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2 Colo. 637

Davis v. Wannamaker

Supreme Court of Colorado

Decided February 15, 1875

Supreme Court of Colorado · decided 1875-02-15

It was alleged in the declaration that the Grolden City and Arapahoe Ditch Company commenced certain proceedings in the district court of Jefferson county, to condemn the right of way for its ditch through certain lands therein described, belonging to defendant in error and others; that, in the course of such proceedings, the said ditch company was required to give bond in the sum of $10,000 to defendant in error, and the others, conditioned for the payment of damages which…

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently February 1914

3 state decisions

Relies on Austin v. People ex rel. Burr

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1875-02-15

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Hallett, O. J.

¶1The penally in the bond described in the declaration is $10,000, of which sum defendant in error demanded but $2,000, and the same amount in damages. No argument will be required to show that the case cannot in that way be brought within the jurisdiction of the probate court. Upon such an instrument, although the plaintiff is entitled to collect damages only, the judgment must be for the full amount of the penalty of the bond, as debt, to be discharged upon the payment of the damages. R. S. 507. Austin v. The People, 11 Ill. 452; Freeman v. ThePeople, 54 id. 153.

¶2According to what was said in Litchfield v. Daniels, 1 Col. 268, the obligee in a bond may remit the whole or any part of the damages due to him upon the bond, and if he should remit the whole, probably he would have no right of action upon the instrument. But the principle there asserted does not affect the rule of practice which governs cases of this kind, which is that a recovery must be for the full penalty of the bond, as debt, and for such damages as the plaintiff may be entitled to. As the want of jurisdiction was apparent upon the face of the declaration, the question was well enough presented by demurrer, for the plaintiff was certainly required to state a case within the jurisdiction of the court.

¶3There was also a defect of parties plaintiff, since there was no undertaking in the bond to pay defendant in error any *639portion of the $10,000, the obligation being to pay that sum to her and twenty-eight others. Upon such an instrument it is impossible to say that each of the obligees may maintain a separate action. Farni v. Tesson, 1 Black, 309.

¶4We are not inclined to inquire whether the exceptions taken at the inquisition can' be allowed in this court, and the costs must take the usual course.

¶5The judgment of the probate court is reversed with costs.

¶6Reversed.

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