Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 (1891). · Go Syfert
Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 (1891). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
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cited 3× by 3 distinct cases, last quoted 1994 · 2 courts · …without any validity, force or effect, and ought never to have existed.
369 citation events (83 in the last 25 years) across 51 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: In Re: Enforcement of Philippine Forfeiture Judgment (ca2, 2025-08-18)
Treatment trajectory · 1902 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1902 1964 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 34 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) In Re: Enforcement of Philippine Forfeiture Judgment
2d Cir. · 2025 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
reversing an . . . injunction often warrants treating the injunction thereafter as if it did not exist in the period before the vacation.
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) 20SC947- Ford Motor Company v. Walker
Colo. · 2022 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
when a judgment is vacated it is legally void and unenforceable.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Norris v. Union Planters Bank (2×) also: Cited as authority (quoted)
5th Cir. · 2000 · quote attribution · 2 verbatim quotes · confidence high
a reversed or dismissed judgment cannot serve as the basis for a disposition on the ground of res judicata or collateral estoppel.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Children's Hospital Association of Texas v. Price
D.D.C. · 2020 · confidence medium
Cir. 2008) (quoting Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 (1891)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) v. SCC Pueblo
Colo. Ct. App. · 2019 · confidence medium
Indeed, a reversed judgment is “without any validity, force, or effect, and ought never to have existed.” Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 (1891); see also Shilts v. Young, 643 P.2d 686, 688 (Alaska 1981); Cent.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Bobby Bowen v. Robert E. White and Childs, Bishop & White, PC (2×) also: Cited "see"
Tex. App. · 2014 · confidence medium
In Butler, the Supreme Court exercised “judicial knowledge” of its reversal of an earlier trial court judgment that was relied upon as a basis for “estoppel or bar” by the trial court in a subsequent judgment. 141 U.S. at 241, 244 .
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Halpern v. Amtorg Trading Corp.
NY · 1944 · confidence medium
Here the parties have stipulated that the appeals be consolidated and heard upon one record, and what was said by the Supreme Court of the United States in Butler v. Eaton ( 141 U. S. 240, 243, 244 ), is peculiarly apposite: £ ‘ The judgment complained of is based directly upon the judgment of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, which we have just reversed.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) West Ohio Gas Co. v. Public Util. Comm'n of Ohio (2×)
SCOTUS · 1935 · confidence medium
Butler v. Eaton, 141 U. S. 240, 243, 244 ; Aspen Mining & Smelting Co. v. Billings, 150 U. S. 31, 38 ; Bienville Water Supply Co. v. Mobile, 186 U. S. 212, 217 ; Fritzlen v. Boatmen’s Bank, 212 U. S. 364, 370 .
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Reed v. Allen
SCOTUS · 1932 · confidence medium
What was written in Butler v. Eaton, supra, pp. 243, 244, can be applied with little variation here. “ The judgment complained of,” it was there written, “ is based directly upon the judgment of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, which we have just reversed.
cited Cited as authority (rule) National Fire Ins. Co. of Hartford v. Thompson
SCOTUS · 1930 · confidence medium
Decree affirmed. * Butler v. Eaton, 141 U. S. 240, 243.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Quinn v. Gardner
8th Cir. · 1929 · confidence medium
It was said by the Supreme Court in Butler v. Eaton, 141 U. S. 240, 244 , 11 S. Ct. 985, 987 ( 35 L.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Bresnahan v. Tripp Giant Leveller Co.
1st Cir. · 1896 · confidence medium
Butler v. Eaton, 141 U. S. 240, 243, 244 , 11 Sup. Ct. 985; Aspen Mining & Smelting Co. v. Billings, 150 U. S. 31, 38 , 14 Sup. Ct. 4.
discussed Cited "see" IN RE: PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO L.R.S., J.M.S. AND J.L.S.
Nev. · 2024 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 (1891) (explaining that a reversed judgment is "without any validity, force, or effect, and ought never have existed," thereby placing parties in the same position they were in before the judgment was entered).
discussed Cited "see" v. Ford Motor Co
Colo. Ct. App. · 2020 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 (1891) (holding that when a judgment is vacated it is, essentially, “without any validity, force, or effect, and ought never to have existed”); Bainbridge, Inc. v. Douglas Cty.
examined Cited "see" Shirley P. v. Norman P. (8×)
Conn. · 2018 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton , supra, 141 U.S. at 243 -44 , 11 S.Ct. 985 .
examined Cited "see" Anago Franchising, Inc. v. Shaz, LLC (3×)
11th Cir. · 2015 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 243-44 , 11 S.Ct. 985, 986-87 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); Quarles v. Sager, 687 F.2d 344, 346 (11th Cir.1982).
examined Cited "see" Laborers Pension Trust Fund-Detroit & Vicinity v. Interior Exterior Specialists Co. (3×)
E.D. Mich. · 2011 · signal: see · confidence high
See Wheeler v. John Deere Co., 935 F.2d 1090 (10th Cir.1991) (“A judgment reversed by a higher court is hvithout any validity, force or effect, and ought never to have existed.’ ” (quoting Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); citing Leroy v. City of Houston, 906 F.2d 1068, 1076 (5th Cir.1990) and Riha v. Int’l Tel. & Tel.
examined Cited "see" Watt v. United States (4×)
