Ledbetter v. Embree

• Decision Date: 28 May 1895
• Citation: 12 Ind.App. 617,40 N.E. 928
• Court: Indiana Appellate Court
• Parties: LEDBETTER v. EMBREE.

12 Ind.App. 617

40 N.E. 928

LEDBETTER

v.EMBREE.

Appellate Court of Indiana.

May 28, 1895.

Appeal from circuit court, Grant county; E. A. Huffman, Special Judge.

Action of replevin by Abigail Ledbetter against Silas Embree. From a judgment for defendant, plaintiff appeals. Reversed.

Brownlee & Baker, for appellant. Brownlee & Paulus, for appellee.

GAVIN, J.

The only questions presented for our determination arise upon the exceptions to the conclusions of law upon the special finding of facts. Appellant, in a former action of replevin against a sheriff, obtained a verdict that she was the owner and entitled to the possession of certain personal property, including that which she seeks in this action, of the value of $300. For some reason not disclosed, the court rendered judgment simply for the value of the property, and not for its return, although there appears no objection to this judgment. Appellant had not given any bond, and the property had, during the pendency of that action, remained in the sheriff's hands. After the rendition of that judgment, he sold the property at sheriff's sale to a purchaser who was ignorant of appellant's claim. This purchaser sold and delivered certain of the property to appellee, who also purchased with no knowledge of her claim. The judgment has not been paid. Appellant brought this suit to recover the property from appellee.

It is urged by counsel for the appellee that, by taking judgment for the value of the property, appellant must be deemed to have abandoned the title to the property, which thereby passed to the sheriff, whose sale transferred to the purchaser a lawful right thereto. With this contention we cannot agree. When the owner pursues a wrongful taker of his property by suit for damages, and recovers judgment, and obtains satisfaction of such judgment, then, indeed, he can no longer assert a claim to the property. Plain principles of justice and equity forbid his obtaining both compensation and the property. It is not, however, the recovery of the judgment, but its satisfaction, which produces this result. The wrongdoer who holds the property of another without right is in no position to claim title thereto until he has actually satisfied the owner. The owner's election to pursue the wrongdoer for the value becomes final and irrevocable, so as to transfer the title, when he has obtained compensation therefor. Miller v. Hyde (Mass.) 37 N. E. 760;Turner v. Brock, 6 Heisk. 50; Atwater v. Tupper, 45 Conn. 144; Smith v. Smith, 51 N. H. 571;Hyde v. Noble, 13 N. H. 494;Lovejoy v. Murray, 3 Wall. 1; Ex parte Drake, 5 Ch. Div. 866; 1 Greenl. Ev. § 533, and notes; Morris, Repl. 238; 2 Kent, Comm. 388. In Cobbey on Replevin (section 1174), the law is thus laid down: “An unsatisfied judgment in replevin is no bar to another suit in replevin for the same property against another defendant, whether the second d...