32 Mich. 56 | Mich. | 1875
Tbe plaintiff commenced an action of trespass in justice’s court against tbe defendants, for the unlawful talcing and converting a certain lumber wagon, seat, whiffletrees and neck yoke, and recovered judgment. Tbe defendants appealed to tbe circuit court, where tbe case was again tried and judgment rendered for the plaintiff. Tbe cprestions raised are now brought here upon a case made after judgment upon a special finding of tbe facts by tbe court beloAr.
Tbe circuit judge found that tbe plaintiff was a blacksmith and bad worked as sueli for fourteen years; that in tbe spring of 1873 be was a member of a firm engaged in such business, and that tbe property in controversy was manufactured by said firm, and for sale as stock in tbe line of their business of blacksmithing, in which tbe firm was wholly engaged, tbe firm intending from tbe proceeds of the sale of said property to replenish their stock and continue their busi
The defendants claimed to haye purchased the property at an execution sale, the. suit in which judgment was recovered and execution issued having been commenced by attachment, and the property seized thereon in August, 1873.
The only question necessary to be decided is, whether, under the facts as found, the property in question was exempt from levy and sale upon' execution.
The defendants insist, that in order for the plaintiff to hold the property as exempt it was incumbent upon him to show that he was principally engaged in some kind of trade or occupation which called for the use of a wagon; that keeping the property for sale, the proceeds thereof to be used as stated, would not enable him to carry on his trade at the time of the seizure and sale.
It is very evident, that to sustain this position and hold that the property in question, under the facts as found in this case, was subject to seizure and sale upon execution, would be to discourage debtors engaged in a profession, trade or occupation from making proper use of their leisure time, and thus prevent them from effectually and profitably carrying on their principal business. A jeweler who is principally engaged in cleaning and repairing watches and jewelry, surely
It was also urged that the debtor could not purchase the wood-work of the wagon in order, to iron and complete it
There being no error in the record, the judgment must bo affirmed, with costs.