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2 Serg. & Rawle 461

Stewart v. Brown

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Decided September 9, 1816

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · decided 1816-09-09

In Error. ERROR to the Common Pleas of Armstrong county. . ' 1 . This was an action of partition brought by Nathaniel Stewart against’Robert Brown. The plaintiff proved, that the land of which partition was demanded was purchased by the defendant and himself, as tenants in common,’ of the sheriff of Armstrong county, who sold- it by -virtue of an execution issued on a judgment obtained by Robert Stewart against James Reed..

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently September 1839

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1816-09-09

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Tilghman C. J.

¶1If the defendant purchased at the sale, for taxes under an agreement, that the plaintiff should be equally concerned, he would be considered in equity as holding for the plaintiff and himself as tenants in common. If the defendant himself, therefore, were in the actual occupation of this land, the plaintiff, would' be entitled to partition. And if Menor came into possession as tenant of the defendant, the plaintiff’s right to a partition would remain unimpaired, because the defendant would still be seised of the freehold, the possession . of his tenant being his own possession. The President of the Court of Common Pleas was mistaken, therefore, in- saying, that the entry of Menor, supposing it to be under the defendant, ought to be considered as a possession adverse to the plaintiffs and amounting to an ouster; because the same equity which made the defendant a trustee, as to a moiety, for the benefit of the plaintiff, would operate on Menor. So that the possession of Menor would-, be considered as the possession of both the plaintiff and the defendant. What was the fact it is not for this Court to say: but it appearing, that the jury were misdirected in matter of law, I am of opinion, that the judgment should be reversed, and a venire facias de novo awarded;

Yeates J. was sick and absent.Gibson J. concurred.

¶2Judgment reversed, and a venire facias de novo awarded.

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