Ohio Casualty Ins. Co. v. Gordon, 1602

• Decision Date: 13 April 1938
• Docket Number: 1603.,No. 1602,1602
• Citation: Ohio Casualty Ins. Co. v. Gordon, 95 F.2d 605 (10th Cir. 1938)
• Parties: OHIO CASUALTY INS. CO. v. GORDON et al. GORDON et al. v. OHIO CASUALTY INS. CO.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Tenth Circuit

95 F.2d 605 (1938)

OHIO CASUALTY INS. CO. v. GORDON et al.

GORDON et al. v. OHIO CASUALTY INS. CO.

Nos. 1602, 1603.

Circuit Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.

March 28, 1938.

Petition for Rehearing Withdrawn April 13, 1938.

Raymond G. Brown, of Oklahoma City, Okl. (Hal Crouch, of Tulsa, Okl., on the brief), for Ohio Casualty Ins. Co.

C. A. Ambrister, of Muskogee, Okl. (Cannon B. McMahan, of Okmulgee, Okl., on the brief), for Eugene Gordon and E. F. Strain.

Before LEWIS, PHILLIPS, and BRATTON, Circuit Judges.

PHILLIPS, Circuit Judge.

On May 24, 1933, The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company issued its policy of automobile liability insurance to E. F. Strain.

The policy is the usual automobile liability insurance policy. It obligates the Insurance Company, subject to certain limitations and conditions, to investigate all accidents covered by the policy, to provide a defense in the event of suit against Strain, and to pay any judgment recovered against him for the negligent operation of the vehicle up to $5,000.00 for injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and up to $10,000.00 for injuries to or death of two or more persons in any one accident.

The vehicle covered by the policy was a one and a half ton Chevrolet truck. The policy contained a provision expressly limiting the coverage so as to exclude therefrom any loss occurring while the insured vehicle "is being operated or used: (1) for towing or propelling any trailer or other vehicle."

On February 28, 1934, in the town of Beggs, Oklahoma, the truck, while being operated by Strain, struck and injured W. E. Gordon and Deuce Mabrey. On March 8, 1934, Strain made a written report of the accident to the Insurance Company, verified by his affidavit, in which he stated that at the time of the accident a four-wheel trailer was attached to the truck by a coupling pin and two chains. On April 13, 1934, Gordon made a statement to the Insurance Company in which he stated that there was a trailer attached to the truck at the time it struck him.

In April, 1934, the Insurance Company notified Strain that the policy did not cover the vehicle while it was being used for towing or propelling any trailer; that it disclaimed liability; and that it would not defend claims arising out of the accident.

On April 2, 1934, Mabrey commenced an action against Strain in the district court of Creek County, Oklahoma, to recover damages for personal injuries suffered as a result of the accident, and on May 25, 1934, obtained a default judgment against Strain for $7,000.00. Execution was issued thereon and returned unsatisfied. Mabrey then filed an affidavit for garnishment under sections 500, 501, and 502, O.S. 1931, 12 Okl.St.Ann. §§ 863-865,¹ in the district court of Creek County, Oklahoma, naming the Insurance Company as garnishee.

The Insurance Company answered in the garnishment proceeding denying liability on the ground that the vehicle was being used to tow and propel a trailer at the time of the accident and was, therefore, not within the coverage of the policy. The state court found the issues in favor of Mabrey and awarded Mabrey judgment for $5,000.00 against the Insurance Company.

On appeal therefrom the Supreme Court handed down an opinion in which it held there was some competent evidence to sustain the finding that no trailer was attached to the vehicle at the time of the accident. While a motion for rehearing was pending a settlement was made with Mabrey and the Supreme Court then withdrew its opinion and the appeal was dismissed.

On June 15, 1934, Gordon brought a suit in the district court of Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, against Strain to recover damages for personal injuries suffered as a result of the accident and on June 28, 1934, recovered a default judgment against Strain for $17,000.00. Gordon did not file a garnishment proceeding.

On March 2, 1936, the Insurance Company brought this suit under the federal Declaratory Judgment Act, Jud.Code, § 274d, as amended, 28 U.S.C.A. § 400, to have determined its liability to Strain and Gordon. In its bill of complaint the Insurance Company alleged that at the time of the accident the vehicle was being used for towing and propelling a trailer and, therefore, was not within the coverage of the policy. In his response and cross-complaint Strain alleged violation of the terms of the policy by the Insurance Company and the conclusiveness of the judgment in the garnishment suit under the doctrine of res judicata, and prayed judgment against the Insurance Company for $17,000.00. In his response and cross-complaint Gordon also prayed judgment for $17,000.00.

