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17 Me. 16

Drinkwater v. Tebbetts

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided April 15, 1840

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1840-04-15

Exceptions from the Court of Common Pleas, Whitman C. J. presiding. Assumpsit against the defendant as indorser of a note of the following tenor. “For value received, I promise to pay to Joshua Tebbetts or hearer, one hundred and thirteen dollars with interest, within three months after date. Lee, Jan. 21,1835. Alvah Tebbetts.” On the back of the note was indorsed. “ Holden without notice.

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently February 1879

3 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1840-04-15

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¶1The opinion of the Court was prepared by

Weston C. J.

¶2An indorsement in blank fixes upon the indorser a conditional liability, the legal obligation of which is well settled and ascertained. But the conditions implied may be waived or modified, of which parol proof is legally admissible. Boyd & al. v. Cleaveland, 4 Pick. 525; Taunton Bank & al. v. Richardson & al., 5 Pick. 437, and Fuller v. M'Donald, 8 Greenl. 213, are authorities in point.

¶3*19There is in the ease before us, an express waiver of notice in writing. This did not dispense with the necessity of a demand by the holder upon the maker, to charge the indorser. Upon the face of the indorsement, that condition remained in full force. If a waiver of both the conditions may be proved by parol, we are aware of no good reason why that kind of proof should be excluded, to show a waiver of one condition, where a waiver of the other is made a part of the indorsement itself. It produces no greater change in the legal obligation of the contract.

¶4Upon examining the deposition of Elnathan Witham, which is made a part of the case, it is fairly deducible from it, that the defendant waived the condition of a legal demand upon the maker. It was matter of agreement, that the maker should be notified in a particular manner, which is proved to have been done.

¶5Exceptions overruled.

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