14 N.W.2d 222 | Neb. | 1944
This is an appeal from the judgment of the district court
The transcript of the proceedings in the justice court, filed in the district court, recited that plaintiff filed his bill of particulars praying judgment against the defendant for the sum of $96.35 and costs, including an attorney’s fee. Trial was had on September 2, 1943. Plaintiff and defendant offered testimony, and the cause w'as taken “under advisement until September 3rd.” On September 3 judgment was entered for the plaintiff for $65, costs, and attorney’s fee. The transcript further recited that a bond for appeal was received by mail September 14, too late “for approving” because received more than ten days after the judgment was rendered. The transcript further recited that I am filing said bond, but this court cannot approve said bond, hereby disapprove same, but include said bond, with all other papers, filed in this case.”
Plaintiff thereafter filed a motion to dismiss the appeal because the bond was not approved, because it was filed inore than ten days after the judgment was rendered, and the judgment of the justice court had become absolute.
Defendant resisted the motion to- dismiss on the grounds that the justice had found the bond satisfactory, except as to filing date; that the postal authorities had not delivered the bond to the right address; that the record should show that the court at the close of the trial had announced he would decide the case on September 4; that on September 4 plaintiff’s attorney wrote the defendant’s attorney that the justice “advised me today” that he had rendered judgment and that the plaintiff’s, attorney was so. advising in order that defendant “would have ample time to appealthat the defendant’s attorney received the letter on September 7, the 6th being a holiday; that a bond was secured and mailed to the justice on September 10; that defendant’s attorney did not know the street address of the justice; that Mr. Knowles was “out of town on business” and it was impossible to obtain the street address of the justice, so the letter was ad
A hearing was had on the motion. A “bill of exceptions” was prepared by defendant’s attorney, consisting of the series of letters referred to' in the objections and copies of the affidavits' attached to the objections. The trial court certified that the letters “were, at least read to the court, at the arguments and contents all considered in reaching a decision on the motion to dismiss.” Without determining the sufficiency of this record to constitute a bill of exceptions, we will consider the exhibits as properly before us.
The defendant, having filed in the district court a transcript of the justice court proceedings, sought in the district court to impeach that transcript. The transcript recited that the case was taken under advisement until September 3, and then decided, and that the justice disapproved the bond when tendered because it was presented out of time.
The statute applicable here-is: “The party appealing shall, within ten days from the rendition of judgment, enter into an undertaking to the adverse party, with at least one good and sufficient surety, to be- approved by such justice, * * * .” Comp. St. 1929, sec. 21-1302. This period begins to run when the judgment is entered on the docket. Bishop v. Lincoln Baseball Club, 98 Neb. 558, 153 N. W. 586. A case removed to the district court from a judgment of a justice of the peace is rightly dismissed- if the appellant, by reason of his own laches, failed to file an appeal bond within the time limited by statute for that purpose. The statute is mandatory. The giving of the .appeal bond is essential to confer jurisdiction of the cause upon the appellate court. Security Mutual Life Ins. Co. v. Gilliam, 143 Neb. 673, 10 N. W. 2d 670, and decisions there cited.
The fault here does- not lie with the justice of the peace; neither was it with the plaintiff’s attorney. He, when advised of the decision, promptly and voluntarily wrote the defendant’s attorney of the date when he had been told of the decision, not the date when the decision was rendered. He did this not to prevent an appeal, but to facilitate appeal, if defendant desired to make it. There was ample time after that notice was- received for defendant to determine when the time began to run. He made n.o inquiry. He took three days to prepare and mail a bond. There was still ample time to present the bond. It was- not the fault of the justice of the peace, nor of the plaintiff’s attorney, that Mr. Knowles was out of town on other business, that defendant elected to send the bond to the justice in the mails,
The district court rightly dismissed the appeal. Its judgment is affirmed.
Affirmed.