Taylor v. Mills

Decision Date12 December 1958
Citation320 S.W.2d 111
PartiesCordelia TAYLOR et al., Appellants, v. Fannie Marsee MILLS, Appellee.
CourtUnited States State Supreme Court — District of Kentucky

J. B. Johnson, Williamsburg, E. F. Prichard, Jr., Lexington, for appellants.

John Hopkins, Hazelrigg & Cox, Frankfort, Cleon K. Calvert, Pineville, for appellee.

CLAY, Commissioner.

This is the fifth appeal arising out of a series of controversies which stem from a 1923 conveyance of a tract of land in Doe Gap. The history of this litigation may be traced through the following cases:

1. Mills v. Mills, 261 Ky. 190, 87 S.W.2d 389, decided November 7, 1935.

2. Mills v. Mills, 275 Ky. 431, 121 S.W.2d 962, decided November 1, 1938.

3. Mills v. Taylor, Ky., 249 S.W.2d 779, decided June 30, 1952.

4. Mills v. Taylor, Ky., 268 S.W.2d 412, decided April 30, 1954.

Upon the filing of the mandate following our last decision, the trial court entered judgment in conformity therewith and also included a judgment conforming to our previous opinion handed down June 30, 1952.

Appellants promptly undertook to appeal from this judgment, which complied in every respect with our mandate. They did not proceed under CR 60.02 or otherwise to have such judgment modified or vacated. Their only contention on this appeal is that the last judgment entered, although conforming to our final decision in the controversy, is in conflict or is inconsistent with our previous decisions and opinions in this litigation, and for that reason is erroneous.

Appellants present no justiciable ground that would justify our reversal of the judgment, since it conforms to our mandate and our final decision in this case. To sustain appellants' position would in effect require us to entertain and uphold a second petition for rehearing after we had directed entry of a final judgment. If this practice were permitted, no litigation could ever be terminated. We know of no precedent for it.

The final decision of this Court is the law of the case, whether right or wrong, and is conclusive of the questions therein resolved and may not be reopened and reconsidered by prosecuting an appeal from a judgment entered in conformity therewith. It is binding upon the parties, the trial court, and upon this Court. Mahoney v. Mentz's Assignee, 153 Ky. 484, 155 S.W. 1137; Bates v. City of Monticello, 173 Ky. 244, 190 S.W. 1074.

It is true that CR 60.02 may provide a remedy for attacking a judgment even after there has been a final decision with respect thereto by the Court of Appeals. This was permitted under former Civil Code of Practice Section 518, which CR 60.02...

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9 cases
  • Varney v. Taylor
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of New Mexico
    • 2 Diciembre 1968
    ...Neb. 594, 100 N.W.2d 781; Snyder v. Lincoln, 156 Neb. 190, 55 N.W.2d 614; Marshall v. Marshall, 408 P.2d 794 (Okl.1965); Taylor v. Mills, 320 S.W.2d 111 (Ky.1958); First Nat'l Bank v. Garrison, 235 Ala. 94, 177 So. 631; Sawicki v. Clemons, 411 Ill. 28, 103 N.E.2d Our opinion (77 N.M. 28, 41......
  • Com. v. Tamme
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court (Kentucky)
    • 21 Marzo 2002
    ...this Court. See Haight v. Commonwealth, Ky., 938 S.W.2d 243 (1996), citing Martin v. Frasure, Ky., 352 S.W.2d 817 (1961); Taylor v. Mills, Ky., 320 S.W.2d 111 (1958). Obviously, the law of the case doctrine is intended to prevent defendants from endlessly litigating the same issue in appeal......
  • Curry v. Farmers Livestock Market
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court (Kentucky)
    • 10 Febrero 1961
    ...motion for a temporary injunction, and a judgment was entered dismissing the complaint. Appellees now contend, citing Taylor v. Mills, Ky.1958, 320 S.W.2d 111, that in denying a temporary injunction this court in effect has decided the issues involved on the appeal, hence the appeal should ......
  • Newman v. Newman
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court (Kentucky)
    • 27 Febrero 1970
    ...may not be reopened or reconsidered again by prosecuting appeals from further proceedings in that case or other related cases. Taylor v. Mills, Ky., 320 S.W.2d 111; Copley v. Kraft, Ky., 341 S.W.2d 70. Especially should this rule be binding upon a court where title to real estate is involve......
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