42 Iowa 143 | Iowa | 1875
This action is brought under Code, Sec. 1557, which enacts that “every wife, child, parent, guardian, employe, or other person, who shall be injured in person or property, or means of support, by any intoxicated person or in consequence of the intoxication, habitual or otherwise, of any person, shall have a right of action in his or her own name against any person who shall by selling intoxicating liquors cause the intoxication of such person for all damages sustained, as well as exemplary damages.” * * * * * * ..
It is also enacted: “Sec. 1558. For all fines and costs assessed or judgments rendered of any kind against any person for a violation of any provision of this chapter, the personal or real property, except the homestead as now provided by law, of such person, as well as the property, personal or real; occupied and used for that purpose, with the consent and knowledge of the owner thereof or his agent, by the person manufacturing or selling intoxicating liquors, contrary to the provisions of this chapter, shall be liable, and all such fines, costs and judgments be a lien on such real estate until paid.” * * * *
. But we are not tobe understood as denying a joint liability i.n cases where the successive sales by several have produced a particular intoxication from which the injury sued for has resulted.
■ But it is urged by appellant’s counsel that these defendants are jointly bound because, by the Code, “ Sec. 2550. Where two or more persons are. bound by contract, or by judgment, decree or statute, whether jointly only, or jointly and severally, or severally only, and including parties to negotiable paper, common orders, and checks and sureties on the same or separate instruments, or by any liability growing out of the same, the aetion thereon may at the plaintiff’s option be brought against any or all of them.” * * * * * * * * *
. And it is argued that the. defendants are bound hy statute, and, therefore, the action may be brought against “ any or all.” But this is a very manifest misapprehension of this statute and the basis of this action. These defendants are not bound hy statute; but they have incurred a liability under a statute. They are not bound by statute to pay to plaintiff either jointly or severally any sum of money; but, having sold to plaintiff’s husband intoxicating liquors to her damage, a cause of action arises to her under the statute for such damage. It is the wrongful act of defendants that gives to plaintiff her cause of action. Any other view would make every person, ■who had made himself liable to a statutory action, liable
The only way to enforce a lien is by an action against the owners of the property whereon the lien is sought. While the plaintiff might have brought her action against the seller of the intoxicating liquors alone,- and having recovered judgment therein might, by another action against the owners,enforce it; yet she has the right to join them in the one action and therein obtain complete relief. Eor this error the j fidgetis Reversed.