United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Reynolds v. Stockton, 140 U.S. 254 (1891)

Reynolds v. Stockton

No. 289

Argued April 7, 1891

Decided May 11, 1891

140 U.S. 254

ERROR TO THE COURT OF CHANCERY

OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Syllabus

When a defendant appears in an action in a state court and responds to the complaint as filed, but takes no subsequent part in the litigation, and on those pleadings a judgment is rendered in no way responsive to them, he is not estopped by the judgment from setting up that fact in bar to a recovery upon it, and the Constitution of the United States is not violated by the entry of a judgment in his favor on such an issue, raised in an action on the judgment brought in a court of another state.

Page 140 U. S. 255

A judgment in a state court against a person receiving an appointment as a receiver ancillary to an appointment as such by a court of another state binds only such property in his custody as receiver as is within the state in which the judgment is rendered, the court in which primary administration was had retaining the custody of the remainder.