Case ID: ny-super-ct_32/html/0603-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Freedman, J. Monell, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

ISABELLA HENDERSON, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. EUGENE JACKSON, Defendant and Respondent.
    
      [Decided December 3, 1870.]
    Upon appeal every presumption is in favor of the correctness of the order appealed from.
    The decision of a motion by the Special Term, upon conflicting evidence, will not be disturbed by the Appellate Court upon a disputed question of fact involved therein.
    Before Monell and Freedman, JJ.
    Appeal from an order made at Special Term, setting aside a precept issued by plaintiff to collect the costs awarded by an order of this court made at General Term.
    A demurrer by the defendant to the complaint was overruled at Special Term, and judgment ordered for plaintiff, with leave to defendant to answer over.
    From this order the defendant appealed, under section 349 of the Code, to the General Term, and the order was affirmed with costs of the appeal.
    An adjustment of costs was had, and a precept issued to collect the same.
    On defendant’s motion the precept was set aside at Special Term, and from the latter order plaintiff appealed.
    
      Mr. Henry Brewster for appellant.
    
      Mr. Roger A. Pryor for respondent.
   By the Court:

Freedman, J.

I am inclined to think that plaintiff had a right to issue a precept for the costs of the appeal only. The rule laid down in Mora v. Sun Mutual Insurance Company (13 Abb., 304; 22 How., 60), and Palmer v. Smedley (13 Abb., 185), in relation to costs of demurrer, does not apply to the costs on appeal from an order overruling a demurrer. It appears, however, that on the motion to set aside the precept there was a conflict of evidence as to the contents and terms of the precept. The affidavit of defendant’s attorney states distinctly that the costs, both at Special and General Term, were taxed and adjusted, and that the precept was issued for the costs so adjusted. This statement was denied,by plaintiff’s attorney, but neither the precept, nor a copy, was submitted.- • Upon an appeal every presumption is ■ in favor of the correctness of the order appealed from, and as the judge below may have believed the assertions of defendant’s attorney in preference to those made by the attorney for the plaintiff, his decision of the motion upon the disputed question of fact involved therein cannot be held erroneous.

The order should be affirmed, with ten dollars costs.

Monell, J.

(concurring). As another illustration of the necessity of having the precept before us that we may see what it was, it is stated in the affidavit of the defendant’s attorney that it was a “ precept or process against the defendant.” That is not denied, and for aught we know, it may have been an execution against thb person of the defendant.

The plaintiff must not complain of the result of this appeal, as he could easily have had all the necessary facts and papers before the court.

I concur in affirming the order.