Case Name: McCANN v. BURNS
Court: Oregon Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Oregon
Decision Date: 1914-09-29
Citations: 73 Or. 167
Docket Number: 
Parties: McCANN v. BURNS.
Judges: Mr. Justice Moore, Mr. Justice Burnett and Mr. Justice Ramsey concur.
Reporter: Oregon Reports
Volume: 73
Pages: 167–178

Head Matter:
Motion to dismiss appeal overruled December 2, 1913.
Argued on the merits July 21,
reversed September 29, 1914.
Motion to strike out the amended bill of exceptions allowed September 15, 1914.
Rehearing denied November 24, 1914.
McCANN v. BURNS.
(136 Pac. 659; 143 Pac. 1099; 143 Pac. 916; 143 Pac. 1100.)
ON MOTION TO DISMISS.
Appeal and Error — Time for Taking Appeal — Death of Party.
1. Section 38, L. O. L., provides that no action shall abate by the death of a party if the cause of action survive, and in case of death the court may within a year allow the action to be continued by or against the personal representatives. Section 550, subdivision 5, as amended by Laws of 1913, page 618, limits the time for appeal to the Supreme Court to 60 days, but extends the time where the right of appeal existed at the taking effect of the aet (June 3, 1913) 60 days from that date. A plaintiff obtained judgment January 29, 1913, and died February 12, 1913. On September 22, 1913, the court made an order substituting the executor as plaintiff. Held, that defendant had'60 days from the order of substitution within which to appeal.
Appeal and Earror — “Right.”
2. In Section 550, subdivision 5, L. O. L., as amended by Laws of 1913, page 618, limiting the time for appeal to the Supreme Court to 60 days, but extending the time where the right of appeal existed at the taking effect of the aet to 60 days from such taking effect, the word “right” means a privilege, that is, a prerogative to take an appeal, and such right does not exist between the' death of a party and an order for the substitution of personal representatives as parties.
ON MOTION TO STRIKE.
Appeal and Error — Record—Amendment and Correction — Bill of Exceptions.
3. After argument of a case on appeal, an amended bill of exceptions, allowe'd on the ex parte application of the appellant, and raising new questions, not raised by the original bill of exceptions, will be stricken out on motion.
ON THE MERITS.
Husband and Wife — Alienation of Affections — Actions—Evidence.
4. In an action by a wife for the alienation of the affections of her husband, evidence held insufficient to support a verdict for plaintiff, so that a nonsuit should have been granted.
[As to a wife’s right to sue for alienation of her husband’s affections, see notes in 28 Am. St. Rep. 217; 46 Am. St. Rep. 472.]
From Multnomah: William N. Gatens, Judge.
This is an action commenced by Margaret Burns against H. C. Burns and Mary L. Burns. On the death of plaintiff, her executor, D. R. McCann, was substituted as plaintiff. From a judgment for plaintiff, defendants appeal. The facts are fully set forth in the opinion of the court on the merits. Respondent moves to dismiss the appeal.
Motion Denied.
Messrs. Moser & McCue, Mr. William A. Williams, Mr. Marion B. Meacham and Mr. B. A. Kliks, for the motion.
Messrs. Littlefield & Smith and Messrs. McCain, Vinton & Burdett, contra.

Opinion:
Mr. Justice McNary
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is a motion to dismiss an appeal for the reason the same was not taken within 60 days from June 3, 1913. The facts giving force -to the motion are these: On January 29, 1913, Margaret Burns obtained a judgment against appellants in the Circuit Court for Multnomah County, Oregon. On February 12, 1913, she died. On September 22, 1913, upon the application of D. R. McCann, executor of the last will of decedent, the Circuit Court made an order substituting McCann as plaintiff. On September 25, 1913, appellants caused a notice of and undertaking on appeal to be served on the substituted plaintiff.
Section 38, L. O. L., reads: "No action shall abate by the death, marriage, or other disability of a party, or by the transfer of any interest therein, if the cause of action survive or continue. In case of the death, marriage, or other disability of a party, the court may, at any time within one year thereafter, on motion, allow the action to be continued by or against his personal representatives or successors in interest." In considering that statutory provision, this court has held that a suit or action is held in abeyance during the time intervening between the death of the party and the order allowing his representatives to continue the proceedings, and that this period is not to be deemed any part of the time limited for taking an appeal: Dick v. Kendall, 6 Or. 166; McBride v. Northern Pacific Ry. Co., 19 Or. 65 (23 Pac. 814); Stivers v. Byrkett, 56 Or. 565 (108 Pac. 1014, 109 Pac. 386).
Section 550, L. O. L., subdivision 5, as amended by Chapter 319, General Laws of Oregon for 1913, provides: "An appeal to the Supreme Court, if not taken at the time of the rendition of the judgment or decree appealed from, or at the time of making the interlocu tory order appealed from, shall be taken by serving and filing the notice of appeal, within sixty (60) days from the entry of the judgment, order or decree appealed from or to the Circuit Court within thirty (30) days after such entry and not otherwise; provided, that in all cases where the right to an appeal to the Supreme Court shall exist at the time this act shall come into force, the time for taking such appeal is hereby extended for the period of sixty (60) days thereafter. ' ' This legislative enactment became effective June 3,1913, and 60 days thereafter ended at midnight August 2, 1913.
Counsel for respondent's position is that appellants, not having perfected their appeal until September 25, 1913, are without the statute, for the reason the amendatory act states expressly that in all cases where the right to appeal existed at the time the act became operative, it shall expire 60 days thereafter or at midnight August 2, 1913. Doubtlessly, that construction of the statute would be correct, if it were not for Section 38 supra, which suspended the action for that quantity of time between the death of Margaret Burns and the order allowing the substitution of McCann as executor, and during which period there was no one in esse upon whom service could have been made, and consequently no right of appeal existed.
The word "right" in this connection means a privilege, that is, a prerogative to take an appeal; therefore appellants' right of appeal did not inure until the day the Circuit Court made the order of substitution, and continued by force of the statute until 60 days thereafter.
Counsel for respondent intimate that there is another appeal pending in this court from the same judgment. The record shows that an ineffectual attempt was made to appeal prior to the order of substitution; but, on account thereof, the attempt was void, and this court did not acquire jurisdiction.
Motion to dismiss is overruled.
Motion Overruled.