Court Opinion

ID: 9664751
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 00:28:18.214248+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:09.624223
License: Public Domain

ON REHEARING George Rose Smith, J. In a petition for rehearing the appellee contends that we erred in modifying the trial court’s judgment, by awarding the appellant his costs. We have concluded that this contention must be sustained. The circuit court was not asked to declare that the balance ostensibly owed to Holden was uncollectible, on account of usury, and in fact such a declaration would have added nothing to the legal effect of the judgment. This is so because the appellant’s complaint put in issue the account between the parties, and by the doctrine of res judicata the defendant’s failure to assert a counterclaim precludes his enforcing it at a later date. Ark. Stats. 1947, § 27-1121; Robinson v. Mo. Pac. Transp. Co., 192 Ark. 593, 93 S. W. 2d 311; Shrieves v. Yarbrough, 220 Ark. 256, 247 S. W. 2d 193. By his complaint Hughes sought a money judgment only, for $4,128.90. He recovered nothing either in the trial court or by his appeal to this court; so he is not entitled to his costs. Ark. Stats. 1947, § 27-2316; William v. Buchanan, 86 Ark. 259, 110 S. W. 1024; Supreme Court Rule 24. The appellee’s petition for rehearing is granted, and the trial court’s judgment is affirmed without modification. The appellant’s petition for rehearing is denied. McF addin, J., dissents.