Hartford Life Ins. Co. v. Johnson, 249 U.S. 490 (1919)

Hartford Life Insurance Company v. Johnson


No. 291


Submitted March 26, 1919
Decided April 14, 1919
249 U.S. 490

CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI

Syllabus

Under Jud.Code, § 237, as amended by the Act of September 6, 1916, this Court cannot consider a claim of federal right which was not made in the state court at the proper time and in the proper manner under the state system of pleading and practice and which, without evasion or for the purpose of defeating the claim, was denied consideration on that ground. P. 493.

The Supreme Court of Missouri, following its established practice, refused to consider a sister state judgment which was rendered six months after the judgment of the Missouri trial court and was not set up in any pleading or introduced in evidence, but was brought to the notice of the appellate courts only in argument and as an exhibit to a brief. Held that full faith and credit was not denied. Id.

Whether a charter granted to an insurance company by a resolution of a state legislature is a public act or record within the meaning of the "full faith and credit clause" not decided. P. 494.

The exercise of their independent judgment by the courts of one state in construing a charter granted by the legislature of another can raise no federal question if no statute or decision of the other state, construing the charter, was pleaded or put in evidence. Id.

Writ of certiorari to review 271 Mo. 562 dismissed.

The case is stated in the opinion.