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Slaughter v. Land et al.

Supreme Court of Georgia1940-06-13No. No. 13307
190 Ga. 491

Summary

Holding. The court reversed the trial court's decision to overrule the defendant's general demurrer, holding that the petition failed to state a cause of action for an injunction because it alleged only apprehension of injury without establishing irreparable harm, and because the plaintiffs possessed an adequate legal remedy through ejectment rather than equitable relief.

The plaintiffs sought an injunction to prevent the defendant from cutting timber, cultivating, or selling timber on disputed land, and from interfering with the plaintiffs' possession of part of the property. The plaintiffs alleged only that the defendant had erected a fence on land entered with the plaintiffs' permission and subsequently denied them access to the fenced-off area. The court found that the petition contained merely an apprehension of future harm without any allegation that the defendant had actually committed or threatened the enjoined acts, was insolvent, or that irreparable damage would result. Regarding the request to enjoin interference with possession, the court determined that equity lacked proper jurisdiction because the plaintiffs had an adequate remedy available at law through ejectment proceedings, and the requested relief constituted a mandatory injunction inappropriate under state law.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether mere apprehension of injury is sufficient to obtain an injunction
  • Whether equity has jurisdiction to determine title to or possession of real property
  • Whether an interlocutory injunction resulting in dispossession is a permissible mandatory injunction

Procedural posture

The trial court overruled the defendant's general demurrer to the plaintiffs' petition for injunctive relief, and the defendant appealed.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

Jenkins, Justice.

1. While the rule is well established in this State that the cutting of timber may be enjoined, though the defendant be solvent, where there are frequent acts of trespass, accompanied with threats to continue, or the circumstances indicate that the trespasses will recur from day to day (Kimbrell v. Thomas, 139 Ga. 146, 76 S. E. 1024, and cit.; Moore v. Dougherty, 146 Ga. 176 (2), 179, 91 S. E. 14; Couey v. Talalah Estates Cor., 183 Ga. 442, 445, 188 S. E. 822, and cit.; Kirkland v. Odum, 156 Ga. 131, 135, 118 S. E. 706; Elliott v. Adams, 173 Ga. 312 (7), 323, 160 S. E. 336; Code, § 55-104), yet a mere apprehension of injury will not be sufficient to authorize the issuance of an injunction, “where no facts are alleged to show that the apprehended injury would be irreparable in damages.” Carrington v. Citizens Bank of Waynesboro, 140 Ga. 798 (80 S. E. 12); Bailey v. Ross, 68 Ga. 735 (5); McCaskill v. Bower, 126 Ga. 341 (2), 343 (54 S. E. 942). In so far as the petitioners sought to enjoin the defendant from cultivating, selling, or cutting timber on the tract in question, it alleged merely that the defendant had gone on the land and erected a fence by permission of the plaintiffs, and had since denied the plaintiffs a right to use the land cut off by the fence. It stated merely an apprehension of the acts the plaintiffs sought to enjoin, without any averment that the defendant had done or even threatened to do such acts, or that the defendant was insolvent, or that any fact existed showing irreparable damage. Therefore, as to such averments and prayers, the petition stated no cause of action.

2. As to the remaining prayers that the defendant be enjoined from interfering with the plaintiffs in the possession of the disputed part of the land, the possession and control of which was alleged to be in the defendant, the petition showed no ground for equitable relief, and the existence of an adequate remedy at law: (a) Because “a court of equity will not ordinarily entertain a bill solely for the purpose of establishing the title of a party to real estate, or for the recovery of possession thereof, as these objects can generally be accomplished by an action of ejectment at law.” Collier v. Garner, 177 Ga. 467 (3) (170 S. E. 352); Code, § 37-120; 10 R. C. L. 347. The rulings here made are without prejudice to any right of the plaintiffs to proceed at law. (b) Because “an interlocutory injunction, which, if enforced, would result in the dispossession of the defendant and the admission of the plaintiff into possession of the premises in controversy, is in legal effect a mandatory injunction, and the relief afforded by this injunctive order is not, under our law, within the proper scope of the writ of injunction.” Smith v. Wood, 186 Ga. 214 (197 S. E. 246), and cit.; Cannon v. Montgomery, 184 Ga. 588 (3), 593 (192 S. E. 206), and cit.; Wheeler v. Layman Foundation, 188 Ga. 267, 271 (7), 272 (3 S. E. 2d, 645) ; Beck v. Kah, 163 Ga. 365, 368 (136 S. E. 160); Code, § 55-110.

No. 13307.

June 13, 1940.

3. Under the preceding, rulings, and irrespective of other questions raised by the demurrers to the petition, it was error to overrule the general demurrer. Judgment reversed,.

All the Justices concur.

Swift, Pease, Davidson & Swinson, and W. M. Page, for plaintiff in error.

Ed. Wohlwender and Ernest 0. Britton, contra.