Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

79 Ind. 162

Wagner v. Kastner

Indiana Supreme Court

Decided November 15, 1881

Indiana Supreme Court · decided 1881-11-15

<p>Supbeme Cotjbt, — Appeal.—Suit Originating Before Justice of the Peace.— Amount in Controversy. — Dismissal.—Under section 550 of the code of 1852, as amended by the act of March 14th, 1877 (section 632, R. S. 1881),, in actions originating before a justice of the peace, where the amount in controversy, exclusive of interest and costs,, does not exceed fifty dollars,, appeals will not lie to the Supreme Court,, and, if taken, must be dismissed. This is so, whether the interest accrued before- or after the commencement of the action.</p>

Cited by 7 later decisions — most recently February 1892

7 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1881-11-15

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1Os Petitios eor a Eehearisg.

Howk, J.

¶2— In this case, an earnest petition for a rehearing has been presented, which demands from us some further consideration of the point decided in the original opinion.

¶3The appellee sued the appellant upon his note for fifty dollars, and no more, before a justice of the peace of Eipley county, and recovered a judgment for the amount of the note *164and interest; from which judgment the defendant appealed to the circuit court. There, the trial of the cause by the court resulted in a finding and judgment for the appellee, for the amount of the note and interest; from which judgment this appeal is prosecuted.

¶4In the original opinion, the appeal was dismissed, for the reason that the record disclosed the" fact that the suit originated before a justice, and that the amount in controversy, exclusive of interest and costs, did not exceed fifty dollars. In such a case, the section of the statute, cited in the original opinion, expressly provides that an appeal will not lie to this court. But the appellant’s counsel says: The expression in the statute,- ‘ exclusive of interest and costs,’ must refer to the interest accrued on the judgment, and not to the accrued interest on the note at the time suit is instituted.” It seems to us, however, that interest is none the less interest, because it has accrued before the institution of the suit. The language of the statute is too plain for construction. In suits originating before a justice, an appeal will not lie to this court, where the amount in controversy, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed fifty dollars.” So the law is written, and so it must be construed.

¶5The petition is overruled, at the appellant’s costs.

/79/ind/162 · .json · Public domain