Case ID: miss_41/html/0517-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Ellbtt, J.,", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Wesley Drane v. Richard Winter et al.
    
    1. Chancery practice : injunction : for what cause dissolved : AFTER DISSOLUTION OF INJUNCTION WHEN BILL DISMISSED OF COURSE. —Injunctions may be dissolved for want of equity on tbe face of tbe bill, without answer, or upon answer denying tbe equity of tbe bill; in either.case, tbe bill cannot be dismissed until tbe last day of tbe next succeeding term of tbe court. Tbe complainant, is entitled to this time to take testimony in support of bis bill, and to make application to reinstate his injunction, and if be fails to show cause, tbe bill is dismissed of course.
    2. Same: bill not dismissed on motiom to dissolve injunction.— On a mere motion to dissolve an injunction on an answer denying tbe facts upon which complainant’s equity depends, it is improper to dismiss tbe bill.
    Appeal from the Chancery Court of Madison county. ' lion. J. A. P. Campbell, chancellor.
    
      Drane filed bis bill of complaint for tbe purposes of enjoining tbe sale of certain lands under a trust deed executed by Drane to Winter, to secure tbe payment of a loan of money from Mary R. Fort. Tbe bill states tbe loan of tbe money .by tbe agent of Mary R. Fort, tbe execution of tbe trust deed to secure its payment, and charges that in 1866 it was agreed that, if be would pay tbe interest on tbe loan, tbe land, wbicb embraced his homestead, should not be sold, but that be might cultivate the same. That, relying on these representations, be bad incurred expense and borrowed money for tbe purpose of cultivating tbe ' lands conveyed in trust. That Winter, tbe trustee, bad advertised tbe lands for sale. Tbe prayer is for an injunction to restrain Winter and Mary R. Fort from selling tbe lands until tbe completion of tbe crop. An injunction was granted as prayed for.
    Winter and tbe executor of Mary R. Fort, who died after tbe filing of the bill, answered, denying tbe statements of tbe bill in reference to tbe agreement not to sell tbe land until Drane bad completed bis crop. Tbe answer is sworn to by Winter alone.
    A motion was made to dissolve tbe injunction. Tbe motion being beard, tbe chancellor decreed that tbe injunction be dissolved and tbe bill dismissed.
    From this decree an appeal is taken to this court, and tbe error assigned is tbe action of the court in dismissing tbe bill at the same term at wbicb tbe injunction was dissolved.
    
      A. P. Sill for appellant.
    ■ Sudson, Sye, & Foote for appellees.
   Ellbtt, J.,

delivered tbe opinion of the court.

Tbe answer of Winter, one of tbe defendants, was filed September 26, 1866, and a motion entered on tbe same day to dissolve tbe injunction on bill, answer, and exhibits filed. Tbe answer purports to be tbe joint answer of Winter, and of Ricbs, administrator of Mary R. Fort, but is not sworn to by Richs, who was the representative of the’ only party having any interest in the cause ; Winter being only a trustee in a deed of trust. On the 20th of October, 1866, the motion was heard, and after ordering the injunction to be dissolved, the court proceeded to decree that the bill be dismissed.

The propriety of dissolving the injunction under the circumstances is not brought in question by the assignment of errors, but it is insisted that it was error to dismiss the bill.

It was certainly erroneous to dismiss the bill on a mere motion to dissolve the injunction on an answer denying the facts upon- which the equity of the complainant depends. Parties are in all cases entitled to five months for taking depositions after answer filed, unless the complainant will admit the answer to be true. Rev. Code, 554, art. 89.

Injunctions may be dissolved for want of equity on the face of the bill, without answer, or upon answer denying the equity of the bill; but in either of these cases the bill cannot be dismissed until the last 'day of the next succeeding term of the court. Rev. Code, 551, art. 69. The complainant is entitled to this time to taire testimony in support of his bill, and to make application to reinstate his injunction. If he fails to show cause to the contrary, his bill then stands dismissed, of course, and it is the duty of the clerk to make such entry.

It is urged, on the other side, that there was really no equity on the face of the bill, or, if there was, it has now ceased to have any existence by lapse of time, and that as the plaintiff’ in error has therefore sustained no injury by the dismission of his bill, the court ought not to reverse the decree. And the case of Simple v. McGallagan, 10 S. & M. 98, is cited and relied upon.

It would have to be a very clear case that the complainant could by no possibility suffer any prejudice from the error, in order to justify the court in refusing to reverse when the error itself is palpable. In this case we are by no means satisfied that the complainant was n ot entitled to relief on the case made by his bill, and even if his equity has ceased to exist, as was insisted at the bar, he might still be entitled to recover costs.

We think, therefore, that the decree dismissing the bill should be reversed, and tbe cause remanded for. further proceedings.-