Case Title: Cummins v. Albany County Credit & Collection Bureau, Inc

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: wyoming

Court: Wyoming Supreme Court

Date: 1991-12-13T00:00:00Z

Document:
Cummins v. Albany County Credit & Collection Bureau, Inc1991 WY 164821 P.2d 1296Case Number: 91-75Decided: 12/13/1991Supreme Court of Wyoming
SARAH 
ALTON CUMMINS, 
APPELLANT (DEFENDANT),

v.

ALBANY 
COUNTY CREDIT & COLLECTION BUREAU, INC., A WYOMING CORPORATION, APPELLEE 
(PLAINTIFF).

Appeal from the District Court, AlbanyCounty, Arthur T. Hanscum, 
J.

 Sarah 
Alton Cummins, pro 
se.

Paul 
D. Schierer, Pence and MacMillan, Laramie, for appellee.

Before URBIGKIT, C.J., THOMAS and MACY, 
JJ., and ROONEY and BROWN, JJ. (Retired).

ROONEY, 
Justice, Retired.

 [¶1.]     Appellant appeals from 
a judgment entered February 25, 1991, against appellant "jointly and severally 
with the Judgment previously entered against" appellant's husband.1 She words the issue on appeal: "Can 
a spouse be held responsible for the payment of a debt incurred solely by the 
other spouse?" She argues that, under the circumstances of this case, she is not 
responsible for the debt.

 [¶2.]     We 
affirm.

 [¶3.]     As noted by appellee, 
neither this court nor the district court need consider this issue inasmuch as 
the appellant, through counsel, stipulated to the entry of the judgment against 
her. The November 26, 1990 judgment against appellant's husband recited in 
part:

"Plaintiff 
and Defendant Sarah A. Cummins have stipulated to an agreement which the Court 
approves, wherein Judgment will be entered against Defendant George Coury 
Cummins and execution may be had thereon. On or about January 15, 1991, 
Plaintiff has the right to proceed against Sarah A. Cummins for any deficiency 
balance remaining due on the accounts in Plaintiff's Complaint, by motion and 
affidavit. Any Judgment entered against Sarah A. Cummins as a result of this 
conditional ruling shall be joint and several with George Coury 
Cummins."

 [¶4.]     The judgment from which 
this appeal is taken recites that the matter came before the court upon a motion 
"pursuant to a Stipulation of the parties previously" made.2

 [¶5.]     Stipulations are 
favored by courts. Beard v. Beard, 
368 P.2d 953, 955 (Wyo. 1962); 83 C.J.S. Stipulations § 2 (1953). See Bard Ranch, Inc. v. Weber, 538 P.2d 24, 31 (Wyo. 
1975) (citations omitted) stating that "[t]he parties are bound by the 
stipulation of facts just as they are bound by admissions in 
pleadings."

"The 
parties may stipulate to extend the time for rendition of judgment, as to the 
character of the judgment or order to be entered, and various other matters in 
connection with judgment or execution, but they cannot stipulate as to the 
meaning or effect of the judgment."

83 
C.J.S. Stipulations § 
10(f)(12).

 [¶6.]     Appellant does not 
dispute the fact that the stipulation was made in open court or that it was 
other than as recited in the November 26, 1990 judgment.

 [¶7.]     Both the district court 
and this court are bound by, and must enforce, the stipulation made in this 
case.

 [¶8.]     
Affirmed.

FOOTNOTES

1 Appellee instituted this action 
against both appellant and her husband for payment of medical bills incurred for 
medical treatment and services rendered to the husband subsequent to a time at 
which appellant and her husband were separated in 1982, but not divorced. The 
account was turned over to appellee for collection. On November 26, 1990, a 
summary judgment was entered against appellant's husband.

2 About a month after the January 15, 
1991 date contained in the judgment against appellant's husband, appellee filed 
and served a motion for entry of judgment against appellant. It was supported by 
affidavit reciting non-payment by husband. The motion was not contested and the 
judgment against appellant was entered.