23 Pa. Super. 591 | Pa. Super. Ct. | 1903
Opinion by
None of the rights arising from the relation of lessor and lessee are in controversy here; hence the authorities respecting them have no application. The issue in the case does not involve the right, but the remedy. The question before us is whether the power given in the lease authorized the entry of the judgment of July 11, 1902, a judgment under its authority having been entered on June 5, 1902.
A power exists in law only for some purpose, and when fully executed by the accomplishment of its purpose it is exhausted. The authority given by it ends when nothing remains to be done in pursuance of it. It may even be exhausted without
The purpose of the power or warrant of attorney in the present case was the entry by confession, in an amicable action, of a judgment in favor of the lessor against the lessee. This power was completely executed, and its purpose accomplished, by the entry of the judgment of June 5,1902. The power authorized nothing further, and nothing further remained to be done in pursuance of it. It became merged in the judgment. It is not material that it may have been prematurely executed, or that the judgment thus entered may have been voidable from matters outside the record. Though in the execution of the power the plaintiff may have misconceived his right of action under it, the power nevertheless remains fully executed; the execution cannot be recalled; and the power is exhausted. It was not the case of an imperfect execution of the power, but of a perfect execution, -with its effect liable to be defeated through matters not entering into the act of execution. Yet it is by no means clear that it was so defeated. In the history of the case it is said that “ the suit was discontinued by the appellee; ” the plaintiff’s answer to the defendant’s application to vacate the judgment sets forth, first, that the judgment “ was satisfied by reason of the fact that the action in ejectment was prematurely brought,” — the lessor having accepted rent after the notice to quit by which he intended to end the term, — and next, that the plaintiff “ discontinued the action brought.” This leaves much to conjecture. A discontinuance after-judgment is unknown in practice; and, while a recovery in ejectment may be released, the satisfaction of a judgment implies that its fruits have been received by the plaintiff. But, whatever the import of these allegations, it is undeniable, on both principle and authority, that the power was fully executed by the entry of judgment, and thereupon ceased to exist.
The question here involved has been presented under various aspects in our courts, and the authorities respecting it have been clear and uniform. In Campbell v. Canon, Add. 267, judgment was entered on a bond and warrant, and after a year and a day without execution a scire facias was issued ; then, to have immediate execution, the scire facias was discontinued, another judgment was entered on the warrant, and an execu
In legal effect, there is no difference between the entry of judgment, on warrant of attorney, for a debt, and an entry of judgment in ejectment.
The release of errors in connection with the warrant of attorney operates only on irregularities in the proceeding apparent on the record. It does not reach the defect of a lack of authority to proceed. In Neff v. Barr, Adams v. Bush, and Ely v. Karmany, supra, there was a release of errors. In each of these cases, however, as in the one before us, the power had terminated before the entry of judgment; a defect of authority, arising from matters extrinsic to the record, not embraced in the release. In Davis v. Hood, 13 Pa. 171, a judgment having been entered on bond and warrant, containing a release of errors, a writ of error by the defendant was quashed on motion, before the return day, the court holding that “ the manner in which the judgment had been entered was right, and it being apparent from the record that there was no error in the matter.” There Avas no suggestion of a lack of authority to confess the judgment, and in other respects there was no difference between that case and the one before us, or the other cases cited.
In the case' in hand, the court below gave no reason for discharging the rule. For the reasons already given, the rule should have been made absolute.
The order discharging the rule is reversed, and the rule is reinstated and made absolute.