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1 Pen. & W. 437

Dean v. Patton

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Decided June 15, 1830

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · decided 1830-06-15

Writ of error to the special Court of Common Pleas of Hunting* don county. The only question of law which was argued in this court, grew out of the following facts. Alexander Dean was the surviving assignee of Benjamin Davidsmi, •an insolvent debtor, and as such, in his own name, issqed a scire facias on a mortgage, given by James Clark to the said Benjamin Davidson, obtained a judgment thereupon, and issued a Lev.

Decided 1830-06-15

Per Curiam.;

¶1The sheriff is an officer of the law, but for the benefit of .those whp are entitled to his services; and to suffer him, instead of serving the plaintiff in an execution, to baffle him by disaffirming his'right to the money, although sólemnly'adjudged in an action between the proper parties, would be vexatious and oppressive. Np sheriff ever thought of alleging as a pretext for retaining money in his hands, that'the plaintiff had recovered under void letters of administration. His plain duty is obedience ,to the mandate of the writ, by having the money ready for the plaintiff before the court. On the other hand, although the sheriff will not be allowed to dispute the plaintiff’s title, the court will take care that the creditors of .the insolvent be properly secured before the plaintiff has leave to take the money put of court; and thus substantial justice will be done without unnecessary delay.

¶2Judgment of the court below reversed, and judgment upon the verdict for the plaintiff

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