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121 Mass. 388

Hyde v. Malley

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided December 14, 1876

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1876-12-14

Tort against James Halley and Timothy Murray for false imprisonment. Trial in the Superior Court, before Aldrich, J., who reported the case for the determination of this court in substance as follows: The jury found for the defendant Malley, and the only question was as to the defence of the defendant Murray, a constable, who arrested the plaintiff and committed him to jail.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently September 1891

1 state decisions

Relies on Sabins v. Jones

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1876-12-14

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Ames, J.

¶1Upon the assumption that a proper certificate was necessary to the officer’s justification, (which we need not decide,) we find no error in his proceedings. He had the debtor before a magistrate who had authority to act in such a case. The District Court and the justice thereof have the same jurisdiction, power and authority as police courts and the justices thereof under the Gen. Sts. e. 124, § 9, and the St. of 1872, c. 200, § 1. Having authority to act in the case, it is to be presumed that he acted under that authority, and that the court was not in session at the time, notwithstanding the form of the certificate. Richardson v. Burleigh, 3 Allen, 479. Sabins v. Jones, 119 Mass. 167. The officer’s return, that the debtor did not desire to take the poor debtor’s oath, furnishes a full justi*390fication for his commitment to prison. The additional averment as to sureties must be taken to mean only that he offered no sureties, and it may be considered as mere surplusage.

¶2Judgment for the defendant. .

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