The contention of the appellant in this case is that the judgment in which the appeal is taken, being against a minor not legally represented, is ábsolutely void, and that he need not, to protect himself, resort to an appeal, or an action to nullify the judgment; and he cites several cases to sustain this position. The principal question to be decided in this case is whether the original judgment Complained of in this case is void or voidable. If it is a void judgment, as Mr. Freeman well says, “it is, in legal effect, no judgment. By it no rights divest; from it no rights can be obtained. Being worthless in itself, all proceedings founded upon it are equally worthless. It neither binds nor bars any one. The acts performed under it, and all claims flowing out of it, are void. The parties attempting to enforce it may be responsible as trespassers. The purchaser at a sale by virtue of its authority finds himself without title and without redress. The first and most material inquiry in relation to a judgment or decree, then, is in reference to its validity, for, if it be null, no action upon the part of the plaintiff, no inaction upon the part of the defendant, no resulting equity in the hands of third persons, no power residing in any legislative or other department of the government, can invest it with any of the elements of power or of validity.” Freeman on Judgments (3d Ed.) § 117. But is a judgment by default against an infant, where he has been personally served, a void judgment?- Mr. Freeman, in his work on Judgments, § 151 (3d Ed.) supra, says: “The general tendency is to regard the plea of infancy as a personal plea, which may be waived; and, whether such plea is interposed or not, a judgment or decree against an infant property before the court is as obligatory upon him as though he were an adult, except in cases where he is allowed time after coming of age to show cause against the judgment or decree.” In support of ibis Mr. Freeman cites numerous authorities, and he further says in the same section: “If an absolute decree be made against an infant, he is as much bound as a person of full
Now, it was attempted on the part of appellant to come into court and get an injunction to restrain the levy of an execution upon a judgment rendered against him without any effort on his part to vacate or modify the judgment complained of. In other words, to allow the record of the court awarding judgment against him to stand, and yet absolutely, by a distinct proceeding, to control that record, and this in the face of the statute which requires him to proceed in a certain way to control that record. In other words, the appellant says, “The statute by which I am allowed to assert my rights shall not control me, but I will assert
We are satisfied that there was no error on the part of the court below in confirming the master’s report in dissolving the injunction and in pronouncing judgment on' the supersedeas bond, and therefore such .judgment will be affirmed.
