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2 Denio 86

Abbott v. Yost

New York Supreme Court

Decided January 15, 1846

New York Supreme Court · decided 1846-01-15

P. Abbott sued Yost before a justice' of the peace, and declared in trespass for taking his goods. On the trial it appeared that the defendant was the collector of school district No. 5 in the town of Fayette, Seneca county, and took the goods by virtue of a warrant and tax list made by the trustees of the district for a tax to build a school house—the plaintiff being one of the inhabitants of the district, and being taxed in the sum of $ 17,07.

Relies on Savacool v. Boughton

Decided 1846-01-15

By the Court, Bronson, Oh. J.

¶1Process regular upon its face, and apparently within the jurisdiction of. the court or officer issuing it, is a complete justification to the ministerial officer by whom it is executed; and that is so, although it may be shown that in point of fact the court or officer issuing the process had no jurisdiction. When the defect of jurisdiction appears upon the face of the process, there the ministerial officer acts at his peril; but it is not so where the defect is latent, and has to be made out by extrinsic evidence. In Savacool v. Boughton, (5 Wend. 170,) it appeared that in point of fact the justice Avho rendered the judgment against the plaintiff had no *87jurisdiction; but as it was a case where he might have acquired jurisdiction, and the want of it did not appear upon the execution under which the constable acted, the process was held to be a complete justification.

¶2The erroneous decision of the justice has been properly corrected by the common pleas.

¶3Judgment affirmed.

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