Majority
Headnote
[Rev’g 56 Hun, 337 .]The Code provides that a defendant may be arrested in certain actions, and, among others, in an action brought to recover damages for “ a personal injury; an injury to property, including the wrongful taking, detention, or conversion of personal property; a breacfy of promise to marry; misconduct or neglect in office or in professional employment ; fraud or deceit; or to recover a chattel, where it is alleged in the complaint that the chattel ” has been concealed in a certain manner and with a certain intent; “ or to recover for money received, or to recover property, or damages for the conversion or misapplication of property, where it is alleged in the complaint that the money was received or the property was embezzled or fraudulently misapplied by a . . . factor, agent, broker, or other person in a fiduciary capacity. Where such allegation is made, the plaintiff cannot recover unless he proves the same on the trial of the action ” (Code Civ. .Pro. § 549). The general term based its judgment of .reversal upon the ground that there was no express averment in the complaint that the money in question was received by the defendants in a fiduciary capacity, although one of the learned judges dissented from that conclusion (Moffatt v. Fulton, 56 Hun, 337 ; s. c., 9 N. Y. Supp. 771 ). No such point, however, was taken at the circuit. The sufficiency of the complaint was not questioned upon the trial, except by a motion to dismiss, made before any evidence was given, upon the ground that the first count did “ not contain facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, and particularly that it did not set forth facts constituting an action in tortthat the second count did not set forth facts constituting a cause of action, either in tort or on contractand that the complaint united “ an alleged cause of action proceeding upon the theory of tort with one proceeding on the theory of contract.’’ The motion at the close of the evidence was not based upon rthe facts alleged, but on “ the facts proved.” Even,
But, assuming that the question was properly raised,, we do not think that it called for a reversal of the judgment rendered by the trial court, because it is sufficient, to set forth the facts showing that the money was received, in a fiduciary capacity, without copying the words of the-statute, which would be pleading a mere conclusion of law. It was clearly the intention of the legislature, by its last amendment of section 549, to require'a plaintiff: intending to arrest the defendant to predicate his action, upon some ground of wrongdoing mentioned in the-statute, as a substantive part of the cause of action, so. that he could defend himself before a jury, and recover costs if such defense was successful (Laws 1886, c.672-Code Civ. Pro. § 549). The statute does not direct tbeplaintiff to state in his complaint that he claims the right to arrest the defendant. Such a statement, in order to be-effective as a notice, would have to appear in the summons, rather than the complaint, as the former must,, while the latter need not, be personally served. No-change was made where the right to arrest depended on., the nature of the action, as in the case of fraud, deceit,, conversion, and injuries to person or property. The right of arrest, however, as it had previously existed, in so far as it depended upon extrinsic facts,—that is, upon facts-not appearing in the complaint,—was changed, except as provided in section 550, which is a substitute for the bid writ of ne exeat, not by abolishing the right of arrest, but by requiring the facts which theretofore had been stated in part outside of the complaint, to be stated in it, as a part of the cause of action. The .practice was thus made
Dissent
All the judges concurred, except BRADLEY and Parker, JJ., dissenting.
An examination of the question presented leads me to adopt the view entertained by the majority of the court at general term (Moffatt v. Fulton, 56 Hun, 337 ; s. c., 31 State Rep. 154; 9 N. Y. Supp. 771 ). The question has been before that court and with the same result on other occasions (Hillis v. Bleckert, 53 Hun, 499 ; s. c., 17 Civ. Pro. R. 254; 25 State Rep. 553 6 N. Y. Supp. 405 ; Bartlett v. Sutornis, 17 Civ. Pro. R.. 259; 25 State Rep. 629; 6 N. Y. Supp. 406 ; Harland v. Howard, 57 Hun, 113 ; s. c., 32 State Rep. 872; 10 N. Y. Supp. 449 ). The judgment of the trial court awarded to the plaintiff $1,789.07 and costs, and authorized its-enforcement out of the joint property of the defendants, the separate property of the defendant Fulton, and against the person of Fulton. The general term modified the judgment by striking therefrom the words, “ and against the person of the said defendant Robert Fulton,” on the ground that the complaint does not specifically allege that Fulton received the money in a fiduciary capacity.
