81 Iowa 164 | Iowa | 1890
The note in suit purports to have been given for ninety-three dollars and thirteen cents by the defendant, James Hollands. It was given for lightning rods erected upon a dwelling-house owned by his wife and codefendant, Huida Hollands. Plaintiff asks judgment for the amount of the note against both of said defendants, and the foreclosure of a mechanic’s lien on the building and land upon which it is located. The answer of Halda Hollands is a general denial. James Hollands alleges in his answer that the note as originally drawn and signed was for thirteen dollars, and that since it was made it has been changed without his knowledge or consent, so as to appear to have been
On a motion of James Hollands to transfer this cause so far as it related to him to the law side of the docket, it was “ ordered that the question of fact could be submitted to the jury ” at his request. A jury was impaneled, and, after the evidence was introduced, they were requested to answer three interrogatories. They answered in substance that the words “ ninety-three” which appear in the body of the note were not written therein when it was signed by Hollands ; that they have not been changed since they were written ; and that the figures in the upper left-hand corner of the note when first written therein were “ 13.13.” The plaintiff thereupon filed a motion for judgment on the special findings, and the motion was sustained. Additional evidence was offered on the issues presented by the answer of Huida Hollands, and on the twenty-third day of March, 1889, judgment was rendered in favor of plaintiff and against defendant, James Hollands, on the note in suit, for one hundred and one dollars and sixty-five cents and costs, and in favor of plaintiff and against defendant, Huida Hollands, for ninety-three dollars and thirteen cents, and interest, and a mechanic’s lien for the amount of the judgment against James Hollands established, and a sale of the premises ordered.
We do not understand from the record that the case as to James Hollands was treated and tried as an action at law, but rather that certain questions of fact
Although tbe court sustained the motion for judgment in favor of plaintiff and against James Hollands on the special findings, yet it is evident that the special findings alone did not warrant sucb judgment, but that, tbe special findings were considered in connection with the evidence submitted, and that tbe judgment rendered against tbe husband was in fact based upon tbe evidence and perhaps the second special finding. But whatever tbe facts may be, we; are of the opinion that tbe entire- case is here for trial de novo, if tbe evidence has been properly preserved, and that no part of it is triable on errors assigned.
It is manifest that if the case were not triable here de novo, under numerous decisions of this court the evidence could not be considered, because not made a part of the record within the time fixed by the order of court. But in equitable actions, triable de novo in this court on issues of fact, it is sufficient if the evidence is made a part of the record within the six months allowed for an appeal. Code, sec. 2742, as amended. Since that statute fixes that time within which the evidence must be made of record, it is not competent for the court to make it less, and the order of the court in this case limiting the time to sixty days was, therefore, of no effect.
Our conclusion upon the entire record is that the judgment of the district court is correct. It is, therefore, AEEIMED.