Court Opinion

ID: 7811891
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 17:13:46.266104+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:29.819607
License: Public Domain

Hart, J., (on rehearing). It is true, as contended by counsel for appellants in his brief on rehearing, that the court below refused to allow the interveners to introduce in evidence a certified copy of their mortgage, in the absence of a showing that the original mortgage could not be produced. But, as pointed out in our original opinion, it does not make any difference in this case whether or not the court below erred in this respect. The reason is that the burden was on the interveners to show a valid and subsisting debt and a bona fide mortgage to secure the same, and this they failed to do. Again it is insisted by counsel for appellants that the judgment against the surety was excessive, and that the court erred in rendering judgment for the full penalty of the bond, because there was no evidence that this was the value of the property attached. The court rendered judgment against the defendants and the surety on their bond for the full amount of the bond, and rendered judgment against the defendants for an additional sum. The defendants were not prejudiced in this respect because they owed more than the- full amount of the bond, and the court did not ren- ■ der judgment against them for more than the proof showed that they owed the plaintiffs. The defendants alone appealed to this court. But it is claimed that the surety, by signing the bond, became a party to the suit, and that the appeal of the defendants brought the whole matter before this court for review. This would be true as to all matters affecting the rights of the defendants, and, if the judgment had been reversed or modified in any respect as to them, this would inure to the benefit of their surety. But, the judgment having been affirmed in so far as the defendants are concerned, the surety is in no attitude to complain as to any alleged error which affected him alone. As we have just stated, the appeal taken by the defendants could only inure to the benefit of the surety as to matters which might be prejudicial to the rights of the defendants as well as the surety. Therefore the motion for a rehearing will be denied.