Opinion ID: 1679313
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: facts

Text: In addition to being supplied with the petition and other papers filed with the clerk of the district court, we have been provided with a purported bill of exceptions containing several exhibits. It is certified to be correct and complete and to contain all matters required to be included ... pursuant to ... the rules of the Supreme Court of the State of Nebraska.... Contrary to that certification, the fact is that the purported bill of exceptions does not comply with our rules. Among other things, Neb.Ct.R. of Prac. 5F(1) (rev. 1992) and Neb.Ct.R. of Official Ct.Rptrs. 19f(1) (rev. 1992) require that a bill of exceptions contain an index showing not only where exhibits may be found, but where they were marked, offered, and ruled upon. The rules thus require that a bill of exceptions recite at the appropriate pages of the body thereof the marking and offering of an exhibit and the ruling made thereon. Not only does the purported bill of exceptions supplied in this case not contain an index, it tells nothing about how the exhibits got before the district court. Nonetheless, it is apparent from the recitations in the district court's ruling that the exhibits did come to its attention in some fashion and that it did consider them. Under other circumstances, such a purported bill of exceptions in and of itself might well doom an appellant's cause. But in this instance, neither the imperfections in the preparation of the bill of exceptions nor the false certification affects the adjudication. This is so, for while in ruling on a demurrer a court may take judicial notice of its own record in an interwoven and interdependent action it previously adjudicated, Association of Commonwealth Claimants v. Moylan, 246 Neb. 88, 517 N.W.2d 94 (1994), a demurrer otherwise goes only to those defects in pleading which appear on the face of the petition, Pappas v. Sommer, 240 Neb. 609, 483 N.W.2d 146 (1992), and those documents attached to and made a part of it, Horton v. Ford Life Ins. Co., 246 Neb. 171, 518 N.W.2d 88 (1994). Therefore, in considering the exhibits contained in the purported bill of exceptions, the district court erred as did the trial court in Pappas when, in ruling on a motion it treated as a demurrer, it considered a bankruptcy court filing which had not been made a part of the Pappas petition. We thus limit ourselves to the facts as alleged in the petition plaintiffs filed on March 31, 1993, and the various documents attached to and made a part of it. It appears therefrom that on December 30, 1980, Langemeier, Dalition, Curry, and Maskell's predecessor in interest entered into a partnership agreement for the purpose of owning and operating agricultural properties and businesses. Langemeier then assigned to the partnership 2 sections of land in Rock County, Nebraska, which he had purchased a few months earlier. In exchange for the investments made by Dalition and Curry, Maskell's predecessor and Langemeier agreed that upon 90 days' prior notice, they would repurchase the lands from the partnership on or before December 31, 1982. On September 27, 1982, Dalition and Curry made written demand upon Maskell's predecessor and Langemeier to repurchase the lands. Maskell's predecessor died on October 20, and, in accordance with the partnership agreement, Maskell succeeded as a partner to her predecessor's interest. Langemeier refused to repurchase the lands. (No allegations are made concerning the role of Maskell's predecessor with respect to the nonrepurchase of the lands, nor are any allegations specifically directed to the partnership's conduct.) From and after December 1, 1980, Langemeier has acted as the sole officer, manager, operator, and bookkeeper for the partnership and has failed to render to plaintiffs an accounting of the partnership activities, notwithstanding that an accounting was repeatedly sought beginning some time prior to September 27, 1982. Langemeier also failed to disclose to the others the material facts with regard to his dealings with the partnership and has in a variety of ways acted not in the best interests of the partnership but in his own best interests, which actions include the conversion and appropriation to himself and for his benefit proceeds from the sale of partnership grain. Foreclosure of the mortgages on the lands was commenced on or about June 21, and title in said lands was taken by the mortgagee.