7 Neb. 242 | Neb. | 1878
This action was commenced before the county judge, “exercising the ordinary powers and jurisdiction of a justice of the peace,” by defendants in error against plaintiff in error, for the possession of certain personal property and for damages for the detention thereof. The property was replevied and delivered to defendants in error. The plaintiff in error appeared specially and ex cepted to the jurisdiction of the judge for want of proper parties, but the exceptions were overruled, and the judge found for the defendants in error and entered judgment accordingly, and for damages in excess of the appraised value of the goods.
The bill of exceptions found in the record must be laid aside, because it was not authorized by law. Taylor v. Tilden, 3 Neb., 340. The only question we can consider is, whether the action will lie in the firm name only of the defendants in error.
It is well understood that, at the common law, in an action brought by partners, all the members of the firm must be made plaintiffs. The omission of the name of any partner as plaintiff may be taken advantage of at the trial under the general issue; or if it appear on the face
This seems pretty clearly to bring within the jurisdiction of justices of the peace, the form of actions specially provided for in sections 23, 24, 25, and 26 of the code. But this mode of bringing an action by a partnership being unknown at the common law, and different from the general import of the statutes in respect of parties to an action, these special provisions must be strictly con
The partnership may assume to itself any fictitious name and sue by such name, and no person be responsible for costs, in case the cause should be adjudged in favor of the defendant; the real parties suing are unknown to the defendant and to the court, and therefore the law wisely declares that the company shall procure some responsible resident of the county as security for costs. This is an essential prerequisite to the maintenance of the action, and it is but a reásonable and just condition precedent in an action where the plaintiffs are unknown and their action is brought in an assumed name.
Another requisite is that it must appear that the company is formed to carry on some trade or business, or to hold some species of property in this state, and is not incorporated. In the case at bar, it appears from the record that the requirements of the special provisions were not complied with ; and therefore the judgment of the district court, and also the judgment of the county judge must each be reversed and the cause remanded, with leave to defendants in error to amend and to give surety for costs upon payment of all costs which have accrued since the filing of the motion to dismiss for want of jurisdiction.
Judgment accordingly.