{ "id": 5264775, "name": "Gay Dorn v. Philip Geuder, Executor of Johann Geuder, and Edward S. Dreyer, Trustee", "name_abbreviation": "Dorn v. Geuder", "decision_date": "1899-11-21", "docket_number": "", "first_page": "521", "last_page": "523", "citations": [ { "type": "official", "cite": "85 Ill. App. 521" } ], "court": { "name_abbreviation": "Ill. App. Ct.", "id": 8837, "name": "Illinois Appellate Court" }, "jurisdiction": { "id": 29, "name_long": "Illinois", "name": "Ill." }, "cites_to": [ { "cite": "155 Ill. 230", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill.", "case_ids": [ 839761 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/ill/155/0230-01" ] }, { "cite": "97 Ill. 369", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "Ill.", "weight": 2, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "392" } ], "opinion_index": 0 } ], "analysis": { "cardinality": 275, "char_count": 4052, "ocr_confidence": 0.57, "pagerank": { "raw": 4.03580807328026e-08, "percentile": 0.15708985350111146 }, "sha256": "d98be2194f07e56a48e115fb4c0ab085c9af25c5669818b41257da1f2b6f8702", "simhash": "1:9007ab265d053dd6", "word_count": 697 }, "last_updated": "2023-07-14T19:07:53.008228+00:00", "provenance": { "date_added": "2019-08-29", "source": "Harvard", "batch": "2018" }, "casebody": { "judges": [], "parties": [ "Gay Dorn v. Philip Geuder, Executor of Johann Geuder, and Edward S. Dreyer, Trustee." ], "opinions": [ { "text": "Mr. Justice Freeman\ndelivered the opinion of the court.\nThis is an appeal from an order dismissing, on complainant\u2019s motion, a bill filed by appellees to foreclose a trust deed.\nAppellant\u2019s counsel states that \u201c the only point involved is whether the allegations by Dorn, in his answer setting up his damage, constitute a cross-bill.\u201d\nThe answer is entitled, \u201c The separate answer of Gay Dorn, one of the defendants to the bill of complaint of complainants,\u201d and in effect sets forth that the filing of the bill to foreclose had damaged said defendant in various ways, impairing his credit and financial standing, and asks the court to award him damages therefor and solicitor\u2019s fees.\nThe answer concludes as follows : Defendant \u201c denies that complainants are entitled to the relief, or any part thereof in said bill of complaint demanded, and prays the same advantage of this answer as-if he had pleaded or demurred to said bill of complaint, and prays to be hence dismissed with his reasonable costs and charges, in this behalf most wrongfully sustained,\u201d etc.\nIt is contended that appellees had no right to dismiss the bill without the consent of appellant, in view of the relief prayed for by the latter in his answer, which he claims constituted it a cross-bill.\nNo authorities are cited and no reasons advanced in support of appellant\u2019s claim that this answer constituted, and is to be regarded as a cross-bill. His counsel contents himself with merely stating that the bill ought not to have been dismissed, apparently assuming that it is not his duty \u201c to reason why.\u201d\nNearly three years before the dismissal appellees filed a replication to appellant\u2019s answer. If the latter had then considered it as a cross-bill, he could and should have taken steps to require appellees to \u201c except, plead, demur or answer to such cross-bill \u201d in the manner required by the chancery act. (Sec. 32, Chap. 22, Rev. Stat.) This was never done. It was apparently treated as an answer until after appellees had on their owii motion caused their bill to be dismissed. \u201c It is the filing of a cross-bill, not this or that kind of an answer, which, under the statute, will take from the complainant the right to dismiss his bill before decree rendered, and this alone.\u201d Purdy v. Henslee, 97 Ill. 369, 392. (Sec. 36, Chap. 22, Rev. Stat.) The answer in this case has none of the features of a bill in. chancery, and was not treated as such by any of the parties. It has been held, in general terms, that a court has no power to decree affirmative relief on an answer; and that it is the duty of a party who files a cross-bill to take steps to have it answered, and where this is not done and the parties voluntarily go to a hearing the cross-bill may be regarded as abandoned. Purdy v. Henslee, supra, and cases there cited.\nThe bill in the present case was dismissed on complainant\u2019s motion at complainant\u2019s costs, without prejudice. It has been frequently held that the complainant may dismiss his bill at any time before decree, when no cross-bill has been filed. Langlois v. Matthiessen, 155 Ill. 230, and cases there cited.\nWe find no error in the order of the Circuit Court dismissing the bill, and it must be affirmed.", "type": "majority", "author": "Mr. Justice Freeman" } ], "attorneys": [ "Charles Piokler, attorney for appellant.", "' Lackner, Butz & Miller, attorneys for appellees." ], "corrections": "", "head_matter": "Gay Dorn v. Philip Geuder, Executor of Johann Geuder, and Edward S. Dreyer, Trustee.\n1. Equity Practice\u2014Right of a Complainant to Dismiss his Bill.\u2014 A complainant may dismiss his bill at any time before decree, when no cross-bill has been filed.\n2, Same\u2014What Takes from a Complainant the Bight to Dismiss Sis Bill.\u2014 It is the filing of a cross-bill, not this or that kind of an answer, which, under the statute, takes from the complainant the right to dismiss his bill.\nBill in Equity.\u2014Appeal from an order dismissing, on complainant\u2019s motion, his bill entered by the Circuit Court of Cook County; the Hon. Edmund W. Burke, Judge, presiding. Heard in the Branch Appellate Court at the October term, 1898.\nAffirmed.\nOpinion filed November 21, 1899.\nCharles Piokler, attorney for appellant.\n' Lackner, Butz & Miller, attorneys for appellees." }, "file_name": "0521-01", "first_page_order": 531, "last_page_order": 533 }