125 Neb. 97 | Neb. | 1933
This is a suit for an accounting brought by Morrill county as a depositor of the Bridgeport bank, on its own behalf and on behalf of all other depositors similarly situated, against the members and agents of the guaranty fund commission of the state of Nebraska. The guaranty fund commission took possession of the assets and business of the Bridgeport bank on the 15th day of May, 1925, and ran it as a going concern until the 8th of September, 1927, during which period new deposits were solicited and accepted, new loans were made, the bank’s paper was discounted, deposits were withdrawn, and all the functions of a bank were performed. It is alleged by the plaintiff that, while the bank was so operated, a large amount of deposits were withdrawn, creating an unlawful preference between depositors, the amount of which is unknown to plaintiff and only ascertainable by an accounting. The plaintiff further alleges that, during this period of operation by the guaranty fund commission, certain set-offs were permitted, and moneys, which were in fact loans and therefore general claims, were withdrawn, and that the bank was, in fact, unlawfully liquidated while unlawfully operated as a going concern.
The gist of the action pleaded by plaintiff is summarized in the petition as follows: “That by reason of the
This is the second appeal filed in this case. The first appeal was taken from a decree entered February 9, 1932, and a motion for new trial, filed within three days, was overruled May 9, 1932. Defendants filed motion to dismiss this appeal for that no cost bond had been- filed and no cash deposit to cover costs or supersedeas bond had been filed as required by section 20-1914, Comp. St. 1929.1 It appearing from the transcript that no cost bond had been filed within 90 days from the final order, as provided by statute, in conformity to the rule announced by this court in Greb v. Hansen, 123 Neb. 426, the former appeal was dismissed September 26, 1932, for lack of jurisdiction.
On August 29, 1932, during the May, 1932, term of court, the trial judge in Morrill county, not at the county seat but at Bayard, set aside the order of May 9, 1932, overruling motion for new trial, and the motion was again submitted to him and overruled. Later, on September 14, 1932, the court at Bridgeport, the county seat of Morrill county, again set aside the order of May 9, 1932, overruling the motion for new trial and, on reconsideration, the motion was again overruled. Thereafter, on September 26, 1932, the plaintiff’s attorneys claim they learned for the first time that the decree of February 9, 1932, had been signed by the trial judge at chambers in Gering, Scotts Bluff county, and was sent to the clerk of
The appellees, except Bliss, filed a motion in this court to dismiss this second appeal for that the transcript was not filed in this court within three months from the rendition of a final judgment; that it is an appeal from a judgment entered October 8, 1932, which decree is identical with one dated February 9, 1932, except the date, from which an appeal was dismissed; and that the reentry of the judgment on October 8, 1932, was for the sole purpose of extending the statutory time for perfecting an appeal to this court. This motion to dismiss the appeal was argued before this court and ruling thereon reserved until the case was submitted upon the merits. It. demands our consideration first. As heretofore noted, the original decree in this case was signed by the trial judge at chambers at Gering, Scotts Bluff county, and transmitted to the clerk of the district court for Morrill county. Did this render the decree void?
The judges of the various district courts, as such, have no inherent authority at chambers except such as they are expressly given by law. The Constitution provides: “The several judges of the courts of record shall have such jurisdiction at chambers as may be provided by law.” Const, art. V, sec. 23.
But the appellant argues if the legislature by the enactment of section 8-191, Comp. St. 1929, intended to amend section 27-317, Comp. St. 1929, then such enactment would be unconstitutional, because the title of the act was not broad enough to include such an amendment. How
“It is evident, however, that there is no repugnancy between the several provisions. A statute will not be repealed by implication unless the repugnancy between the new provision and the former statute is plain and unavoidable. * * * In this case, there is no repugnancy between the statutes, and the earlier one is not repealed by the later.” Lawson v. Gibson, 18 Neb. 137. To the same effect is Beatrice Paper Co. v. Beloit Iron Works, 46 Neb. 900. Applying the rule to this case and paraphrasing the language, section 8-191, Comp. St. 1929, does not amend section 27-317, Comp. St. 1929, by implication or otherwise, because the provisions are not repugnant, and they must be construed together. Statutes relating to the same subject, although enacted at different times, are in pari materia and should be construed together. State v. Omaha Elevator Co., 75 Neb. 637; 25 R. C. L. 1067, sec. 292. 2 Lewis’ Sutherland, Statutory Construction, 844, gives the rule: “Statutes which are not inconsistent with one another, and which relate to the same subject-matter,
It therefore follows that, since the trial judge was authorized by statute to sign the decree in the case at bar at chambers, said decree entered February 9, 1932, was a valid one. Now, the vacation of the decree on October 8, 1932, was solely on the ground that, since it was rendered and signed at chambers, it was null and void. A valid judgment can only be vacated after the term it was rendered on the application of plaintiff after it is adjudged that there is a valid cause of action. Comp. St. 1929, sec. 20-2005. It is not sufficient that the petition state a cause, as contended by appellant, but applicant must allege and prove a valid cause of action. Bond v. Wycoff, 42 Neb. 214. And in Gilbert v. Marrow, 54 Neb. 77, it was held: “A party who seeks the vacation of a judgment after the term at which it was rendered must allege and prove that he has a valid cause of action or defense, and
It is obvious from the history of this case that the purpose in vacating the original decree and reentering the same decree was to extend the time for perfecting an appeal. The legislature has general power to fix the time limit for taking an appeal, and having prescribed such time, the trial court has no power to extend the time directly or indirectly.
