United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Delaware, L. & Western R. Co. v. Rellstar, 276 U.S. 1 (1928)

Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company v. Rellstar

No. 141

Argued January 5, 1928

Decided January 16, 1928

276 U.S. 1

Syllabus

1. The power of the district court to set aside its judgment because of perjured testimony ends with the term in which the judgment was entered. P. 276 U. S. 4.

2. The circuit court of appeals has jurisdiction, by mandamus, to require the reinstatement of a judgment of the district court which it has affirmed and which the district court, without jurisdiction, has afterwards assumed to set aside for perjury. P. 276 U. S. 5.

3. Mandamus to enforce a judgment should not be refused on the ground of injustice where the judgment has become unassailable and the injustice depends on a speculation as to which of three conflicting statements of a witness -- a confessed perjurer -- was true. P. 276 U. S. 5.

15 F.2d 137, reversed.

Certiorari, 273 U.S. 685, to a judgment of the circuit court of appeals which refused to grant a writ of mandamus requiring the district court to reinstate a judgment which it had assumed to set aside. The judgment was one recovered by the above-named petitioner as defendant in an action for personal injuries, etc. See also 296 Fed. 439.

Page 276 U. S. 4