Savage v. Salzmann

• Decision Date: 30 March 1972
• Docket Number: No. 6672,6672
• Citation: Savage v. Salzmann, 495 P.2d 367, 88 Nev. 193 (Nev. 1972)
• Parties: Dorothy SAVAGE a/k/a Dorothy Reinders and Dorothy Mecum, Appellant, v. Albert M. SALZMANN and Elsie K. Givens, co-administratrices of the Estate of Bernard Henry Teuscher, Deceased, Respondents.
• Court: Nevada Supreme Court

Page 367

495 P.2d 367

88 Nev. 193

Dorothy SAVAGE a/k/a Dorothy Reinders and Dorothy Mecum, Appellant, v. Albert M. SALZMANN and Elsie K. Givens, co-administratrices of the Estate of Bernard Henry Teuscher, Deceased Respondents.

No. 6672.

Supreme Court of Nevada.

March 30, 1972.

[88 Nev. 194] Samuel B. Francovich, and Byron K. Meredith, Reno, for appellant.

Laub, Clark, Puzey & Lane and Dennis R. Haney, Reno, for respondents.

OPINION

PER CURIAM:

On January 22, 1969, respondents Salzmann and Givens, co-administratrices of the Estate of Bernard Henry Teuscher, obtained a default judgment in a separate action against appellant Savage. On May 19, 1970, appellant filed suit to set aside that default judgment. Her complaint alleged that it was filed pursuant to NRCP 60(b) which provides that an independent action may be brought to set aside a judgment for fraud upon the court. The complaint further alleges that 'prior to the entry of said default judgment the parties hereto had entered into an oral agreement which, if observed, would have obviated the judgment.' It was also alleged that the oral agreement had operated to lull the plaintiff into inactivity so that some unconscionable advantage would be gained by respondents. No particular facts were pleaded.

Respondents moved to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that the default judgment obtained in the prior action operated as res judicata and that plaintiff was estopped from raising her contentions since she had failed to act within six months following the entry of the original default judgment. The lower court entered judgment dismissing appellant's action with prejudice. The sole issue raised on appeal is whether the lower court erred in rendering its judgment of dismissal with prejudice.

NRCP 60(b) expressly states that it does not 'limit the power of a court to entertain an independent action to relieve a party from a judgment, order, or proceeding, or to set aside a judgment for fraud upon the court.' The purpose of this part of the rule is to afford relief upon proof of extrinsic fraud, and the normal six month limitation of Rule 60(b) has no application. Manville v. Manville, 79 Nev. 487, 387 P.2d 661 (1963). Relief from intrinsic fraud, under NRCP 60(b), must be sought not later than six months after the decree was entered.

Extrinsic fraud is defined as fraud by reason of which "there was, in fact, no adversary trial or decision of the issue in the case'; where 'there has never been a real contest in the trial or hearing of the case." Villalon v. Bowen, 70 Nev. 456, 469, 273 P.2d 409, 415 (1954), citing United States v. Throckmorton, 98 U.S. 61, 25 L.Ed.2d 93 (1878). 'Extrinsic fraud has been held to exist when the unsuccessful party is kept away from the court by a false promise of compromise, or such conduct as prevents a real trial upon the issues involved, or any other act or omission which procures the absence of the unsuccessful party at the trial. Further, it consists of fraud by the other party to the suit which prevents the losing party either from knowing about his...