92 Wis. 40 | Wis. | 1896
1. It is well settled that in order to maintain an action to enjoin or set aside a judgment rendered in an action in which there.was a good defense at law, known to the defendant at the time it was rendered, it must satisfactorily appear that the defendant was prevented from making his defense by fraud, mistake, accident, or surprise, unmixed with laches or negligence on his part. If he could have defended himself at law, but allowed judgment to go against him by his own neglect, he cannot have relief for a matter of which he might have availed himself at law. Wright v. Eaton, 7 Wis. 595; Stowell v. Eldred, 26 Wis. 504; Barber v. Rukeyser, 39 Wis. 590; Duncan v. Lyon, 3 Johns. Ch. 356; Floyd v. Jayne, 6 Johns. Ch. 419; Kibbe v. Benson, 17 Wall. 625. As was said by Bronson, J., in Norton v. Woods, 22 Wend. 525, “Independent of ail authority, it will never do to permit a party to appeal to chancery for a new trial
It may be conceded that the allegations of the complaint show that the judgment of the justice’s court was inequitable, and that the plaintiff had no cause of action against the plaintiffs in the present case; but it is impossible, and inconsistent with well-established principles, to say that the case made by the complaint affords any ground for relief. It is not sufficient to show that injustice has been done, but it must appear that it has been done under circumstances, which authorize a court of equity to interfere, for “ the inattention of parties'in a court of law can scarcely be made a subject of interference of a court of equity.” 2 Story, Eq-Jur. § 896. Equity will never interfere where a party under no disability neglects to make his defense at law. Miller v. Morse, 23 Mich. 368. The plaintiffs were not prevented by fraud, accident, surprise, or mistake from availing themselves of their defense to the action, unless sheer forgetfulness can be called such, within the sense of the rule,— a proposition which we think cannot be maintained. We have not been referred to any authority holding that relief can be had in equity against a judgment at law on the ground that the party against whom it was rendered simply forgot to appear and make his defense at the time appointed for trial, or because he forgot to appeal from the judgment within the time prescribed by law.
The plaintiffs’ contention is that one of them (lush) had entire charge of their litigation, and that his forgetfulness was excused by the particular circumstances of the case, and that a prudent and careful man might make the same mistake that was made in this case. It does not appear that there was any erroneous mental conception on the part of ImsIí, or either of the plaintiffs, influencing them to act or to omit to act. There was no error in action, opinion, or judgment; no misconception, misapprehension, or misunder
The demurrer was rightly sustained.
By the Oowrt.— The order of the circuit court is affirmed.