Case Name: John Heinlein et al., Resp'ts, v. James Murphy et al., Impl'd, App'lts
Court: Brooklyn City Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1893-03-27
Citations: 51 N.Y. St. Rep. 435
Docket Number: 
Parties: John Heinlein et al., Resp'ts, v. James Murphy et al., Impl’d, App’lts.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York State Reporter
Volume: 51
Pages: 435–436

Head Matter:
John Heinlein et al., Resp'ts, v. James Murphy et al., Impl’d, App’lts.
(City Court of Brooklyn, General Term,
Filed March 27, 1893.)
1. Mechanic’s lien — Mat be filed before all the work is done.
A contractor can file a valid mechanic’s lien for the whole contract price before all the work is done, or all the ma1 erials furnished, provided the balance of the contract is thereafter completed according to the terms thereof.
%. Same — Action on bond.
Where a bond has been filed to discharge the lien, the lienor may first sue and recover judgment against the owner, and, being unable to collect the same, may then sue the sureties on the bond.
3. Same — Limitation.
The lien is not discharged by lapse of time, where the action against the owner was brought within one year from the time it was filed.
Appeal from judgment in favor of plaintiffs in an action against the sureties on a bond given to discharge a mechanic’s lien.
II. C. Conrady, for resp’ts; Dana & Clarkson, for app’lts.

Opinion:
Van Wyck, J.
The plaintiffs having recovered judgment against the owner on a claim for which a mechanic's lien had been filed, and being unable to collect the same, then brought this action against the sureties on the bond given to discharge the lien, and recovered judgment against them for the amount of the claim and interest, and from this latter judgment this appeal is taken. The appellants' counsel contends that the same should be reversed on several grounds, but we are unable to agree with his propositions for the following reasons: We think a contractor can file a valid mechanic's lien for the whole contract price before all the work is done, or all the materials furnished, provided the balance of the contract is thereafter fully completed according to the terms thereof. Laws 1885, chap. 342, § 1 and 4; Van Clief v. Van Vechten, 130 N. Y., 571; 42 St. Rep., 736. In our opinion, the plaintiff was regular in first suing and recovering judgment against the owner, and, being unable to collect the same, then in suing the sureties on the bond given to discharge the lien, though we do not feel called upon to decide whether or not the bondsmen could have been made parties to the first action. The first action having been brought within a year from the date when the mechanic's lien was filed, it was not discharged by lapse of time. Section 24, subd. 4. Then again, in § 24, subd. 6, it seems to have been contemplated that the liability of the sureties should be predicated upon a judgment recovered on the mechanic's lien against the owner. Lawson v. Reilly, 13 Civ. Pro., 290. It is very questionable whether appellants can complain for the first time on appeal, that the" action was not brought against the sureties within a year from the date of filing the lien, when they raised no such question on their motion to dismiss, or by suitable requests for findings before the trial court. If any such question had been suggested before the trial court, it might have been met by showing an order of the court extending the time to bring the action. Section 4, subd. 4. It is true that plaintiffs agreed, in consideration of the assignment of an alleged claim of $2,000, and the payment thereof to them, to release the sureties from their obligation, but the assignment was never made, and no payment was ever made, and, as a consequence, the sureties were not released.
The judgment must be affirmed, with costs."
Osborne, J., concurs.