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12 How. Pr. 331

Sweet v. Ingerson

New York Supreme Court

Decided January 15, 1856

New York Supreme Court · decided 1856-01-15

This was a demurrer to the complaint, on the ground that it improperly united two causes of action. The plaintiff, in one count of. his complaint, claimed to recover for the breach of a contract of warranty on the sale of a horse, and in the second claimed damages for a fraudulent representation in regard to the quality and condition of the same horse. At the special term, judgment was given for the plaintiff on the demurrer, and from this judgment the defendant appealed.

Relies on Asher Nathan v. The State of Louisiana

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1856-01-15

How this case has been cited

Cited by 7 later decisions — most recently May 1929

7 state decisions

3018561860187018801890190019101920decided

Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

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By the court—Bacon, Justice.

¶1It is somewhat difficult to determine the precise extent and boundaries of the first subdivision of § 16f of the Code, which provides for the joinder of causes of action “ where they arise out of the same transaction, connected with the same subject of action.”

¶2In this case, the plaintiff, in his complaint, first counts in as*332sumpsit on an alleged warranty of the horse, which was the subject of the sale; and in the second count, for fraud and deceit in wrongfully concealing the defects of the same horse.

¶3'It may be true, that these causes of action arise out of the same transaction, to wit, the bargain for the purchase of the horse; but are they connected with the same subject of action?

¶4The “ subject of the action ” is either the contract of warranty, or it is the fraudulent concealment of the defects complained of. These causes of action cannot consist with each other. They demand a totally different line of proof, a different judgment, and different process for enforcing a final recovery.

¶5The plaintiff cannot recover in both, though he may have his election to bring either. I am inclined to think, therefore, that the object of the section was to allow the plaintiff to include in his complaint two or more causes of action actually existing, arising out of the same transaction, and where a recovery might be had for both in the same action; and that the joinder must be of those causes of action which are consistent with, not those which are contradictory to each other. This is in accordance with the decision in Smith agt. Halloclc, (8 How. 73,) where it whs held that a plaintiff could not join, in his complaint, a claim to recover possession of real estate, and damages for withholding the same, with a claim for damages for obstructing him in the use of it.

¶6So, in Hulee agt. Thompson, (9 How. 113,) it is held that this section does not authorize the joining of a claim in ejectment for a house and yard, with a claim in trespass for cutting grass and destroying fences on the farm. ‘ And in Colwell agt. JVewYork Sr Erie Railroad Co., (9 How. 312,) it is decided, that a claim for damages for taking and injuring cattle cannot be joined with a claim in an agreement to carry the cattle on the railroad.

¶7These cases, although it may not be asserted, perhaps, that they are precisely in point, yet seem to me to settle the general principle, that contradictory causes of action cannot, even under the liberal provisions of § 167, be united, and indicate a pur*333pose on the part of the courts to restrict, rather than enlarge the operation of that section.

¶8I think this should be the construction of this section of the Code, and am of the opinion that the judgment should be reversed.

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