123 Mich. 378 | Mich. | 1900
(after stating the facts).
“Sound public policy and a just regard for the stability of private rights require that the solemn judgments and decrees of courts, affecting the rights of property, shall not be lightly disturbed, nor, without the strongest reason, allowed to be impeached after any considerable period of time, during which the parties have been allowed to rely upon them, and others may have obtained interests on the faith of them, or the evidence by which they might have been sustained has been lost. And if a party to such judgment or decree might, after any considerable period, impeach its validity without showing a proper excuse or reasonable justification for the delay, * * * a general feeling of insecurity and distrust, very injurious to property and business, must naturally result.”
The same doctrine is asserted in the following cases: Warner v. Juif, 38 Mich. 662; McVickar v. Filer, 31 Mich. 304; Day v. Cole, 65 Mich. 154 (41 N. W. 505); Sanford v. Haines, 71 Mich. 116 (38 N. W. 777). Parties who have thus acted cannot complain if courts of equity leave them to those remedies which the strict rules of law afford. Petitioner has made no attempt to excuse his laches.
This disposal of the cases renders it unnecessary to de
The decrees are affirmed, with costs.