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14 How. Pr. 305

Hull v. Ball

New York Supreme Court

Decided September 15, 1856

New York Supreme Court · decided 1856-09-15

Motion to set aside answer. The action is upon a promissory note, of which the defendant Ball is maker, and the defendants Curran and Baxter first and second indorsers. On the 14th of August, an answer for all the defendants was served upon the plaintiff’s attorney. The answer was verified by the affidavit of Curran only.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently April 1880

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1856-09-15

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Harris, Justice.

¶1Three distinct causes of action were combined in this one suit. The defendants may have a common defence, yet each must defend for himself. Their interest is, in no respect, a joint or united interest. Whether, therefore, they answered separately or jointly, each was required to verify his answer. (Andrews agt. Storms, 5 Sand. 609.)

¶2The answer served being unverified, as to the defendants Ball and Baxter, the plaintiff’s attorney was not bound to receive it as their answer. But, as it was properly verified by the other defendant, the answer could not be returned. Under these circumstances, it was the duty of the plaintiff’s attorney, if he did not intend to waive his right to insist upon an answer, verified by all the defendants, to give prompt notice to the defendants’ attorneys, so that they might, if they had seen fit to do so, serve another answer duly verified, or, if the time to answer had expired, apply to the court for relief. (White agt. Cummings, 3 Sand. 716; Strauss agt. Parker, 9 How. 342; Strout agt. Curran, 7 id. 36.)

¶3The plaintiff’s attorney, having retained the answer from the 14th of August to the 22d of September without objection, must be deemed to have waived his right to insist upon any defect in the mode of verification.

¶4The motion must, therefore, be denied, with costs.

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