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31 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 635

Wallace v. Dimmick

New York Supreme Court

Decided May 15, 1881

New York Supreme Court · decided 1881-05-15

<p>Irregularity in form of summons — when the court may allow it to he amended.</p> <p>A failure to name in tlie summons tlie county in which, the plaintiff desires the trial to he held, is not such a defect as requires the court to set aside its service absolutely; the court may in a proper case deny a motion to set aside the service of such a summons on condition that a proper summons shall, within five days after the entry of the order, he served upon the defendant.</p>

Decided 1881-05-15

Daniels, J.:

¶1The irregularity in the summons consisted in the omission to name the county in which the plaintiff desired the trial to be had. While the provision contained in the Code, declaring the form of the summons, was mandatory in its nature, it did not follow because of that circumstance, that it should have been absolutely set aside because of the defect relied upon in support of the motion. It was, on the other hand, one of those omissions which the court had the power to allow to be corrected.

¶2The authority prescribed on this subject is very extended, including as it does, any omission on the part of the attorney or counsel of the party by which the adverse party is not prejudiced. This was an omission of that description, and within the authority given to correct irregularities of this nature, it could be supplied, as that is allowed to be done by the order from which the appeal has been taken. (Code Civil Procedure, §§ 417, 721, subd. 12 and § 722.)

¶3The case of Osborn v. McCloskey (55 How., 345), did not proceed upon any different construction of these provisions of the Code, or of their force or effect. The circumstances there were peculiar, and not deemed sufficient to justify the interference of the court to relieve the party from the effect of the irregularity appearing in the case. The present case appears to have been a peculiarly proper one for the equitable interposition of the court, by way of allowing the summons to be amended. The order for that purpose was judicious, and it should therefore be affirmed.

Davis, P. J., and Brady, J., concurred.

¶4Order affirmed.

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