, Abt and Dibble to show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court for interfering with the receiver's possession. After a hearing, judgment was entered discharging the rule as to Dibble but finding the others guilty and imposing upon them sentences and fines as above indicated. Subsequently the court appointed an attorney as amicus curiæ to investigate the matter. After further hearings the court overruled motions to vacate the judgment. Defendants in error have filed no brief in this court.
A receiver is an officer of the court and his possession is the possession of the court itself. Any unauthorized interference therewith, either by taking forcible possession of the property committed to his charge or by legal proceedings for that purpose, without the sanction of the court appointing him, is a direct and immediate contempt of court. (Richards v. People,
The Appellate Court's judgment was apparently predicated upon the theory that the proceeding was docketed as a chancery matter, whereas it could only have been prosecuted in the name of the People of the State of Illinois. In the first place, it may be said that the record does not indicate that this point was raised in the trial court or argued in the Appellate Court. Furthermore, in Lester v. People,
The judgment of the Appellate Court is reversed and the judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.
Appellate Court reversed, circuit court affirmed.
Mr. JUSTICE JONES took no part in this decision. *139