Court Opinion

ID: 9671598
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:40:05.122878+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:43.039755
License: Public Domain

On Rehearing.
PER CURIAM.
It is urged that the opinion is confusing as to what is meant by the authority of the circuit judge in respect to the proposal to’ perpetuate testimony under section 491 et seq., Title 7, Code. But it is clear that such-statute does not by its terms confer any power on the court in which a suit is pend*96ing or is proposed. The authority conferred is on the judge of the circuit court or judge of probate or register. The whole procedure is statutory. If the circuit court assumes to act in some respect in that connection, the act of that court would be reviewable and its authority tested by customary methods. Ex parte Cross, 247 Ala. 85, 22 So.2d 378. But when a judge (of probate, for instance) makes an order allowing the examination, it is not an act of any court. His order in that connection is subject to review to such extent and by such methods as are established for that kind of an order. But the proceeding begun by an affidavit, followed by an order of a specified judge, is procedure independent of any suit pending or proposed in any court. The effect of the holding in this case, which is again here approved, is that a refusal to submit to such examination by a party to a suit, who is ordered to do so in order to perpetuate testimony, is not a contumacious act in contempt of the court in which the suit is pending or proposed. And in respect to such procedure there is no authority of law to punish him by a court on which no jurisdiction over that proceeding has been conferred. His suit rightly in court cannot be dismissed by reason of an occurrence in respect to a matter arising in another proceeding not in that court.
All courts have the power to inflict punishment for contempt fo~ the causes specified in section 2, Title 13, Code, which is also limited to those causes. The cause here claimed to exist is not there specified. By section 4(3), Title 13, Code, all courts have been given power “To compel obedience to its judgments, orders and process, and to orders of a judge out of court, in an action or proceeding therein.”
That provision has no application here because there was no order made by a judge in an action or proceeding in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County. Therefore, appellant was not in the attitude of disobeying a lawful order made in the progress of a cause lawfully pending in the circuit court. A refusal by appellant, who is plaintiff in a suit in that court, to respond to a proceeding under section 491, Title 7, Code, would no more justify a dismissal of that suit than a judgment by default would be justified against a defendant if he should refuse to comply with such an order.
The opinion also stated that “Our conclusion and judgment is that the affidavit and statement in said application fail to meet the foregoing requirements and the entire proceeding is without legal efficacy and as a result is void.”
Counsel take the point that the validity of the proceeding cannot be considered on this appeal; but that a different method must be pursued to that end. True, its validity is not necessary to a proper disposition of this appeal. But the reversal of the judgment on this appeal is not dependent on the validity of the proceeding to perpetuate plaintiff’s testimony and the statement in the opinion to that effect was unnecessary. On the other hand, the invalidity of that proceeding would justify a refusal by the plaintiff to submit to it if not otherwise justified. Board of Revenue v. Merrill, 193 Ala. 521, 69 So. 971. That would be another reason why the dismissal of plaintiff’s case was erroneous. But we hold that although such proceeding may be a compliance with the statute, a failure of plaintiff to respond to it without more does not justify a dismissal of his suit in which such testimony, if taken, might or might not be available as evidence.
Appellee takes us to task for considering the validity of the proceeding at all on this appeal. We agree that the only method to attack it directly is by mandamus, since it is not appealable. American Life Ins. Co. v. Powell, Ala.Sup., 65 So.2d 516; Ex parte Cross, supra. But if it is void, its invalidity may be asserted on collateral attack, such as this is, when necessary to a decision of the collateral proceeding. But being unnecessary to a decision of this appeal, that feature of the opinion, supra, should be eliminated without a ruling on that question.
Appellee again calls attention to its motion to dismiss the appeal, insisting that it was taken on December 27, 1951, from a decree of June 25, 1951, to which the assignments of error relate. If'that were true, nothing else appearing to a con*97trary effect, the motion would be well taken. Section 788, Title 7, Code. But the bond and security for costs of appeal were approved on December 22, 1951, within the six month period. The citation was issued and executed on December 27, 1951. The appeal was taken in due time, and it is immaterial that the citation was issued and executed after the time had expired for taking the appeal. Austin v. City of Anniston, 243 Ala. 214, 8 So.2d 410; Parker v. Bedwell, 243 Ala. 221, 8 So.2d 893.
The motion to dismiss the appeal was not well taken.
The opinion should be modified so as to eliminate the statement that the affidavit and statement made in respect to perpetuating the testimony of appellant is void, and as modified the application for rehearing should be overruled.
The foregoing opinion on rehearing was prepared by FOSTER, Supernumerary Judge of this Court while serving on it at the request of the Chief Justice, under authority of Title 13, section 32, Code, and was adopted by the Court as its opinion.
Opinion modified. Application for rehearing overruled.
All the Justices concur.