Court Opinion

ID: 9636759
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 14:42:02.743568+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:49.003379
License: Public Domain

On Petition for Rehearing.
Appellant has filed a petition for rehearing in which it urges two matters concerning the opinion of this court of March 15, 1908.
One matter is that the court erroneously determined that the insured was not, at the time of the accident, “participating in aeronautics” within the meaning of the policy of insurance here in suit. We deem this contention unsound.
*10The second matter is that the court erroneously held that attorney fees for prosecution of this action were recoverable by plaintiff (appellee). This contention • is well taken. However, no rehearing is necessary as the error can be corrected by modification of the opinion. The opinion is modified in the two respects following:
1. The paragraph: “What has been said above is sufficient to sustain the jurisdiction here attacked. However, another reason is that, even if this contract be regarded as a" New Mexico contract, yet' attorney’s fees are recoverable under the above Nebraska statute in this action. Missouri State Life Ins. Co. v. Jones, 290 U.S. 199, 202, 54 S.Ct. 133, 78 L.Ed. 267; Sioux County v. National Surety Co., 276 U.S. 238, 241-244, 48 S.Ct. 239, 72 L.Ed. 547,” is withdrawn.'
In place thereof, is substituted the following: “From the pleadings here (particularly the petition) it did not appear that the policy here was a New Mexico contract or that the Nebraska statute was inapplicable for any reason. That did not become eyident until trial upon the merits. Upon the pleadings (particularly the petition), the allegations as to recovery of counsel fees were not unsubstantial nor is there any claim or basis for claim that such were made in bad faith. In this situation, the jurisdiction is secure even though the recovery of attorney fees be denied. Levering & Garrigues Co. v. Morrin, 289 U.S. 103, 105, 53 S.Ct. 549, 550, 77 L.Ed. 1062. While there aré facts in this case not like those in Aetna Life Ins. Co. v. Dunken, 266 U.S. 389, 45 S.Ct. 129, 69 L.Ed. 342, yet that case is controlling here because the facts leave no doubt that this policy is a contract made in New Mexico and, therefore, not subject to the Nebraska statute allowing attorney fees. Since the amount here allowed for counsel fees is definitely ascertainable, the judgment can be reduced by that sum' ($600.00) without necessity for a' new trial.”
2. The concluding sentence of the opinion: “The judgment is affirmed,” is stricken, and in place thereof is substituted the following: “The case is remanded with instructions to set aside the judgment for $3,126.58 and enter, in lieu thereof, judgment for $2,526.58.”
Except for the above modifications in the opinion, the petition for rehearing is denied.