The appellant insists that the requirements of the Code are met when the facts alleged warrant the conclusion that the money was received in a fiducary capacity. A portion of subd. 2, section 549, of the Code of . Civil Procedure forms the basis of the different views contended for. The section, so far as pertinent to the present discussion, provides that “ a defendant may be- arrested in an action, as prescribed in this title, where the action is brought for either of the following causes : (1) To recover a fine or
• Prior to the enactment of chapter 672 of the Laws of 1886, section 549 provided for cases where the arrest depended exclusively on the nature of the action, and section 550 to those where the right to arrest depended, in part at least, on facts extrinsic to the cause of action. Subdivision 3 of the latter section provided for a case of
In 1886 section 550 of the Code was amended, among other respects, by striking out the provision relating to actions for money received in a fiduciary capacity and mis-applied; and section 549 was amended by its incorporation into subdivision 2, but with an important change in its phraseology, in that it required that an allegation to that effect should be made in the complaint and proved on the trial; if made, and not proved, plaintiff to fail of recovery. The effect of this amendment was not to change the cause of action from contract to one of tort, but to change the remedy. As we have observed, prior to such amendment the right to issue an execution against the person in actions of this character was made to depend on an application by the plaintiff for an order of arrest based on appropriate affidavits before the entry of judgment. The defendant had a right to contest such application by means of opposing affidavits, and the judge determined from such papers and the pleadings whether a proper case was presented for an order of arrest. If .granted, and not subsequently vacated, execution issued against the person in the event of plaintiff’s recovery. "The jury were thus prevented, from considering whether the circumstances entitled a plaintiff to a remedy against the person as well as the property of the defendant. Their duty was fully performed when they had determined what sum, if any, was due the plaintiff; the court having already
It may tend to show the purpose of the legislature if, in this connection, we briefly examine chapter 672 of the Laws of 1886. The first and second sections amend sections 549 and 550 of the Code of Civil Procedure in the reápects already sufficiently alluded to for our present purpose. Section 3 amends section 551 of the Code, so as to-conform the practice in granting and serving orders of arrest to sections 549 and 550, as by such act amended.. Section 4 amends section 558 of the Code, so as to provide, among other things, that, when the order of arrest is applied for after the filing or service of the complaint, the court may, before granting the same, direct the service of an amended complaint, so as to conform to the allegations required in subdivisions 2 and 4 of section 549. It may be remarked in this connection that only subdivisions 2 and 4 of section 549 provide for allegations in the complaint in addition to those requisite to establish a cause of action, and that a judgment may be recovered if they are omitted; but the remedy against the person does not in such case flow from it. Section 5 amends or substitutes-for section 111 of the Code a section limiting the term of imprisonment in jail under an execution against the person ; limiting the period which a person may be imprisoned within the jail liberties of any jail; prohibiting further imprisonment in the same action ; and making it the duty of the sheriff to discharge a person imprisoned, at the expiration of the periods provided for, without any further application therefor. Section 6 amends section 572 of the Code, so as to provide for the discharge of the debtor from custody in certain cases of unwarrantable delays, the plain object of the section being to relieve the debtor from continued and extended imprisonment, whether by virtue of separate mandates in the same or different actions. Section 7 provides that the act shall
It is apparent, therefore, that the purpose of the legislature in amending the several sections of the Code of Civil Procedure, in the manner provided by chapter 672 of the Laws of 1886, was in the direction of personal liberty. Before the amendment, a person who misapplied moneys obtained in a fiduciary capacity was subject to arrest on an order granted before judgment, and to be taken in execution against the person after. The creditor still has the same remedy, but the procedure is changed. Formerly he only had to state in his pleading a plain and concise statement of the facts, and on the trial need prove nothing more. Whether he was entitled to an order of arrest, carrying with it a right to an execution against the person of his debtor, depended on the affidavits presented to the judge, and his view of their sufficiency. But now, as I interpret the section under consideration in the. light of the apparent intent of the legislature, as manifested by the other provisions of the act creating the amendment, an order of arrest cannot' be obtained unless the complaint alleges, in addition to a plain statement of the facts, that the money misapplied was obtained in a fiduciary capacity. The plaintiff makes the allegation at his peril, for, if he fails to prove it to the satisfaction of the jury, judgment must go against him in a case when, but for such allegation, the jury would be required to find an indebtedness to the plaintiff on the part of the defendant. The object of the amendment seems to have been to give a defendant charged with misappropriating moneys received in a fiduciary capacity (:) specific notice that the plaintiff seeks a remedy against his person ; (2) the benefit of an ordinary trial by jury, with the privilege of adducing oral testimony,
But it is urged that he may be said to be so apprised if the allegations of the complaint warrant the conclusion which the Code says must be alleged. Some of the reasons have already been given which have led me to the conclusion that the legislature intended to, and did, provide for an allegation so specific as to give the defendant ample notice that he must be prepared to contest with the plaintiff the facts involving the right of arrest as well as the alleged indebtedness; and it. may not be amiss to call attention to the argument which the situation of this case presents in support of the wisdom of the legislature in providing for an allegation which insures to the defendant actual notice that a remedy beyond a' judgment for money is sought. It is now about to be held, in effect, if not in terms, that the causes of action averred in the complaint are not in tort, but ex contractu, because for money had and received in a fiduciary capacity (Segelken v. Meyer, 94 N. Y. 473 -484), and that, the complaint being susceptible of such a construction, the defendant must be deemed to have been notified by it that a remedy against his person ‘was sought. Yet in this very case the defendant pleaded a counterclaim, to which the plaintiff interposed a demurrer, in which he assigned, among other grounds of demurrer, “ that it appears on the face of said counterclaim that it is not of the character specified in section 501 of the Code of Civil Procedure, in that it alleges facts constituting a cause of action arising on con
Dissent
The judgment should be affirmed.
I think to justify execution .against the person of a defendant, it is sufficient that the inference from the allegations of the complaint is necessarily in support of a cause of action authorizing it. It is
The judgment should, therefore, be affirmed.
Cases cited
- Lounsbury v. Purdy 18 N. Y. 515 p. 266
- Cowing v. Altman 79 N. Y. 167 p. 266
- Knapp v. Simon 96 N. Y. 284 p. 266
- Goodrich v. Dunbar 17 Barb. 644 at 646 p. 268
- Segelken v. Meyer 94 N. Y. 473 p. 271, p. 274
- Greentree v. Rosenstock 61 N. Y. 583 p. 271
- Wood v. Henry 40 N. Y. 124 p. 271
- Miller & Becker v. Scherder 2 N. Y. 262 p. 276