At the trial Strain testified that the Insurance Company advised him it would not defend the suits of Gordon and Mabrey; that both suits could have been settled within the limits of liability fixed in the policy; that he testified as a witness in the garnishment proceeding; that the trailer was attached to the truck by a couple of chains and a pin; that he did not know whether it was attached at the time of the accident; that he found the pin 50 yards south and the trailer north of the place of the accident; that the trailer might have come off after the accident or as a part of the accident; and that he did not know when it came off.

Gordon testified that he offered to settle the suit with Strain for less than $5,000.00; that he testified in the garnishment proceeding; that he signed a prepared statement but did not state that a trailer was attached to the truck at the time of the accident.

Mrs. Herbert Garrett, sister of Mabrey, testified that the truck did not have a trailer attached to it at the time of the accident. On cross-examination she testified:

"That she never saw any trailer.

"That some time after the accident she did see a trailer.

"That it was in front of the Burial Home and this is north of the point of the accident.

"That the truck was going north.

"That she don't know how the trailer happened to be north of the place of the accident."

Mabrey testified that he did not see any trailer attached to the truck at the time of the accident, and that he saw the truck a fraction of a second before the accident occurred.

Lancaster, a constable at Beggs, testified that he found the trailer 60 or 70 feet north of the place of the accident.

The report of Strain and the statement of Gordon adverted to above were introduced in evidence.

The trial court found that the truck was being used to tow and propel a trailer at the time of the accident; that the Insurance Company acted in good faith in denying liability and refusing to defend under the policy; and that Strain did not act in good faith.

It held, however, that on the issue of whether the vehicle was within the coverage of the policy at the time of the accident, the Insurance Company was concluded by the judgment in the garnishment proceeding under the doctrine of res judicata, and that the Insurance Company was liable to Strain and Gordon in the sum of $5,000.00. It rendered its decree accordingly. From such decree the Insurance Company has prosecuted its appeal and Gordon and Strain their cross-appeal.

In Davidson v. Finley, 96 Okl. 291, 222 P. 678, 680, the court quoted with approval from 28 C.J. 33, as follows:

"There is a distinct kind of garnishment, known as garnishment upon judgment or in aid of execution, in which the judgment is the direct basis of the writ, and which issues upon the judgment in somewhat the same manner as an execution and in immediate aid or in lieu thereof."

In Cook v. First National Bank of Pawhuska, 145 Okl. 5, 291 P. 43, the court held that in a garnishment proceeding after judgment, the judgment creditor is substituted for the judgment debtor in the enforcement of the claim against the garnishee.

The provisions of the Oklahoma statutes upon attachment and garnishment are found in chapter 3, article 2, sections 597-664, vol. 1, O.S.1931, 12 Okl.St.Ann. §§ 752-754, 891-896, 1151 et seq., 1221 et seq.

Section 624 of chapter 3, article 2, 12 Okl.St.Ann. § 1181, provides that the defendant may in all cases by answer duly verified defend the proceedings against any garnishee upon the ground that the indebtedness of the garnishee or any property held by him is exempt from execution against such defendant, or for any other reason is not liable to garnishment, or upon any ground upon which a garnishee might defend the same, "and may participate in the trial of any issue between the plaintiff and garnishee for the protection of his interests."

Section 625 of chapter 3, article 2, 12 Okl.St.Ann. § 1182, provides that the proceeding against a garnishee shall be deemed an action by the plaintiff against garnishee and defendant as parties defendant and all the provisions for enforcing judgments shall be applicable thereto; that when the garnishment is not in aid of execution no trial shall be had of the garnishment action until the plaintiff shall have judgment in the principal action, and that the court shall render such judgment in all cases as shall be just to all the parties and properly protect their respective interests.

In the case of Mason v. Miller, 54 Okl. 46, 153 P. 187, the court in a garnishment proceeding commenced after and in aid of judgment held that the defendant, in order to protect his interests, might participate in the trial of any issue between the plaintiff and the garnishee by virtue of the provisions of section 624, supra.

While Strain did not file any pleading in the garnishment proceeding and was formally a party defendant to the proceeding, nevertheless under section 624, supra, he had the right to participate in the trial of the issue raised between Mabrey and the Insurance Company and to undertake to establish the latter's liability under the policy; and under section 625, supra, it was the duty of the court to render such judgment as would properly protect Strain's interests.

Parties to a judgment are not bound by it in a...