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86 Ark. 323

Bigham v. Dover

Supreme Court of Arkansas

Decided May 25, 1908

Supreme Court of Arkansas · decided 1908-05-25

St^l, Judge; statement by the court. Appellee bought a saddle for $12 at a sale under the following execution: “County of Pope, Township of White. “The State of Arkansas to any constable of Polk County: You are hereby commanded that of the goods and chattels of E. T. Bigham you cause to be made the sum of nine dollars ($9) which W. W. Cranford late before me, a justice of the peace for said county, recovered against him for his costs in a replevin suit, and also costs in a…

Cited by 5 later decisions — most recently November 1936

2 district · 3 state decisions

Relies on Hunt v. Loucks · Otis Bros. & Co. v. Nash · Hall v. Doyle

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

reversed · Decided 1908-05-25

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Wood, J.,

¶1(after stating the facts.) Our statute provides that: “An execution may issue upon any final judgment, order or decree of a court of record for a liquidated sum of money, and for interest artd costs, or for costs alone.” Section 3203, Kirby’s Digest.

¶2There is no law or rule of practice that authorizes a single execution for the amounts of two separate and distinct judgments. 17 Cyc. 932. A joint execution upon two separate judgments is not voidable merely, but void. Merchie v. Gaines, 5 B. Monroe (Ky.), 126; Doe v. Rue, 4 Blackf. Ind. 263. Such an execution is defective, not in form merely, but also in substance, and is therefore not susceptible of amendment. See Blanks v. Rector, 24 Ark. 496; Hightower v. Handlin, 27 Ark. 20; Hall v. Doyle, 35 Ark. 445; Jett v. Shinn, 47 Ark. 373; and Downs v. Dennis, 83 Ark. 71, as to executions that may or may not be amended. An execution based on a valid judgment, but which contains an excessive amount only, may, according to some decisions, be amended. Hunt v. Loucks, 38 Cal. 372; Bogle v. Bloom, 36 Kan. 512; Otis v. Nash, 26 Wash. 39. But this is not that case. The ruling of the court eliminating the amount of one of the judgments did not cure the error of taking and selling appellant’s property under process that was absolutely void. Such error was prejudicial, and could not be cured by amendment. Appellee acquired no title by his purchase at a sale under the void execution.

¶3The judgment is therefore reversed, and the cause is remanded for new trial.

Hiel, C. J., and McCurroch, J., dissent.
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