District of Columbia v. Elias Barnes

• Decision Date: 27 February 1905
• Docket Number: No. 143,143
• Citation: 197 U.S. 146,25 S.Ct. 401,49 L.Ed. 699
• Parties: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Appt. , v. ELIAS E. BARNES
• Court: U.S. Supreme Court

197 U.S. 146

25 S.Ct. 401

49 L.Ed. 699

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Appt.,

v ELIAS E. BARNES.

No. 143.

Argued January 23, 1905.

Decided February 27, 1905.

The action now appealed was brought under the act of June 16, 1880, known as the District of Columbia claims act. 21 Stat. at L. 284, chap. 243. The original petition was filed August 4, 1880. At subsequent stages of the case amended petitions were filed. On October 1, 1887, the court of claims decided the case in favor of the District of Columbia, giving judgment against the claimant for the sum of $11,074.11. 22 Ct. Cl. 366. On November 18, 1887, the claimant filed a motion for a new trial, which was submitted on March 28, 1895, and allowed on April 1, 1895. The case was then referred, as provided in the act, and upon report and hearing judgment was rendered on November 11, 1895, against the District for the claimant in the sum of $31,754.57; being rendered for Barnes in the sum of $22,350.54, and for Ritchie, assignee, in the sum of $9,404.03, both sums due and payable as of January 1, 1876. On April 20, 1896, the defendant filed its motion for a new trial, which was granted on May 18, 1896. On March 31, 1902, the court rendered a judgment in favor of the claimant, and his assignee, in the sum of $23,694.47, due and payable as of March 1, 1876. 37 Ct. Cl. 342. On April 22, 1902, an appeal was taken by the District from the judgment of March 31, 1902, to this court. This appeal was dismissed for want of jurisdiction. District of Columbia v. Barnes, 187 U. S. 638, 47 L. ed. 344, 23 Sup. Ct. Rep. 846.

Under the act of March 3, 1903 (32 Stat. at L. 1070, chap. 1006), this appeal from the judgment of March 31, 1902, was taken by the District,

bringing the case in review before this court.

Mr. Robert A. Howard and Assistant Attorney General Pradt for appellant.

[Argument of Counsel from pages 147-149 intentionally omitted] Mr. John C. Fay for appellee.

Statement by Mr. Justice Day:

Mr. Justice Day delivered the opinion of the court:

We deem it unnecessary, in the view taken of this case, to set forth the voluminous findings of fact made upon the trial in the court of claims. So much of the findings will be commented on as is necessary to a determination of the legal questions involved, which are within a narrow compass. Nor do we find it necessary to consider the alleged discrepancies between the judgment of the court of claims, when the judgment was in favor of the District (22 Ct. Cl. 366), and the find- ings and conclusions when the judgment was rendered which is now appealed to this court. 37 Ct. Cl. 342.

This court does not sit to review findings of fact made in the court of claims. They are regarded as conclusive here, and our jurisdiction is limited to a determination of such questions of law as are properly brought to our attention upon the record. United States v. Smith, 94 U. S. 214-218, 24 L. ed. 115.

The orignal action was brought in part on two contracts, which were in writing, duly executed by the claimant and in behalf of the District of Columbia, and known as Nos. 264 and 413, and were for certain street improvements in the city of Washington. These contracts were entered into on April 29 and July 23, 1872, respectively, under authority of the act of February 21, 1871. 16 Stat. at L. 427, chap. 62. Certain verbal agreements are also set up as having been entered into between the claimant and the commissioners of the District.

The court of claims, under the proofs, heard the parties upon the question as to the right to reform the two written contracts. It refused to reform contract No. 413, and decreed in favor of the District in the sum $13,039.79 for over payments made upon that contract. The court did reform contract No. 264, finding that, by mistake in the drafting of the contract, 'the rate of 40 cents for grading old gravel streets to a depth of 2 feet' was omitted therefrom by mutual mistake of the parties, and that the written contract was executed without observing the omission. Upon the contract as reformed, the claimant was permitted to recover for work done. Much of the discussion in the oral argument and the brief of the learned counsel for the government is directed to the authority of the court of claims to reform a written contract in the exercise of the jurisdiction of a court of equity for that purpose, and much discussion was had as to the various acts conferring jurisdiction upon that court. But we think a construction of the act under cover of which this suit was prosecuted is all that is necessary to determine the question. The act of June 16, 1880, as appears by its title, was intended to confer on the court of claims jurisdiction to hear and determine all outstanding claims against the District of Columbia. For that purpose it was recited in the 1st section of the act that the jurisdiction of the court should extend to, and it should have original legal and equitable jurisdiction of claims arising out of, the contracts made by the board of public works and extensions made thereof by the commissioners of the District of Columbia, and also of the claims arising out of the contracts made by the commissioners since the act of June 20, 1874 [18 Stat. at L. 116, chap. 337], and broadly for all claims for work done by order or direction of the commissioners, and accepted by them for the use, pruposes, or benefit of the District of Columbia, and prior to the 14th day of March, 1876.

The language used is of the most comprehensive character, and confers, for the purposes stated, original legal and equitable jurisdiction.

It is true that the purpose of the various acts conferring jurisdiction upon the court of claims has been held to be to permit the adjudication of money demands against the United States, and it may be that under this act, as under others, there was no intention to confer equity jurisdiction beyond that which is required to enable a court to determine whether money relief should be granted. The intent of the act was to enable parties to submit the justice of their claims against the United States to adjudication in a competent court. For that purpose the act conferred in terms, equitable as well as legal jurisdiction.

The province of the court of claims is to pass upon the justice of the claim, and adjudge accordingly. And it is obviously intended that, when necessary to adjudicate claims against the District, the court shall be unhampered in the exercise of jurisdiction, and as in many courts of this country having a civil code, there has been conferred upon the same tribunal the power to grant the necessary legal and equitable relief. One...