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51 Mo. 280

Fink v. Hanegan

Supreme Court of Missouri

Decided January 15, 1873

Supreme Court of Missouri · decided 1873-01-15

The Circuit Court in sustaining the demurrer, disregarded the 8th section of chapter 161, page 151, of the General Statutes, which authorizes actions concerning the separate property of the wife to be prosecuted against her alone. And the session acts of 1868, p. 87, gives her the right to defend by attorney and to be sued alone when she is defendant only.

Decided 1873-01-15

Adams, Judge,

¶1delivered the opinion of the court.

¶2This was an action to enforce a mechanics lien. The defendant, who is the owner of the property, is a married woman, as appears from the petition, and her husband is not joined as a party defendant.

¶3This point is raised by a demurrer to the petition, which was sustained, and is the only question presented for our consideration.

¶4A married woman is not sui juris and could not be sued at common law without joining her husband. It was necessary to bring him before the court to protect her interests. Our practice act as amended in 1868 ("W. S., 1001,§ 8,) is only declaratory of the common law and requires that “when a married woman is a party her husband must be joined with her in all actions except those in which the husband is plaintiff only, and the wife is defendant only, or the wife plaintiff and the husband defendant.”

¶5An action under the mechanics lien law is no exception to this rule. This point was expressly decided by this court. in Latshaw, et al., vs. McNees, 50 Mo., 381

¶6Let the judgment be affirmed.

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