Ward v. Tanner

Decision Date30 June 1872
Citation1872 WL 8235,63 Ill. 519
CourtIllinois Supreme Court
PartiesKIMBALL & WARDv.ZENAS TANNER.

OPINION TEXT STARTS HERE

APPEAL from the Circuit Court of Massac county; the Hon. DAVID J. BAKER, Judge, presiding.

This was an action upon a contract against two defendants, both of whom were served with process. The irregularity in the judgment is set forth in the opinion of the court.

Messrs. ARMSTRONG & THOMAS, and Messrs. GREEN & GILBERT, for the appellants.

Mr. T. B. TANNER, for the appellee.

Mr. JUSTICE THORNTON delivered the opinion of the Court:

Both defendants, in the court below, were served, but only one pleaded. The plea was the general issue.

Upon issue joined, a trial was had before the court by consent, and judgment was formally rendered against one defendant, without any notice of the other. A motion for a new trial was then made.

After that motion the court ordered the other defendant to be called, and entered his default and assessed the damages against him, and then overruled the motion for a new trial, and rendered judgment against both defendants.

This proceeding was, beyond any question, irregular. The default of the defendant who had filed no plea should have been entered before the rendition of the judgment against his co-defendant, and then upon the trial judgment should have been entered against both in the first place. So far as indicated by the pleadings, the contract was indivisible, and the judgment should have been against both defendants or neither of them. Faulk v. Kellums, 54 Ill. 188.

The defendant who had pleaded was entitled to the benefit of the error committed, and a new trial should have been awarded.

The judgment is erroneous as to the defendant who had pleaded. As it is an entirety, it must be reversed or affirmed in toto. There can not be a reversal as to one, and an affirmance as to the other. Cruikshank v. Gardner, 2 Hill, 333; Sheldon v. Quinlen, 5 Hill, 441.

The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

Judgment reversed.

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5 cases
  • Jansen v. Grimshaw
    • United States
    • Illinois Supreme Court
    • 15 Junio 1888
    ...Ill. 84;Byers v. Bank, 85 Ill. 423;Felsenthal v. Durand, 86 Ill. 230;Faulk v. Kellums, 54 Ill. 188;Goodale v. Cooper, 6 Bradw. 81;Kimball v. Tanner, 63 Ill. 519. Even where the obligation is both joint and several, if the defendants are sued jointly, the rule as to joint contracts will gove......
  • Hartley v. Lybarger
    • United States
    • United States Appellate Court of Illinois
    • 31 Diciembre 1878
    ... ... 36; Tolman v. Spalding, 3 Scam. 13; Frink v. Jones, 4 Scam, 170; Wight v. Meredith, 4 Scam. 360; Faulk v. Kellums, 54 Ill. 189; Kimball v. Tanner, 63 Ill. 519.Defendant should have relied upon his personal defense alone: Tolman v. Spalding, 3 Scam. 13; Tidd's Pr. 682; 3 Cowen, 374; 1 Chit. Pl ... ...
  • Goodale v. Cooper
    • United States
    • United States Appellate Court of Illinois
    • 28 Febrero 1880
    ... ... 81] APPEAL from the Circuit Court of Jefferson county; the Hon. C. S. CONGER, Judge, presiding. Opinion filed April 2, 1880.Messrs. TANNER & WILBANKS, for appellant; that the judgment should be against all the defendants, cited Gribbin v. Thompson, 28 Ill. 61; Faulk v. Kellums, 54 Ill. 89; Kimball v. Ward, 63 Ill. 519.Messrs. GREEN & CARPENTER, for appellees; cited Rev. Stat. 1874, 643; Bowden v. Bowden, 75 Ill. 143.WALL, J.This was a suit before a ... ...
  • Bissell v. Cushman
    • United States
    • Colorado Supreme Court
    • 1 Diciembre 1879
    ... ... disposing of the case as to the others. Faulk v ... Kellums, 54 Ill. 191; Kimball & Ward v. Tanner, ... 63 Ill. 519; Dow v. Rattle, 12 Ill. 373; ... Streeter et al. v. Marshall S. M. Co. et al. 4 Col ... A rule ... to plead ... ...
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