Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/198/144/
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 06:18:16+00:00

Document:
Service of a writ, in Ohio, upon a party who came into the state for the purpose of being present at the taking of a deposition, which was taken according to the notice, if it would have been good otherwise, is not made bad by the fact that the notice was given for the sole purpose of inducing the party to come into the state. Refusal by the court of the other state to treat the judgment based on such service as binding is a failure to give it due faith and credit as required by Article IV, § 1, of the Constitution of the United States.
66 Ohio St. 661, but the defendant alleges that, at that time, he had not discovered what he styles the fraud perpetrated upon him. There was a general demurrer to this answer, which was overruled, and judgment was given for the defendant. This judgment was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nebraska, 94 N.W. 995, and thereupon the case was brought here on the ground that due faith and credit had not been given to the Ohio record, as required by Art IV, § 1, of the Constitution of the United States. Huntington v. Attrill, 146 U. S. 657; Jacobs v. Marks, 182 U. S. 583.
The Supreme Court of Nebraska affirmed the judgment on the ground that, in that state, the distinction between actions at law and suits in equity had been abolished, that the decision in Christmas v. Russell, 5 Wall. 290, was limited to legal defenses, 72 U. S. 5 Wall. 304, 72 U. S. 306, and that fraud would have been an equitable defense to the judgment in Ohio, and therefore was in Nebraska. We take up the question on this footing without stopping to discuss the premises, which we find it unnecessary to do, and we will assume that, on general demurrer, a plea that the judgment was obtained by fraud would be a good equitable plea. See 72 U. S. 5 Wall. 303.
It is assumed that the service of the writ in Ohio would have been good but for the alleged fraud. Smythe v. Banks, 4 Dall. 329 [omitted]; Chaffee v. Jones, 19 Pick. 260. That point must have been decided by the Ohio courts. Moreover, the facts constituting the fraud are set forth and gain no new force from the vituperative epithet. If the inducement to enter the State of Ohio furnished by the notice to take a deposition there was made fraudulent by the motive with which the notice was given, then there was fraud; otherwise there was not. On the face of the answer, fraud is simply the pleader's conclusion from the specific facts. The question is whether the motive alleged can have the effect supposed.
It will be observed that there was no misrepresentation, express or implied, with regard to anything, even the motives of the plaintiff. The parties were at arm's length.
did not say or imply that he had one motive, rather than another. He simply did a lawful act by all the powers enabling him to do it, and that was all. Therefore, the word "fraud" may be discarded as inappropriate. The question is whether the service of a writ, otherwise lawful, becomes unlawful because the hope for a chance to make it was the sole motive for other acts tending to create the chance, which other acts would themselves have been lawful but for that hope. We assume that motives may make a difference in liability. But the usual cases where they have been held to do so have been cases where the immediate and expected effect of the act done was to inflict damage, and where, therefore, as a matter of substantive law, if not of pleading, the act was thought to need a justification, see Aikens v. Wisconsin, 195 U. S. 194, 195 U. S. 204, or else where the intent was to do a further and unlawful act to which the act done was the means. Swift v. United States, 196 U. S. 375, 196 U. S. 396.
two acts, and do the first because he hoped it would give him a chance to do the last.
MR. JUSTICE McKENNA and MR. JUSTICE DAY concur in the result.

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