LAW.coLAW.co

Cummings vs. Clegg

Supreme Court of Georgia1889-07-08
82 Ga. 763

Summary

Holding. The court affirmed the trial court's judgment, holding that a writ of error does not operate as a supersedeas unless statutory requirements for bond, security, or proper affidavit are satisfied, and thus the trial court did not err in overruling the affidavit of illegality and permitting the execution to proceed.

A mortgage execution (fi. fa.) was levied on land, and the claimant challenged it. The dispute escalated to an equity proceeding in the superior court, which ruled in favor of the party holding the execution. The claimant appealed to the Supreme Court by writ of error, but the Supreme Court dismissed the writ and affirmed the judgment below. While the execution creditor attempted to proceed with the levy, the defendant filed an affidavit of illegality claiming the execution was suspended because the case remained pending in the Supreme Court and no remittitur had been filed. The trial court overruled the affidavit after the remittitur was subsequently entered.

The court held that a writ of error alone does not automatically suspend an execution. Rather, a supersedeas—the legal mechanism that stays enforcement—requires either the filing of a bond and security or an affidavit meeting statutory requirements under the applicable code section. The defendant's affidavit of illegality failed because it merely asserted that the writ of error had suspended the execution without showing that the statutory procedures for obtaining a supersedeas had been followed. The court further noted that even if a writ of error divested the trial court of jurisdiction over the case itself, it would not prevent a sheriff from performing ministerial acts necessary to collect money owed under the execution.

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

Key issues

  • Whether a writ of error automatically suspends an execution without a formal supersedeas
  • What statutory procedures are required to obtain a supersedeas
  • Whether ministerial acts by a sheriff may proceed independent of appellate jurisdiction over the underlying case

Procedural posture

The trial court overruled a defendant's affidavit of illegality challenging the validity of a mortgage execution levy, and the defendant appealed by writ of error to the Supreme Court.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

Bleckley, Chief Justice.

Referring to the official report for details, the material facts may be summarized as follows : A mortgage ji. fa. was levied upon land, and a claim interposed, after which the claim case, it seems, was absorbed by a bill and cross-bill, to which the plaintiff in ji. fa. was a party on one side, and the claimant and the defendant ia.ji.fa. were parties on the other side. This equity cause was tried, adjudicated in favor of the plaintiff in ji. fa., and thereupon was carried to the Supreme Court by the claimant and the defendant in ji.ja. The writ of error was dismissed and the judgment below thereby affirmed. The plaintiff in fi. fa. attempting then to proceed with his levy and enforce the same, the defendant filed an affidavit of illegality, upon the grounds that the case was still pending in the Supreme Court; that no remittitur from that court had been filed below; that the judgment of the Supreme Court had not been made the judgment of the superior court; and “that by reason of said cause having been carried to said Supreme Court by writ of error, said ji. fa. was superseded, which supersedeas has remained and still remains in force, and will so remain until the judgment of said Supreme Court is made the judgment of said superior court of Dooly county.” Before the affidavit of illegality was heard and determined, the remittitur from the Supreme Court was entered on the minutes of the superior court. Upon the hearing of the affidavit, the presiding judge overruled and dismissed the same and gave judgment for the costs against the affiafit.

The writ of error and the pendency of the same in the Supreme Court, constituted no obstacle to proceeding with the levy, unless a supersedeas was duly obtained; and this could be done only by giving bond and security, or filing an affidavit in the terms of section 4268 of the code. The affidavit of illegality sets up that by reason of the cause having been carried to the Supreme Court by writ of error, the ji. fa. was superseded; but the law is that the writ of error does not operate as a supersedeas unless.the statutory requirement as to bond and security or affidavit be complied with. Truluck vs. Peeples, 1 Ga. 1; Allen vs. Mayor, etc., 9 Ga. 286; Irwin vs. Jackson, 34 Ga. 103-4. In speei.al applications for extraordinary remedies, such as injunction, etc., other sections of the code apply. (§§3212, 3215, 3216, 3206, etc.) Notwithstanding the general language of the opinion in Western & Atlantic Railroad vs. The State, 69 Ga. 524, it may well be doubted whether a writ of error or bill of exceptions, even in these extraordinary cases, or any of them, will operate as a supersedeas, without some special order in connection therewith. Citing this case in Howard vs. Lowell Machine Co., 75 Ga. 328, it is said: “Had there been a case between these parties and the complainant respecting the same subject-matter pending in this court, and had the decision excepted to been superseded, then it would have been taken from his cognizance, and any order modifying the decree during the pendency of the wiit of error, would have been coram, non judice and void.” And important element in this extract consists of the words “had the decision excepted to been superseded.” Iiow superseded ? By the order of the judge and compliance therewith as prescribed in section 3212, supra. It should be observed further, that did a writ of error without a supersedeas divest the court below of power to proceed judicially in the cause covered by such writ of error, it would not follow that a party might not, through the sheriff, proceed with ministerial acts to realize the money due upon a fi. fa. Surely to hinder such acts, done not by order of court but at tbe instance of a party, a supersedeas regularly obtained would be necessary.

The result is, that the court below committed no error.

Judgment affirmed.