59 Mo. 383 | Mo. | 1875
delivered the opinion of the court.
In this case the defendant was summoned before a justice of the peace, as garnishee of one Rodgers, against whom there had been a judgment in favor of the plaintiff.
The record states, that on the return day the case was called, the plaintiff appearing; that the garnishee being-called came not but made default, and the case was then continued; that on the day to wbicli the continuance was had, the case was again called and also the garnishee, but be was still absent and made default, and no answer on his part being filed, the justice after hearing the evidence, rendered judgment against him. From this judgment the garnishee in due time appealed to the Circuit Court, where on motion of plaintiff the appeal was dismissed on the ground that the judgment of the justice appealed from, was a judgment by default, and that no motion to set aside the default had been made before the appeal was taken.
It is said, there could be no judgment by default against the garnishee, because the record does not show that any interrogatories were filed. But that is not required in proceedings. before justices of the peace. The statute declares that certain interrogatories, and none-other, shall be propounded to a garnishee summoned in a suit before a justice of the peace, which he shall answer on oath. (Wagn. Stat., 668, § 27.) It is not necessary that the inquiries should be reduced to writing and filed; they may be propounded orally. The 30th section of the same law in reference to garnishment, (Id,. 669) provides, “If any garnishee, being duly summoned, fail to appear at the proper time, or appearing, fail to make full and direct answers upon oath, to the interrogatories, the plaintiff may take judgment against him by default, which may be proceeded on to final judgment in like manner as in eases between plaintiff and defendant.”
The result is, that the judgment should be affirmed ;