Fidler v. Roberts, 4284.
| Citation | 41 F.2d 305 |
| Decision Date | 03 July 1930 |
| Docket Number | No. 4284.,4284. |
| Parties | FIDLER et al. v. ROBERTS. |
| Court | United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (7th Circuit) |
B. M. Chiperfield, of Canton, Ill., for appellants.
George W. Hunt, of Peoria, Ill., for appellee.
Before EVANS, PAGE, and SPARKS, Circuit Judges.
This is an appeal from an interlocutory order or decree on a bill filed by appellee, Helen O. Roberts, against appellants, Jacob Fidler, Cliff Oldham, and Frank Worms. Appellants filed an affirmative answer, and upon a preliminary hearing they were enjoined, until further order of the court, from going into and upon the premises described in the bill.
In brief, the bill avers that appellee is a citizen and resident of, and resides in, Los Angeles, in the state of California, and that the appellants are citizens and residents and reside in Fulton county, Ill.; that the amount involved in this proceeding, exclusive of interest and costs, is in excess of $3,000; that appellee is the owner in fee of the land described in the bill of complaint, which amounts to over 2,000 acres, all of which is located in Fulton county, Ill.; that the greater portion of this land is swamp and overflowed land and in a state of nature, and it is estimated by counsel that the overflowed land exceeds 1400 acres; that prior to the opening of the hunting season appellee had caused notices to be posted in conspicuous places over said territory to the effect that no trespassing would be allowed, and had caused similar notices to be published in the local papers; that, notwithstanding these notices, persons whose names and identity were unknown frequently came upon the lands in the nighttime as well as in the daytime, without authority, and shot, hunted, fished, and trapped, and trampled down crops, destroyed fences, and permanently injured said property; that, when the hunting season opened on September 24, 1929, the appellants and others, approximating one hundred in number, came upon said premises contrary to said notices and contrary to the wishes of appellee, and unlawfully trespassed upon said premises for the purpose of hunting; that appellee's agent was unable to ascertain the names of more than the three appellants; that appellants have threatened to return in the future and use the premises in the same manner as above set forth, and appellee believes that the trespassing will continue; and that the private ownership of said property will be practically destroyed. She therefore prays that the appellants, and all others with notice, may be permanently enjoined from unlawfully using this property in the manner above indicated, and she asks for a preliminary injunction enjoining appellants from so using the same until a final hearing.
This being a temporary injunction, the only questions for our determination are: (1) Had the trial court jurisdiction to entertain the application for an injunction? And, jurisdiction appearing, (2) was the injunctional relief improvidently granted? Harding v. Corn Products Refining Co., 168 F. 658 (7 C. C. A.); Gasaway et al. v. Borderland Coal Corporation, 278 F. 56 (7 C. C. A.).
We are first met with the objection on the part of appellants which questions the jurisdiction of the lower court, in that the bill does not allege, nor does the evidence show, that the amount in controversy, exclusive of interest and costs, exceeds $3,000; and they further insist that this fact should be alleged and proved as to each appellant.
It is sufficient, to support the jurisdiction of a federal court, that the facts requisite to confer it appear in any part of the record, or are the necessary consequences of the facts stated in the pleadings or the findings of the court. Myers v. Hettinger (C. C. A.) 94 F. 370. The verified bill alleges generally that appellee is the owner of the fee simple of many hundreds of acres of valuable land, most of which consists of low or marsh lands, sloughs, and ponds and shallow lakes, and that these lands are very valuable for hunting, fishing, and trapping purposes. The matter in controversy is whether or not the public at large, which of course includes appellants, has the right to go upon and use said land at will, for the purpose of hunting, fishing, and trapping. This use, with the attendant damages to appellee's property, exceeds in value the sum of $3,000, according to the averments of the verified bill. None of the appellants has any greater or lesser right to such use of the land than do all other members of the general public. Therefore, under the issues, the entire controversy, including the value of the use, is raised by the trial of each appellant. If any appellant recovers on the theory of public use, he must do so on the theory that the public has the same right as he; and the damage to appellee by the existence of such use is the same whether the question is tried in a case where one member of the public is a defendant, or where all the members of the public are defendants. Therefore the damage to appellee, or the amount involved, is the same in each case. We think the allegation of the bill in this particular is sufficient.
Appellants further urge that the bill is not sufficient to give jurisdiction by reason of the fact that the words "amount involved" are used instead of the statutory words "amount in controversy." It seems clear to us that this is a distinction without any material difference, and we think the bill sufficient in this particular.
Appellants insist that the bill is insufficient on account of verification. The bill alleges that appellee is a resident of, and is now living in, California. It is verified by two persons, one of whom is appellee's supervising agent of the land, and the other is her tenant. Most of the alleged facts are stated to be within the personal knowledge of both affiants, and those facts which are sworn to on information and belief are specifically designated.
When the decree was first presented to the trial...
To continue reading
Request your trial
-
Avins v. Hannum
...L. Ins. Co. v. Rhoads, 119 U.S. 237, 7 S.Ct. 193, 30 L.Ed. 380; Howe v. Howe & Owen Ball Bearing Co., 8 Cir., 154 F. 820, Fidler v. Roberts, 7 Cir., 41 F.2d 305. The second error in plaintiff's jurisdictional allegation is that it does not properly plead the citizenship of the corporate def......
-
Boesenberg v. Chicago Title & Trust Co.
...the federal courts jurisdiction. That jurisdiction is tested by the value of the object sought to be gained by the suit. Fidler v. Roberts 7 Cir., 41 F.2d 305, 306; Troy Bank v. G. A. Whitehead & Co., 222 U.S. 39, 32 S.Ct. 9, 56 L.Ed. 81; Swan Island Club, Inc. v. Ansell 4 Cir., 51 F.2d 337......
-
Kelleam v. Maryland Casualty Co. of Baltimore, 2059.
...L. Ins. Co. v. Rhoads, 119 U.S. 237, 7 S.Ct. 193, 30 L.Ed. 380; Howe v. Howe & Owen Ball Bearing Co., 8 Cir., 154 F. 820; Fidler v. Roberts, 7 Cir., 41 F. 2d 305. Where a defective averment of diversity of citizenship is made in the bill of complaint, the whole record may be looked to for t......
-
McErlean v. Harvey Area Community Organization
...A single act of trespass will not be enjoined as the legal remedy is deemed to be adequate. Scholz v. Barbee, Supra; Fidler v. Roberts, 41 F.2d 305 (7th Cir. 1930). The mere belief or conclusion that a trespass will be repeated is likewise insufficient to support injunctive relief. Hope v. ......