6th Cir. · 2006 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 243-14 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891) (because federal judgment complained of was based on an overturned state court decision, Supreme Court reversed the federal judgment and remarked that the reversed state court decision “ought never to have existed”); Clerke v. Harwood, 3 U.S. 342, 343, 3 Dall. 342 , 1 L.Ed. 628 (1797) (decision that was reversed had “become a mere nullity”); United States v. Williams, 904 F.2d 7, 8 (7th Cir. 1990) ("a vacated judgment place[s] the parties in the position of no trial having taken place at all”); Simpson v. …
examined Cited "see" Adams v. Jonathan Woodner Co. (3×)
D.C. · 1984 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891) (foundation for application of res judicata is subverted and rendered void by reversal of earlier judgment); Ornellas v. Oakley, 618 F.2d 1351 (9th Cir.1980) (reversed or dismissed judgment cannot be a basis for a disposition on the ground of res judicata or collateral estop-pel); Int’l Tel. & Tel.
examined Cited "see" Bradley v. State (3×)
Tex. Crim. App. · 1978 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); Funk v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 163 F.2d 796 (3rd Cir. 1947); Fox v. Schaeffer, 131 Conn. 439 , 41 A.2d 46 (1944).
examined Cited "see" Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company v. United States (3×)
D.C. Cir. · 1977 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); United States v. Gorham, 175 U.S.App.D.C. 383, 387-88 , 536 F.2d 410, 414-15 (1976); T.V.T.
examined Cited "see" Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. v. United States (3×)
D.C. Cir. · 1977 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); United States v. Gorham, 175 U.S.App.D.C. 383, 387-88 , 536 F.2d 410, 414-15 (1976); T.V.T.
cited Cited "see" Smith v. Hall
SCOTUS · 1937 · signal: see · confidence high
See Butler v. Eaton, 141 U. S. 240, 243, 244 ; Dimmick v. Tompkins, 194 U. S. 540, 548 ; Washington & Idaho R.
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Alvarado v. Atiemo
Ariz. Ct. App. · 2018 · signal: see also · confidence medium
The court should then normally set aside the later judgment."); see also Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 242-44 (1891) (after prior judgment is reversed, "[w]hy, then, should not we reverse the judgment which we know of record has become erroneous, and save the parties the delay and expense of taking ulterior proceedings in the court below to effect the same object?").
examined Cited "see, e.g." Disher v. Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. (3×)
S.D. Ill. · 2007 · signal: see also · confidence low
See also Keller v. Hall, 111 F.2d 129, 131 (9th Cir.1940) (quoting Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 244 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891)) (a judgment, “after it was reversed, was ‘without any validity, force, or effect.’ ”).
examined Cited "see, e.g." United States v. Enrique Fonseca-Martinez (3×)
9th Cir. · 1994 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e.g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240, 243 , 11 S.Ct. 985, 986 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); Avery v. United States, 79 U.S. (12 Wall.) 304, 307 , 20 L.Ed. 405 (1870); Humphrey’s v. Leggett, 50 U.S. (9 How.) 297, 314 , 13 L.Ed. 145 (1850).
examined Cited "see, e.g." Fahlen v. Mounsey (5×)
Wash. Ct. App. · 1986 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e.g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 35 L.
examined Cited "see, e.g." Werner v. Carbo (3×)
4th Cir. · 1984 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e.g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); Michigan Surety Co. v. Service Machinery Corp., 277 F.2d 531 (5th Cir.1960); E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Richmond Guano Co., 297 F. 580 (4th Cir.1924).
examined Cited "see, e.g." Werner v. Carbo (3×)
4th Cir. · 1984 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e.g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891); Michigan Surety Co. v. Service Machinery Corp., 277 F.2d 531 (5th Cir.1960); E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Richmond Guano Co., 297 F. 580 (4th Cir.1924).
examined Cited "see, e.g." Ray Marshall v. Board Of Education, Bergenfield, New Jersey (3×)
3rd Cir. · 1978 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e. g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891), Michigan Surety Co. v. Service Machinery Corp., 277 F.2d 531 (5th Cir. 1960); Block v. Thousandfriend, 170 F.2d 423 (2d Cir. 1948).
examined Cited "see, e.g." Marshall v. Board of Education, New Jersey (3×)
3rd Cir. · 1978 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e. g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891), Michigan Surety Co. v. Service Machinery Corp., 277 F.2d 531 (5th Cir. 1960); Block v. Thousandfriend, 170 F.2d 423 (2d Cir. 1948).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Community Bank v. Vassil (2×)
Or. · 1977 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e.g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 US 240 , 11 S Ct 985 , 35 L ed 713 (1891); E.I.
examined Cited "see, e.g." Robert James Lubben v. Selective Service System Local Board No. 27 (3×)
1st Cir. · 1972 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e. g., Butler v. Eaton, 141 U.S. 240 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 (1891), 16 Michigan Surety Co. v. Service Machinery Corp., 277 F.2d 531 (5th Cir. 1960); Block v. Thousandfriend, 170 F.2d 428 (2d Cir. 1948).
examined Cited "see, e.g." T.V.T. Corp. v. Basiliko (3×)
D.C. Cir. · 1958 · signal: see, e.g. · confidence low
See, e. g., Butler v. Eaton, 1891, 141 U.S. 240, 244 , 11 S.Ct. 985 , 35 L.Ed. 713 ; Gatewood v. United States, 1953, 93 U.S. App.D.C. 226, 230, 209 F.2d 789, 793 ; Nahtel Corp. v. West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co., supra note 1; Zahn v. Transamerica Corp., 3 Cir., 1947, 162 F.2d 36 , 48 note 20, 172 A.L.R. 495 ; Pennsylvania R.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Butler
v.
Eaton
301.
Supreme Court of the United States.
May 25, 1891.
141 U.S. 240
1891 U.S. LEXIS 2516
Mr. A. A. Banney for plaintiff in error., Mr. J. II. Benton, Jr., for defendant in error.
Bradley.
Cited by 146 opinions  |  Published
1 passage pin-cited by 1 case
Pinpoint authority: bottom 66%
Citer courts: Fifth Circuit (1)
Mr. Justice Bradley