In 2 R. C. L. 104, sec. 80, it is said: “The legislature has general power to prescribe the time within which writs of error may be sued out or appeals taken, and it is essential to the jurisdiction of the appellate court that the proceeding be taken within the time limited, and the trial court has no inherent power to extend the time, either directly or indirectly. Thus, where an appeal has not been taken within the required time, the court has no power indirectly to extend the time for appealing by vacating, for such purpose, the judgment, order or decree, and entering it as of a later date.”
In 3 C. J. 1070, it is said: “An extension of time cannot be made indirectly by repeating the judgment, order, or decree, by an amendment or modification not changing its legal effect, by a motion to vacate the same, by vacating and reentering or refiling it as of a more recent date.” (Italics ours.)
In Chicago & N. W. R. Co. v. Big Bend Drainage District, 208 Pac. 872 (29 Wyo. 50) it was held: “An attempt of the court to reinvest a right of appeal that has been lost by lapse of the time allowed by Comp. St. 1920,
In Philbrock v. Home Drilling Co., 117 Okla. 266, it was held: “The trial court cannot extend time for appeal by vacating the order or decree, and reentering it as of a more recent date.”
In Credit Co. v. Arkansas Central R. Co., 128 U. S. 258, it was said: “The attempt made, in this case, to anticipate the actual time of presenting and filing the appeal, by. entering an order nunc pro 'tunc, does not help the case. When the time for taking an appeal has expired, it cannot be arrested or called back by a simple order of court. If it could be, the law which limits the time within which an appeal can be taken would be a dead letter.”
. The statutes of Nebraska prescribe the time within which an appeal may be taken to this court, and it is essential to the jurisdiction that the appeal be prosecuted within the. time limit (Comp. St. 1929, sec. 20-1912), by filing a transcript within three months (Frazier v. Alexander, 111 Neb. 294), which shall contain a certificate that a cost bond has been given (Comp. St. 1929, sec. 20-1914; Greb v. Hansen, 123 Neb. 426). And the trial court has no power to extend the time either directly or indirectly. In such a case, where an appeal has not been taken in time, or where a cost bond has not been filed within time, the court has no power indirectly to extend the time for appeal by vacating after term, for such purpose, a valid judgment, and reentering it as of a later date. ■ Since this represents an unwarranted effort to extend the time of appeal from the judgment of February 9, 1932, the appeal is dismissed.
Since all the appellees did not join in the motion to dismiss, a brief discussion of the merits of plaintiff’s contention will be proper. The defendant Bliss was, during a part of the time involved in this case, secretary of the
The authority by which the defendants took possession of the Bridgeport state bank and operated it was conferred upon them as members of the guaranty fund commission by section 1, ch. 30, Laws 1925: “Whenever it
The commission was directed in its duties by statute. Section 4, ch. 30, Laws 1925, provides: “Upon taking possession of the property and business of any bank, the guaranty fund commission may take charge and control of the property and business of such bank and open and manage it as a going concern, without regard to its solvency, and through employees, perform all duties and acts of the officers and directors of such bank while managing the same, and all salaries * * * in connection therewith shall be paid by the bank. The operation of the bank by the guaranty fund commission shall in no manner relieve or diminish the obligations of the stockholders under the laws of this state, or in any manner absolve the owners of such stock or the officers or directors of any* liability under the civil or criminal laws of the state. If the guaranty fund commission shall determine that it is impossible to preserve such institution as a going concern, then the commission shall proceed to liquidate such bank as by law provided: Provided, the district court of the district in which such bank is located, may, upon application of any judgment creditor after a period of three months from the taking over of said bank by the guaranty fund commission, order the commission to close said bank, and liquidate the same as provided by law.”
In the last cited opinion, it was said: “The status of the banking corporation while being operated by the i.oramission as a ‘going concern’ differs completely from the status of a .bank in receivership. In the latter case ‘he bank is in process of liquidation, either by judicial action or by virtue of statutory authority. In the former case the bank continues in business as usual, receiving deposits, paying checks drawn against it, making new loans, renewing old ones, assuming new liabilities, discharging old ones and in every way carrying on its business in the usual manner and with the right to do everything exactly
The bank was not operated in violation of law. It was open for business and all the money withdrawn and transactions of the bank were in the usual and ordinary course of banking business. The deposits shrunk, it is true, but it is equally true of all banks during this period. It is also true that some depositors withdrew their deposits. But the bank was open for business, and depositors had a right to such withdrawals. Looking backward, with the benefit of subsequent experience, one may say that the loss might have been less had the bank been liquidated at once. But it is doubtful if the plaintiff, its attorneys, or any depositor thought so at the time. The guaranty fund commission did not think so.
But are the defendants liable for an honest mistake of judgment? They were public officers, and, as such, not liable for mistakes of law or of fact while acting in good faith. The general rule is stated in 22 R. C. L. 485, sec. 163, as follows: “Where an officer is invested with discretion and is empowered to exercise his judgment in matters brought before him, he is sometimes called a quasi judicial officer, and when so acting he is usually given immunity from liability to persons who may be injured as the result of an erroneous decision, provided the acts complained of are done within the scope of the officer’s authority, and without wilfulness, malice, or corruption. This immunity from civil liability for a mistake in judgment extends to errors in the determination both of law and of fact. Therefore where the question of his liability is in
The trial court filed an able opinion in this case, to which we are indebted for a careful and helpful analysis of the case. After careful and painstaking consideration, we reach the same conclusion. It is, therefore, ordered that the appeal be dismissed.
Appeal dismissed.