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Fliming v. Bates

Connecticut Superior Court

Decided August 15, 1789

Connecticut Superior Court · decided 1789-08-15

Writ of Error, complaining that he commenced an action against said Bates to tlie County Court, on a note given to said M’Donald: That said Bates plead in bar of said action, that there was included in and secured by said note more than lawful interest, by the corrupt agreement of the parties; and that said note by force of the statute, was void — on which facts the parties were at issue to the jury; who found that there was not included in and secured by said note more than…

Decided 1789-08-15

By the Court.

¶1The statute made to prevent the talcing of unlawful interest, provides two remedies for the mischief; and the defendant has Ms election, either to charge the usury •directly and avoid the security wholly, or to file his complaint •on the second day of the court’s sitting and thereby lay a foundation for the court to proceed to search out the truth, by *131Hie oatli of flic parties, or in any other way proper for a Court of Chancery: And if the plaintiff shall refuse to he examined upon oath, he shall be nonsuited; and if upon such inquiry said obligation is found to be usurious, the whole of the interest shall be expunged and judgment be given for the principal pian due on the note only. But the defendant cannot avaiL himself of both remedies.

¶2The complaint must be filed on the second day of the court, to which the suit is brought and not after. The granting of the new trial for the purpose of filing his complaint was perfectly idle; and allowing him to file it at the time and in the manner it was done, is directly against the statute; and then admitting the defendant a witness to substantiate bis own defense is contrary to the rules of proceeding in chancery — would endanger all written securities— and tend to defeat the guards provided by law against frauds and perjuries.

¶3Tide judgment was affirmed in the Supreme Court of Errors.

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