Knight v. Creswell

Decision Date08 April 1907
Citation101 S.W. 754,82 Ark. 330
PartiesKNIGHT v. CRESWELL
CourtArkansas Supreme Court

Appeal from Ashley Chancery Court; James C. Norman, Chancellor; reversed.

Reversed and remanded.

T. E. Mears, for appellant.

1. No meritorious defense is shown, but if there was there was no showing that plaintiff had no adequate remedy at law. No application was made for a new trial, Kirby's Digest, § 4601.

2. Equity will not enjoin a judgment merely because it is void. Plaintiff must show no adequate remedy at law by appeal or certiorari or application to the court rendering the judgment or other legal manner. 58 Ark. 314; 48 Id. 510; Ib. 331; 50 Id. 458.

George W. Norman, for appellee.

1. The evidence shows a meritorious defense and was undisputed.

2. The cases cited to show that equity will not enjoin a judgment merely because it is void are not applicable. Equity will interfere against a judgment obtained without service or notice when defendant has a meritorious defense.

OPINION

MCCULLOCH, J.

This is a suit in chancery to enjoin the enforcement of the judgment of a justice of the peace in an action of replevin. The ground set forth in the complaint upon which equitable relief against the judgment is sought is that it was rendered without notice, that no summons was issued, and that the plaintiff (who was defendant in said judgment) did not appear.

The judgment of the justice of the peace was, if the allegations of the complaint be taken as true, and the defect appeared upon the face of the judgment, absolutely void, and the remedy against it is complete by certiorari. If the invalidity of the judgment did not appear on its face, then the justice of the peace who rendered it had the power to correct it, and that remedy at law was plain. Gates v. Bennett, 33 Ark. 475; Levy v. Ferguson Lbr. Co., 51 Ark. 317, 11 S.W. 284. An appeal will lie to the circuit court from a refusal of the justice to amend his record. Equity will not restrain the attempted enforcement of a void judgment where the remedy at law is complete. Shaul v. Duprey, 48 Ark. 331, 3 S.W. 366; Wingfield v. McLure, 48 Ark. 510, 3 S.W. 439.

Reversed and remanded with directions to dismiss the complaint.

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20 cases
  • Sledge-Norfleet Co. v. Matkins
    • United States
    • Arkansas Supreme Court
    • July 3, 1922
    ... ... v. Duprey, 48 Ark. 331, 3 S.W. 366; Gorman ... v. Bonner, 80 Ark. 339, 97 S.W. 282; Dale ... v. Bland, 93 Ark. 266, 124 S.W. 1026; ... Knight v. Creswell, 82 Ark. 330, 101 S.W ... 754; Wingfield v. McLure, 48 Ark. 510, 3 ... S.W. 439; Arkadelphia Lbr. Co. v. Asman, 79 ... Ark. 284, 95 ... ...
  • Warren v. Mcrae
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    • Arkansas Supreme Court
    • September 29, 1924
    ...no vacancy if there be an incumbent, even a de facto incumbent. Id; 72 Ark. 99. A judgment void on its face may be quashed on certiorari. 82 Ark. 330, and cases cited. The suggested by the appellees as the proper course to pursue in lieu of certiorari, an action for usurpation of office, wo......
  • Dale v. Bland
    • United States
    • Arkansas Supreme Court
    • January 24, 1910
    ... ... proceeding instituted for that purpose in the court in which ... it was rendered." Kirby's Digest, §§ 4431, ... 3224; Knight v. Creswell, 82 Ark. 330, 101 ... S.W. 754; Hunton v. Euper, 63 Ark. 323, 38 ... S.W. 517; Driggs' Bank v. Norwood, 49 ... Ark. 136, 4 S.W. 448 ... ...
  • Twin City Bank of North Little Rock v. J. S. McWilliams Auto Co.
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