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37 Wis. 339

Manson v. Robinson

Wisconsin Supreme Court

Decided January 15, 1875

Wisconsin Supreme Court · decided 1875-01-15

Summons for money demand of $350 and interest from May 1, 1866. The complaint alleges an indebtedness to that amount on account for logs, lumber, etc. Answer,' a general denial. The jury brought in a verdict for $692.12. Defendant moved the court to set aside the verdict, because: 1st. The case was tried in the absence of the defendant and his witnesses. 2d. The verdict was largely in excess of the amount claimed in the complaint.

Decided 1875-01-15

Ryan, C. J.

¶1The verdict of the jury was considerably in excess of the amount claimed in the complaint. Something is said in the briefs of counsel on the subject of a remittitur, but there is none in the record, to which alone we can look. The motion for a tiew trial, if denied, should have been denied only upon condition that the respondent enter a remittitur of the excess.

¶2The other grounds set up by the appellant for a new trial went to the discretion of the court below ; and there does not appear to have been an abuse of a sound discretion in the denial of the motion, so far as it rested on those grounds.

¶3But the order of the court below overruling the motion, without making it a condition of the order that the respondent should remit the excess of damages found by the jury, was * erroneous, and must be reversed.

¶4By the Court, — Order reversed.

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