Lee v. Summers

• Decision Date: 19 November 1912
• Citation: 130 P. 268,36 Okla. 784,1912 OK 730
• Parties: LEE ET AL. v. SUMMERS ET AL.
• Court: Oklahoma Supreme Court

130 P. 268

36 Okla. 784, 1912 OK 730

LEE ET AL. v. SUMMERS ET AL.

Supreme Court of Oklahoma

November 19, 1912

On Rehearing, February 11, 1913.

Syllabus by the Court.

The filing of a useless and unauthorized motion in a case will not operate to prevent the running of the time in which an appeal must be perfected.

Where appellant fails to assign in his petition in error the overruling of a motion for a new trial, no question that seeks to have reviewed errors alleged to have occurred during the progress of the trial in the court below is properly presented to this court, and such cannot be reviewed. Meyer v. James, 29 Okl. 7, 115 P. 1016.

Commissioners' Opinion, Division No. 1. Error from District Court, Muskogee County; John H. King, Judge.

Action by R. C. Summers against A. J. Lee and Ralph Dresback. Abe Morrison intervened. Judgment for plaintiff, and defendants bring error. On death of plaintiff pending appeal E. H Summers and others were substituted for defendants in error. Dismissed.

Samuel E. Gidney and Merritt Eslick, both of Muskogee, for plaintiffs in error.

N. A Gibson, H. C. Thurman, and T. L. Gibson, all of Muskogee, for defendants in error.

ROBERTSON C.

Since the filing of this appeal in this court the defendant in error has died, and the proper parties, by consent of court have stipulated that the cause shall be revived in the name of E. Helen Summers, administratrix, and E. Helen Summers Lloyd Summers, and Curtis Summers, sole heirs of R. C. Summers, deceased, as defendants in error.

This action in equity was begun in the United States Court for the Western District of the Indian Territory, sitting at Muskogee, on February 24, 1906, by R. C. Summers, against A J. Lee and Ralph Dresback to recover title and possession of certain real estate then within the jurisdiction of said court. Later one Abe Morrison intervened and set up some claim of title to the land in controversy, and was made a party defendant. On the advent of statehood the case was, by operation of law, transferred to the district court of Muskogee county, where, on November 26, 1909, a judgment was entered in favor of plaintiff and against defendants. On November 27, 1909, defendants filed a motion demanding a new trial as a matter of right; also the usual motion for a new trial, setting up various statutory grounds; and also a motion to vacate the judgment for the reason that the trial court, under the provisions of the Enabling Act, was wholly without jurisdiction of the subject-matter of the controversy. These various motions were passed by the court until January 29, 1910, when they were each overruled and denied. The motion to vacate the judgment was heard on an agreed statement of facts. Counsel for defendant in error object to the consideration of this appeal, for the reason that this court has no jurisdiction, and in support of this objection show that the suit being one in equity, under the law of Arkansas, in force at the time the action was commenced, no motion for a new trial was necessary, and hence the appeal in this case, not being completed in the time and manner required by the Oklahoma law governing appeals, must be dismissed. It will be remembered that the judgment having been entered on November 26, 1909, the case-made should have been served within three days from that date, or within the time allowed by proper order of the court for that purpose, in case a motion for a new trial was necessary. The case-made was not served within three days from November 26, 1909, and no extension of time was asked for that purpose until January 29, 1910. It is difficult to understand the position of counsel for plaintiff in error in this behalf. Evidently they thought a motion for a new trial was necessary, else they would have filed none, and yet, after filing it, they do not predicate error in the overruling of the same by the trial court, for the petition in error does not contain an assignment of error, direct or otherwise, based on the overruling of the motion for a new trial. No objection to the action and ruling...