Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

1 D.C. 187

Sutton v. Mandeville

District of Columbia District Court

Decided November 15, 1804

District of Columbia District Court · decided 1804-11-15

Debt on bond conditioned to prove plaintiff a bankrupt. Plea, conditions performed. Replication. Breach, that defendant did not prove plaintiff to be a bankrupt. Rejoinder, that he did prove him to be a bankrupt. Surrejoinder, that he did not; and tenders issue. Rebutter, joins the issue. contended that he had a right to open the cause, because he held the affirmative, to wit: that he did prove plaintiff a bankrupt.

Decided 1804-11-15

The Court

¶1said that the question was premature, until evidence of malice should be offered, when it might come properly before *188the Court on an objection to the evidence. But the Court permitted the plaintiff to give evidence of fatigue, trouble, vexation and expenses occasioned by the attempt to prove him a bankrupt. And afterwards permitted the plaintiff to go into evidence of malice in aggravation of damages.

¶2The Court also permitted the defendant to give evidence of the circumstances and conduct of John Sutton, which would have amounted to acts of bankruptcy, if he had been a proper subject of the bankrupt law, in mitigation of damages and to repel' the suggestion of malice. But refused to admit evidence that the commissioners of bankruptcy had erred in their judgment.

/1/dc/187 · .json · Public domain