84 N.W. 585 | N.D. | 1900
This action was brodght. to permanently enjoin the collection of a judgment, and a temporary in junctional order was issued, restraining proceedings under the judgment. The defendants demurred to the complaint upon the ground that .the same did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. After a hearing in the District Court, that court made an order sustaining the demurrer; also, an order dissolving the in junctional order. These rulings of the trial court have been brought to this court for review, and, in disposing of the entire case in this court, it will be necessary to pass only upon the sufficiency of the complaint. We have no difficulty in reaching the conclusion that the complaint fails to state a cause of action, but this conclusion is predicated upon the theory that the plaintiff has mistaken his remedy. The judgment which is sought to be enjoined is upon a promissory note, and was entered by default on June 22, 1892, in the District Court for. the county of Ramsey, in an action in which the defendant herein was plaintiff, and this plaintiff and Wilhelmina Holz and William Holz were defendants. It is alleged in the complaint herein that this plaintiff never was served with notice of the entry of said judgment, and that he never had or received notice or knowledge of the existence of the judgment until the month of June, 1899, when an execution issued upon the judgment, which was then levied on the property of this plaintiff. The complaint further alleges, in substance, that this plaintiff had been released from all liability upon the note sued upon in said action by an'agreement made with the defendant herein, through its agent, which agreement and release, as alleged, were made prior to the institution of the
We shall hold in this case that the complaint is insufficient, and place our ruling upon the ground that under the statute, upon the facts stated, the plaintiff has an.adequate remedy by motion under said section, made in the original action. In point of fact, the plaintiff has already obtained a full measure of relief by means of a motion made in the original action to vacate said judgment. The relief was denied in the District Court, but-upon appeal the court below was directed to reverse its order and grant the relief sought by the plaintiff. See the case of Manufacturing Co. v. Holz (decided at this term) 84 N. W. Rep. 581. The authorities cited below will amply sustain our conclusions. See Wieland v. Shillock, 23 Minn. 227, and xi Enc. Pl. & Prac. pp. 1197, 1209, and notes and authorities. In this case we do not desire to go further than to hold that, where it appears that a party who seeks to enjoin the collection of a judgment by means of an independant action has an adequate remedy at law by motion, such action will not lie. We find no error in the rulings of the trial court, and the same are, therefore, in all things affirmed.