Voorhees v. John T. Noye Manufacturing Co.
14 S. Ct. 295 · 151 U.S. 135 · 1894 U.S. LEXIS 2040 · 38 L. Ed. 101
January 3, 1894 · Docket 734
Headnotes
Generated summaries- Headnote 1
The district court’s authority in this case rested only on diversity jurisdiction, which was withdrawn by the 1891 Act, leaving the court without power to hear the appeal.
- Headnote 2
Although the statute withdrew general diversity jurisdiction, it carved out an exception that kept jurisdiction alive for cases already pending and for timely appeals filed before the July 1 deadline.
- Headnote 3
The statute set a fixed deadline for filing appeals, and the Court held that a post‑July 1 filing could not be entertained by the district court.
- Headnote 4
The Court explained that the decree entered on January 7, 1891 was not final until the rehearing motion was denied on February 17, 1892, which set the start of the appeal period.
- Headnote 5
The Court held that after July 1, 1891 the district court could not hear the appeal, and the proper forum was the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, citing Hardee v. Wilson and Cincinnati Safe & Lock as authority.
- Headnote 6
Because the appeal was filed after the July 1 deadline, the district court’s actions in accepting the bond and filing the record were invalid, and the appeal was dismissed.
- Headnote 7
The court below relied solely on the parties' diverse citizenship. By operation of the March 3, 1891 statute, its jurisdiction over such cases was withdrawn, except where the joint resolution expressly saved jurisdiction for pending cases and for appeals filed before the July 1, 1891 deadline.
- Headnote 8
The Court recognized that, long after the July 1, 1891 deadline, the district court no longer possessed jurisdiction to hear a new appeal, and therefore the proper avenue for review was the circuit court of appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
- Headnote 9
The decree entered on January 7, 1891 was not final for appellate purposes until the rehearing motion was denied on February 17, 1892; therefore the appeal deadline was calculated from that later finality date.
- Headnote 10
The bond was given on April 15, 1892 and the record filed on April 19, 1892, after the statutory deadline had passed, illustrating that the district court lacked authority to process the appeal.
- Headnote 11
Because the district court’s jurisdiction had terminated after July 1, 1891, the Court held that the only viable avenue for review was the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
- Headnote 12
Having determined that the district court could not lawfully entertain the appeal, the Court entered a dismissal of the appeal.
Opinion
The decree in this cause was entered on January 7, 1891, at the November term, 1890, of the .Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Nebraska, and at its foot the court minuted : “Lucas A. Yoorhees prays an appeal, which is allowed;” and also, “L. A. Yoorhees has leave to file motion for rehearing Saturday.” On the tenth of January, which was the Saturday following, the appliea-tion of L. A. Yoorkee_ for rehearing was filed.
It appears of record that on January 9,1892, at the November,1891, term of the court, “this cause coming on to be heard this day on the motion for rehearing filed herein, was argued and submitted to the court by solicitors. for the respective parties; whereupon the court takes the same under consideration.” On February 3, 1892, at the January term, 1892, the record shows that the motion for rehearing of the cause “on its merits was reargued and submitted to the court by solicitors for the respective parties,” and taken under advisement.
February 17, 1892, at the same January term, the motion for rehearing was denied, the court holding that “ it is now too late to sustain said motion or to interfere with the. decree.” March 23, 1892, the refusal of certain defendants to join in an appeal was filed, which refusal was dated January 17, 1891. April 15, 1892, an appeal bond was given by Lucas A. Yoor-hees, conditioned for the prosecution of the appeal allowed January 7, 1891, approved by the court and filed April 18, 1892. The record was filed in this court, April 19,1892, certified by the clerk of the Circuit Court, April 5, 1892. The bond is certified to by the clerk of the Circuit Court under date, April 21, 1892. -
The jurisdiction of the court below depended solely upon the diverse citizenship of. the parties, and by the act of March 3, 1891, 26 Stat. 826, c. 517, the jurisdiction of this court in such, eases was taken away, although preserved by the joint, resolution of March 3, 1891, 26 Stat. 1115, as to pending cases and cases wherein the appeal should be taken before July 1, 1891. The appeal was allowed January 7, 1891, but the decree did not take final effect as of that date for the purposes of an appeal, nor until February 17,1892, because the application for rehearing was entertained by the court, filed within the time granted for that purpose, and not disposed of. until then. Aspen Mining &c. Co. v. Billings, 150 U. S. 31.
The appeal bond was hot given until April 15,1892, but the record was filed in this court April 19, 1892, which was one of the days of-'the October term, 1891, of this court. Notwithstanding this, however, and without considering the question as to whether this appeal was properly prosecuted, in respect of parties, within Hardee v. Wilson, 146 U. S. 179, we are of opinion that as. the Circuit Court had jurisdiction, and this court had not, long after July 1, 1891, the taking of a new appeal became necéssary upon the denial of the rehearing, and this could only be to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Cincinnati Safe & Lock Co. v. Grand Rapids Deposit Co., 146 U. S. 54.
Appeal .dismissed.