United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Yost

The appellants suggest that our judgment affirming the judgment of the court below is erroneous as to the damages allowed the appellee under Section 3387, Code of 1930, which provides: "In case the judgment or decree of the court below be affirmed, or the appellant fail to prosecute his appeal to effect the Supreme Court shall render judgment against the appellant for damages, at the rate of five per centum and costs, as follows: If the judgment or decree affirmed be for a sum of money, the damages shall be upon such sum." The judgment of the court below was rendered on January 11, 1937, and was for $25,000 "with six per cent (6%) interest per annum from April 14, 1934, until said sum is paid, together with all costs accrued or to accrue herein." This judgment was affirmed by us on September 12, 1938. The damages allowed were $1,455.63, being 5% on the aggregate of $25,000 plus 6% per annum interest thereon from April 14, 1934, to January 11, 1937, the date of the rendition of the judgment in the court below. The appellant says *Page 85 the damages should have been allowed only on the $25,000.

The sum of money on which the statute contemplates damages to be rendered is that which appears from the judgment to be due when the judgment was rendered, and for which a recovery was awarded. It does not contemplate damages on interest which thereafter accrues. If the court below, instead of rendering its judgment in the present form, had added the interest then due on the $25,000 thereto, and rendered a judgment for the aggregate amount, the damages thereon would of course be 5% on this aggregate amount. This difference in the form of the judgment does not change its substance. The request to correct the judgment will be overruled.