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2 Abb. N. Cas. 461

Ratzer v. Ratzer

New York Supreme Court

Decided October 15, 1877

New York Supreme Court · decided 1877-10-15

<p>Supplemental Answer.</p> <p>Where there are two proceedings pending between the same parties for the same cause of action, the pendency of the proceeding first commenced, is a defense to the one last commenced.</p> <p>In such a case, leave to file a supplemental answer in the action first commenced, will not be granted where the matter proposed to be pleaded, being a decision in the second action, cannot be a bar to the first action.</p>

Relies on Groshon v. Lyon

Decided 1877-10-15

Lawrence, J.

¶1Assuming that the learned counsel for the defendant is right in contending that the questions involved in this action and in the suit in the court *466of chancery of the State of New Jersey are the same, or substantially the same, I am of the opinion that the motion for leave to file a supplemental answer should be denied, for the reason that the action in this court was commenced first. The rule is that where there are two proceedings pending between the same parties for the same cause of action, the proceeding first commenced is a bar to the last,, or goes in abatement of it (Groshon v. Lyon, 16 Barb. 461). In the case of Bate v. Fellowes (4 Bosw. 639), referred to by counsel, the court refused to pass upon the question of the suffi-... ciency of the matter proposed to be pleaded in the supplemental answer, because it depended upon a question of fact to be proved. Here the question of sufficiency is necessarily one of law, and under the decision in 16 Barb., above cited, the matter proposed to be pleaded cannot be a bar to this action.

¶2Motion denied, with $10 costs.

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