Case Name: Bernhard et al. v. Rice
Court: New York Supreme Court, General Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1891-10
Citations: 15 N.Y.S. 936
Docket Number: 
Parties: Bernhard et al. v. Rice.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's New York Supplement
Volume: 15
Pages: 936–937

Head Matter:
Bernhard et al. v. Rice.
(Supreme Court, General Term, Fifth Department.
October, 1891.)
Settino Aside Service op Summons—Costs.
Where a defendant appears only for the purpose of a motion to set aside the service of a summons on him for want of jurisdiction, and the motion is granted, it is error for the court to give him costs of the action as well as the $10 costs of the motion.
Appeal from special term.
Action by Charles Bernhard and others against R. 0. Rice. On defendant’s motion tlie service of summons on him was set aside, and, in addition to tlie $10 costs of the motion, he was awarded the costs of the action. Plaintiffs appeal.
Argued before Dwight, P. J., and Macomber and Lewis, J J.
J. A. Burnhard, for appellants. M. A. Geron, for respondent.

Opinion:
Dwight, P. J.
That portion of the order appealed from was clearly un- • authorized. The summons was set aside for want of jurisdiction, it being made clearly to appear that the defendant, who was a resident of Ohio, had come within this state solely for the purpose of attending as a witness upon tlie trial of an action in tlie supreme court, and was so attending at the time tlie service in question was made upon him. He made no appearance in tile action except for tlie purpose of tlie motion to set aside the summons, $ind in tlie notice of such motion he asked only for the costs of the motion. Of course, no costs of the action accrued to the defendant. Indeed, upon the very theory of his motion, lie was never defendant in the action; no action herein was ever commenced against him; the court never acquired jurisdic. tian of him for the purposes of the action. His appearance was for the purpose of the motion only, and it is only costs of the motion which could properly be awarded against the plaintiffs. Ex parte Benson, 6 Cow. 592; People v. Judges of Madison Co., 7 Cow. 423. The portion of the order appealed from should be reversed, with $10 costs and the disbursements of this appeal. So ordered. All concur.