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12 How. Pr. 170

Weeks v. Southwick

New York Supreme Court

Decided July 15, 1855

New York Supreme Court · decided 1855-07-15

A preliminary injunction was granted, restraining the defendants from committing waste, &c. A motion was subsequently made to dissolve the injunction. The motion was founded on the pleadings, and was granted. In April, 1855, the cause was referred for hearing and decision; and, in July, the- referee made his report, dismissing the complaint, with costs. No judgment has been entered upon the report.

Cited by 4 later decisions — most recently December 1899

4 state decisions

Relies on The United States v. James Daniel · Dunkin v. Lawrence

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1855-07-15

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Harris, Justice.

¶1The motion for a reference is premature. The undertaking, upon issuing the injunction, is, that the plaintiff will pay to the party enjoined, such damages as he may sustain by reason of the injunction, if the court shall finally decide that he was not entitled thereto. Such final decision cannot be said to have been made in this case. True, the report of the referee is to that effect. But judgment has not been entered upon that report. It may never be entered. Until it is entered, so that the decision of the referee becomes the judgment of the court, the defendant’s right to damages is only contingent. (See Code, § 222; Dunkin agt. Lawrence, 1 Barb. 447.)

¶2Nor is this a case for an extra allowance. The action is not brought to recover money or property, but merely for equitable relief. Such a case is not within the provisions of the 308th section of the Code. (See Sprong agt. Snyder, 6 How. 11; Osborn agt. Betts, 8 id. 31.)

¶3I should not have thought this a proper case for charging the defendants with the costs of the motion, were it not for the fact that they have themselves claimed such costs, without presenting, in their own papers, a case which, under any circumstances, would have entitled them to costs.

¶4The motion must, therefore, be denied, with costs.

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