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19 Ala. 604

Jones v. Buckley

Supreme Court of Alabama

Decided June 15, 1851

Supreme Court of Alabama · decided 1851-06-15

Tried before the Hon. Alexander McKinstry. In eases of appeal from justices’ courts, if the amount in controversy he over twenty dollars, there must be a statement of the cause of action, and though such statement is not required to be in conformity with technical rules of pleading, yet it should sot forth a substantial cause of action, and contain the material facts of a declaration. — 4 Por. 509 ; 1 Ala. 297 ; 1 Stew. 260, No amount is mentioned in the statement in this…

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently December 1875

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1851-06-15

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COLEMAN, J.

¶1The plaintiff in the court' below recovered a verdict and judgment for fifty-three dollars^ upon an appeal from á justice of the peace. The defendant demurred to the plaintiff’s statement or declaration, which is in these words :

¶2“ Ann Buckley,- ) Plaintiff claims from defendant for the v. > work and labor,- care and diligence of her FRancis Jones, ) minor son,- Peter.”

¶3Although this court has said that it will not scrutinize proceedings of this sort by the' technical rules of pleading, yet it has uniformly held that the plaintiff’s statement must set forth á substantial cause of action.- The foregoing statement is defective in substance, first,- in not setting forth the amount claimed or sued for ; secondly, in not averring that the father of the minor is not living,- or that the plaintiff is entitled to the services of the minor as guardian or otherwise.-

¶4The court erred in overruling the demurrer, and therefore the judgment is reversed' and the cause remanded.

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