delivered the opinion of the court.

This case is a sequel to the case of Pacific National Bank v. Eaton, just decided. It was an action brought by the receiver of the Pacific National Bank of Boston against Mary J. Eaton to-recover one hundred per cent of the amount of her capital stock in said bank, on her individual liability as a stockholder, under section 5151 of the Revised Statutes. The amount sued for was $8000 and interest thereon, being • $4000 and interest for her original stock, and $4000 and interest for her neiv stock. Her liability to pay the first sum was not disputed. She consented to be defaulted for that, and that judgment should be rendered against her. But she denied any[*241] liability by reason of the new stock, and claimed a set-off for the money she had paid on'it on the ground that she only paid for stock which was to form part of an increased capital of $500,000 and no such increase was ever made. By a subsequent plea, puis darrein' continuance, after specially" setting forth the facts relating to said new stock, and denying' her liability therefor, she pleaded in bar the judgment rendered in her favor in regard thereto by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on the 10th day of May, 1887, which we have .just reversed. A jury was waived and the cause was tried by the court upon an agreed statement of facts, including the. rem ord and judgment in the said action in the Supreme Judicial Court' of Massachusetts. The agreed statement of facts, with' the exception of the said judgment, is precisely the same nw~ tatis mutandis, as in the case of . Thayer v. Butler, ante, 234, just decided, and so far as the case depends on said statement,, the same conclusion must be reached.

Upon a hearing "of the whole case the Circuit Court gave judgment in favor Of the receiver for the amount of the-40shares of stock originally held by Miss Eaton, with the interest thereon, but not for the amount of the 40 shares of new stock. The ground of the judgment will appear by the following extract from the bill of exceptions:

“ The plaintiff objected to the competency of the record of the case of Mary J. Eaton v. The Pacific National Bank, tried in the state court and constituting a part of said agreed facts, contending that the same constituted no estoppel or bar-in defence of this action. The court admitted it, and plaintiff excepted, and his exception was • allowed. The plaintiff contended and asked the court to rule that if the adjudication in the state court, as shown by the said record from the state-court, was competent evidence, it was not of itself conclusive-in this action, and did not operate as an estoppel or bar, and was only to be considered with the other facts agreed in the case.
“The plaintiff contended and asked the court'to rule that upon all the facts agreed as aforesaid he was entitled to recover the assessment sued"for upon.the eighty shares of stock,[*242] declared on. The court declined to so rule, and being of the opinion that he'was entitled to so recover, except for the said adjudication in the state court, he held that said adjudication was of itself conclusive /as a bar to the recovery, so far as the forty shares of new stock in qaesti'on were concerned, notwithstanding the issuing and pendency óf a writ of error, and ordered judgment for the amount only of the assessment upon the forty shares of old stock not in dispute; that is to say, in the sum of $5172. The plaintiff excepted to the ruling in * so far as it precluded .him from recovering 'a like sum in addition on account of the other forty shares.”

As the sole ground and reason for giving judgment against the receiver, in regard to the amount of the new shares of stock, was the judgment of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, which (as stated) we have just reversed, the inquiry arises what disposition may be made of the judgment in this case, supposing thát the evidence of the Massachusetts judgment was properly admitted and allowed by the Circuit Court on the trial of the cause. At that time this judgment was valid and subsisting. It.was not nominally between the same parties, it is true. It was a judgment recovered by Mary J. Eaton against the Pacific National Bank; whereas the present action is,an action between Butler, the receiver of the said bank, and the said Mary J.'Eaton. Ve are inclined to think, however, that the court below was right in determining ■that the two actions were substantially between the same parties, inasmuch as a receiver of a national bank, in. all actions and suits growing out of the transactions' of the bank, represents it as fully as an executor represents his testator. We think, therefore, that the evidence of'the judgment recovered was properly admitted as a bar to the receiver’s title to recover in reference to the new stock. And it cannot be said, therefore, looking to the record in this case alone, that there is error in the judgment, now before us. But by our own judgment just rendered in the other case, the whole basis and foundation of the defence in the present case, namely, the judgment of the Supremé Judicial Court of' Massachusetts, is subverted and rendered null and void for the purpose of any[*243] such defence. Whilst in force, an .execution issued upon it, and a sale of property under such execution would have been effective.- And when it was'given in evidence in' this case ;it" was effective for the purpose of a defence, but. its effectiveness in that regard is now entirely annulled. Are. wé then bound to affirm the judgment and send it back for ulterior proceedings in the court below, or may we, having the judgment before us, and under our control for affirmance,' reversal or modification, and- having judicial knowledge of, the.-tdtal present insufficiency of the ground which supports.it, set it aside as devoid of any legal basis, and give such'judgment in, the case as would and ought to be rendered upon a writ - of error coram, vobis, au&ita querela, or other proper proceedings for revoking a judgment which hasbecome invalid from some extraneous matter ?

In the case of Ballard v. Searls, 130 U. S. 50, which was', an appeal in equity in which a somewhat similar exigency existed, we remanded the cause to’ the Circuit Court with instructions to allow the appellant to file such supplemental bill as he might be advised, in the nature -of a -bill -of reviéw; or for-the purpose of suspending or avoiding the . decree upon the new matter arising from the reversal of the decree oh which it’ was based. There were complications in that-case which rendered such, a course advisable. A sale had. been -made under execution, and the purchasers might have acquired rights which a simple reversal of the decree would have embarrassed ; and the decree itself was not founded directly upon the other decree which had been reversed, -but was rendered on a bill filed to set aside alleged fraudulent conveyances of land which obstructed the execution of that decree. It seemed to us that the necessary investigation to. be made would involve the exercise of original jurisdiction- by this court, to which it is not competent. Hence we. took the course mentioned, by remanding the cause to the Circuit Court in order that the requisite ulterior proceedings might be taken there.

The present case is a more simple one. The judgment complained of is based directly upon the judgment of the Supreme[*244] Judicial Court of Massachusetts, which we have just reversed. It is apparent from an inspection of the record that the whole foundation of that part of the judgment which is in favor of the defendant is, to our judicial knowledge, without any validity, force • or effect, and ought never to have existed. "Why, then, should not we reverse the judgment which we know of record' has become erroneous, and save the parties the delay and expense of taking ulterior proceedings in the court below to effect the sa,me object ?

Upon full consideration of the matter we have come to the conclusion that we may dispose of the case here.

We, therefore, reverse the judgment of the Circuit Court, <md order that the cause he remmided with directions to enter judgment for the plaintiff in error against the defendant in error for the whole a/mount sued for in the action, namely, eight thousand dollars, with interest a/nd costs, and . take such further proceedings as may he proper in conformity with this opinion.-