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23 Ill. 88

Frazier v. Resor

Illinois Supreme Court

Decided November 15, 1859

Illinois Supreme Court · decided 1859-11-15

This was an action of assumpsit, brought in the Circuit Court of Pulaski county, by Wm. Resor & Go., against Ezra Dreher and Alexander Frazier. . A capias issued for Dreher and Frazier, returnable at the April term, 1858, which was returned, indorsed, “ Served by reading to one of the within named, to wit: Alexander Frazier, December the 31st, 1857.” The declaration complains of Dreher and Frazier as in custody, etc., of a plea of trespass on the case on promises.

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1859-11-15

How this case has been cited

Cited by 5 later decisions — most recently April 1916

5 state decisions

201859186018701880189019001910decided

Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

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Caton, C. J.

¶1This was an action of assumpsit against two defendants, one of whom, only, was served with process. Judgment was rendered against both defendants for want of a plea, after a second demurrer to the declaration had been overruled, and the only question is, whether the appearance of the defendant not served, had been entered. The record shows that it had been, and there is nothing in the record to show that it was entered inadvertently and without authority, by the attorney who also appeared for the other defendant.

¶2The first demurrer is entitled with the names of both defendants, and not with the name of the defendant served, impleaded with the one not served, as is the proper mode when the pleading is for one party only. In the introductory part of the demurrer the word defendant, in the singular, is used, but without saying which defendant appears. And, in the conclusion, both defendants pray judgment as follows : “And they, the said defendants, pray judgment,” etc., using the plural pronoun, noun and verb. And the special assignment of causes of demurrer, are also by both defendants, thus: “ And the defendants assign the following cause, to wit.” Here again we see the plural noun and verb. To say that here is not an appearance by both defendants, is a naked assertion against the simple fact. Had this been done by the attorney by mistake, and without authority, it should have been shown on the motion to set aside the default. But when that motion was made, no such pretense was suggested, or cause urged.

¶3The judgment was properly entered against both defendants, and it must be affirmed.

¶4Judgment affirmed.

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