Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

3 Wend. 247

Wheeler v. Townsend

New York Supreme Court

Decided August 15, 1829

New York Supreme Court · decided 1829-08-15

Demurrer to plea. To a declaration of debt on judgment, the defendant pleaded that on the 30th May, 1818, he the defendant, having been actually imprisoned in the debt- or’s jail in New-York for sixty days then last past and upwards, upon execution in a civil action, within the true intent and meaning of the act for giving relief in cases of insolvency, and the acts amending the same, application was made to ithe recorder of New-York by one Samuel Townsend, a creditor of the…

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently January 1849

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1829-08-15

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1*248By the Court,

Sutherland, J.

¶2The demurrer is well taken. In order to give the officer jurisdiction, to whom application is made for a discharge, under the ninth section of the act for giving relief in cases of insolvency, and the acts amending the same, (1 R. L. 464 ; Statutes, vol. 4, p. 41, b. and p. 23, c.) it is necessary not only that the debtor should have been actually imprisoned for sixty days or upwards, upon execution in a civil action, but it must also appear that he is indebted to the creditor who makes the application, in a sum not less ‘than $25. The proceedings under the ninth section are to be instituted by a creditor or creditors of the insolvent, and it is a particular description of creditors only who are authorized to make the application; those whose respective debts are not less than $25. It is upon the application of such a creditor only that the officer acquires jurisdiction of the subject ; the fact therefore should have been expressly averred in the plea. (1 Johns. R. 91. 7 id. 75. 11 id. 175. 19 id. 39. 20 id. 208. 3 Cowen, 206. 1 id. 316.) The case of Wyman v. Mitchell, (1 Cowen, 316,) shews that the want of .this averment cannot be supplied by the discharge itself. Jurisdiction must first be given to the officer, before any presumption in favor of his acts can arise, and a recital in the discharge itself cannot confer or afford any evidence of jurisdiction.

¶3Judgment for plaintiff on demurrer, with leave to defendant to amend, on payment of costs.

/3/wend/247 · .json · Public domain