6 S.D. 429 | S.D. | 1894
The attorney for the plaintiff issued a summons which reads as follows: “State of South Dakota, County of Minnehaha. In County Court. Austin, Tomlinson and Webster Manufacturing Company, Plaintiff, vs. Frederick Heiser and Ed. Fleming, Defendants. The State of South Dakota Sends Greeting to the Above-Named Defendants: You are hereby summoned and required to answer the complaint of the plaintiff in the above-entitled action, which will be filed in the office of the clerk of the county court within and for said Minnehaha county, in the city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and to serve a copy of your answer on the subscriber at his office, in the city of Sioux Falls, in said county, South Dakota,within thirty days after service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service, or the plaintiff in this action will take judgment against you for five hundred and seventy-five dollars and -cents, and fees, besides the costs and disbursements of this action. Dated at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, this - of -, 189—. Joe Kirby, Plaintiff’s Attorney. ’’. This summons was served upon the defendant Heiser in Hutchinson county, — !
This motion was denied upon the ground, as stated in the order denying the same, that the county court of said Hutchinson county had no jurisdiction of the amount claimed -in the action. We think the motion was properly denied, but we are of the opinion that there is a more satisfactory ground upon which the ruling of the court can be sustained, and that is that the provision of the statute relating to change of the place of trial in civil actions is not applicable to county courts. In Benedict v. Johnson, 57 N. W. 66, this court held that the jurisdic.
A motion was then made by defendant Heiser to dismiss the action upon the ground that the plaintiff had not served a copy of the complaint within the time allowed by law. This motion was made upon the theory that, as the copy of the complaint served did not contain any cause of action as against the defendant Fleming, it was not a copy of the complaint, as indicated by the summons, and therefore not a copy of the complaint demanded. This motion was denied, and we think correctly. The title of the complaint corresponded with the title in the summons, and the fact that no cause of action was stated
Heiser then moved the court to set aside the complaint upon the ground that there was a variance between the complaint and the summons, in that it appeared from the summons that Heisler and Fleming were sued jointly, while the causes of action stated in the complaint were against Heiser individually and alone. This motion was denied by the court, and we think properly. The fact that no cause of action was stated as against Fleming could not be taken advantage of by Heiser, and did not constitute a variance. There was nothing in the summons that indicated that Heiser and Fleming were sued jointly, other than the fact that they were both named in the summons as defendants. They were also both named as defendants in the complaint, and we are unable to see how the fact that the complaint failed to state a cause of action as against Fleming- could prejudice the defendant Heiser. In Bank v. Kellogg, 56 N. W. 1071, this court discussed very fully the nature of proceedings under our statute where there was more than one defendant.
It may be proper to add that had the attorney for Heiser, after receiving a copy of the complaint, and ascertaining therefrom that there was no joint cause of action against Heiser and Fleming alleged therein, moved the court for leave to withdraw his general appearance, upon the facts as disclosed by the record and affidavit, it would have been the duty of the court to have granted such leave. Upon the general appearance being withdrawn, the defendant Heiser could then have appeared specially for the purpose, and moved the court, upon the facts as disclosed by the record and affidavits, to dismiss the action as to him, and it would have been the duty of the court to so dismiss it,
Defendant Heiser interposed a demurrer to the complaint. This demurrer was overruled, and we think properly so. The learned counsel for appellant, while not waiving his exception to the overruling of the demurrer, does not discuss the merits of the same, and we therefore pass the assignment without further discussion. Heiser then filed and served an answer, in which he denied each and all of the allegations of the complaint, and set up many of the grounds as a defense to the action that had constituted grounds of his motions. The case being called for trial, and the counsel for plaintiff admitting in open court that he had no evidence to prove the $350 item in the complaint, for goods, etc., sold, the defendant Heiser renewed his motion for a change of the place of trial, which was denied. For the reasons before stated, the court properly denied this motion, and also for the further reason that the motion
Before the commencement of the trial, the counsel for the defendant Heiser moved the court to require the plaintiff to elect upon which cause of action he would proceed to trial, upon the ground that there were several causes of action stated in the complaint, but not stated separately as required by the practice act. While, possibly, the complaint may be somewhat faulty in this respect, we think the objection of counsel came too late. Such defect in the complaint can only be taken advantage of by a notice to make the same more definite and certain. See Pom. Rem. & Rem. Rights, §§ 447, 575, and cases cited.
On the trial, defendant Heiser admitted the signature to the several guaranties upon the notes, and the notes were offered in evidence. These notes were objected to “for the reason that no proper foundation had been laid for their introduction, and for the further reason that there was no proof that either Frederick Berreth or Christian Beg [the purported makers] ever executed the same.” And the counsel for the defendant further objected to the admission of .the guaranties therein upon the ground that there was no evidence of any consideration for the guaranty. These objections were overruled, and exceptions taken.
There was no merit in the last objection, as the defendant admitted, by the guaranties themselves, that they were made for “value received.” This is prima facie sufficient to provea consideration. 2 Daniel, Neg. Inst. § 1767; Brewster v. Silence, 11 Barb. 144; Douglass v. Howland, 24 Wend. 35; Watson v. McLaren, 26 Wend. 425; Day v. Elmore, 4 Wis. 190. There is some force, however, in the first objection. The plaintiff had alleged the execution and delivery of the several notes, and the defendant had interposed a general denial as to each and all of the allegations contained in the complaint. There is a familiar pule, however; that one who indorses or guaranties a promissory
It is further contended by the learned counsel for the appellant that the court erred in sustaining numerous objections to the questions propounded to the witness Joe Kirby, when on the stand as a witness, called on the part of the defendant. The following illustrates the class of questions propounded to the witness: “State whether at any time, to your knowledge, the Austin, Tomlinson & Webster Manufacturing-company had any cause of action against Fred Heiser and Ed. Fleming jointly.” This and similar questions were objected to by the ■attorney for the plaintiff as-incompetent, and further for the reason that an attorney cannot be required to disclose any information received from his client in the course of his employment. The witness had stated that he had no knowledge upon the subject, other than that derived from his client in the course of his professional employment. The court sustained the objection to-this and like questions, and we think properly. Section 5313 subd. 1, provides that an .“an attorney cannot, without the consent of his client, be examined as to any communication made by the client to him or his advice given thereon, in the course of professional employment.” The attorney very properly declined to testify as to any matter communicated to him in the course of his professional employment; and had he not so declined, it would have been the duty of the court
We have examined all the questions discussed by the counsel for appellant in his brief, and, finding no error in the record, the judgment of the court below is affirmed.