The decree rendered by a court having jurisdiction is not void. It call be impeached only in a direct proceeding seasonably instituted by a party asking that it be reversed, quashed, or vacated. State v. Richmond,26 N.H. 232" court="None" date_filed="1853-07-15" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/state-v-richmond-8505759?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="8505759">26 N.H. 232, 237, 242, 243, 246; Wingate v. Haywood, 40 N.H. 437" court="N.H." date_filed="1860-06-15" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/wingate-v-haywood-8046602?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="8046602">40 N.H. 437; Horne v. Rochester, 62 N.H. 347" court="N.H." date_filed="1882-12-05" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/horne-v-rochester-3555919?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="3555919">62 N.H. 347; Charles v. Davis, 62 N.H. 375" court="N.H." date_filed="1882-12-05" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/state-v-concord-railroad-3553458?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="3553458">62 N.H. 375; Blanchard v. Webster, 62 N.H. 467" court="N.H." date_filed="1883-06-05" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/blanchard-v-webster-3556284?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="3556284">62 N.H. 467; Fowler v. Brooks, 64 N.H. 423" court="N.H." date_filed="1887-12-05" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/fowler-v-brooks-3552499?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="3552499">64 N.H. 423; McDonald v. Drew, 64 N.H. 547" court="N.H." date_filed="1888-06-05" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/mcdonald-v-drew-3554232?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="3554232">64 N.H. 547; Kittredge v. Martin, 141 Mass. 410" court="Mass." date_filed="1886-03-31" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/kittredge-v-martin-6422019?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="6422019">141 Mass. 410; Freeman Judg., cc. 6, 13, 21, and ss. 134, 135, 285-287; High Inj., ss. 1416-1418, 1425. If the validity of a judgment could be contested collaterally, a second judgment, avoiding the effect of the first without a direct and express annulment of it, would be subject to a like attack, and there would be no termination of litigation by a final decision.
Exceptions overruled.
CARPENTER, J., did not sit: the others concurred.