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2 Grant 150

Tate v. Tate

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Decided July 1, 1858

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · decided 1858-07-01

This was an action of assumpsit, brought by defendant in error, before a justice of the peace. After hearing, judgment for the plaintiff below for $10,00 and costs. There had been mutual dealings between the parties for many years ; each had accounts against the other; some on both sides were legal book accounts, and some were not. It appeared that on the trial before the justice, each party exhibited claims against the other.

Decided 1858-07-01

¶1Opinion.

- Per Curiam.

¶2— The court was in error in rejecting the defendant’s set-off. He is not restricted on appeal to the set-off relied on before the justice, else he would be barred of a claim never litigated, by a record in which there is no judgment. He is not barred, because of not including these set-offs in his bill or specification before the justice; for here the trial is de novo, and to exclude it here for want of specification, is to bar it entirely, whereas, in ordinary cases he would merely be put to his separate action. Excluding set-offs for want of specification, is not at all like the bar of the right that follows from not presenting them in the small suits before justices of th.e peace. This is the only error insisted on.

¶3Judgment reversed and a new trial awarded.

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