Opinion ID: 885574
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Bischoff and Eldridge lots

Text: ¶ 40 With respect to the Bichoff and Eldridge lots, a review of the record reveals that neither the Bischoffs nor the Eldridges are named as individual Defendants in this action. On the other hand, New, Webster, McGuire, and Bordas were all named as individual Defendants in the action and accordingly it was their claims of adverse possession which the District Court discussed. The Plaintiffs' Amended Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief requests the District Court to grant an injunction permanently enjoining the Individual Defendants from blocking, obstructing, or otherwise encroaching upon the bridle path easement.... ¶ 41 In Kessinger v. Matulevich (1996), 278 Mont. 450, 460, 925 P.2d 864, 870, we held that a person who is not a party to an action, cannot be a party to the judgment. In Kessinger, we stated the following: [I]t is a fundamental principle of our jurisprudence that it is only against a party to the action that a judgment can be taken and that the judgment is not binding against a stranger to the action. Kessinger, 278 Mont. at 460, 925 P.2d at 870. Furthermore, § 25-9-201, MCA provides: Subject to the provisions of Rule 54(b) M.R.Civ.P., judgment may be given for or against one or more of several plaintiffs and for or against one or more of several defendants, and it may, when the justice of the case requires, determine the ultimate rights of the parties on each side as between themselves. ¶ 42 Because the Bischoffs and the Eldridges are not named as individual Defendants, we conclude that the Plaintiffs had no right to injunctive relief against them. Conversely, we conclude that neither, Defendant Virginia City Ranches Association, nor any of the individual Defendants may assert a claim of adverse possession on their behalf. Although Bischoff and Eldridge have both constructed obstructions to the bridle path easement on their lots, they were not parties to this lawsuit, and therefore no judgment may be entered for or against them. ¶ 43 The District Court's Partial Summary Judgment Order and Memorandum did not specifically mention that, because the Bischoffs and Eldridges were not parties in this lawsuit, it had no authority to effect their interests. It simply did not address their interests. However, we conclude that the District Court arrived at the correct result when it did not adjudicate the interests of the Bischoffs or the Eldridges.