Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

14 Ind. 467

Lung v. Sims

Indiana Supreme Court

Decided June 12, 1860

Indiana Supreme Court · decided 1860-06-12

<p>In a suit by the assignee of a promissory note against the maker, an answer averring that the assignor is the real party in interest, without setting up facts to show such to be the case, is bad on demurrer; and interrogatories based upon such an answer will be struck out.</p>

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently June 1931

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1860-06-12

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

Worden, J.

¶1Action by the appellees against the appellants upon a promissory note made by the latter to Conover and Kerns, who indorsed it to the plaintiffs.

¶2The defendants answered, amongst other things, as follows:

¶3“2. And for further plea, the defendants say that Cornelius Conover and George Kerns, who assigned the said *468note by the name of Conover and Kerns, are the real parties in interest, and should be made plaintiffs in this suit.”

1 J. C. Applegate, for the appellants.

¶4They also filed interrogatories requiring the plaintiffs to answer, and say—

¶51. What was the consideration given to Conover and Kerns, for the assignment of the note?

¶62. For what purpose was the note assigned to the plaintiffs?

¶73. Who are the real parties in interest in this suit?

¶84. Who will receive the proceeds of the judgment should one be obtained?

¶9The Court sustained a demurrer to the answer above set out, and struck out the interrogatories.

¶10Final judgment was rendered for the plaintiffs.

¶11The ruling of the Court on the demurrer, and in stinking out the interrogatories, is the only thing complained of as erroneous.

¶12The ruling on the demurrer was correct. The answer set up no facts to show that the assignment of the note by the payees to the plaintiffs did not vest in them the real and beneficial interest in the note, even if such facts could be shown against the legal effect of the assignment. See Garrison v. Clark, 11 Ind. R. 369, and authorities there cited.

¶13The interrogatories were correctly stricken out, because they were not relevant to any matter that was in controversy. The answer being held bad on demurrer, there was nothing left on which to base the interrogatories; and they could not be available as a kind of “fishing bill” to enable the defendant to prepare a better answer in the cause.

¶14We see no error in the ruling of the Court, and the judgment must be affirmed.

Per Curiam.

¶15The judgment is affirmed with 5 per cent, damages and costs.

/14/ind/467 · .json · Public domain