Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

4 Conn. 130

Willoughby v. Raymond

Supreme Court of Connecticut

Decided July 15, 1821

Supreme Court of Connecticut · decided 1821-07-15

This was an action of assumpsit, for the use and occupation of land. The plaintiff, in his declaration, stated, That on the 5th of April, 1817, the defendant hired of the plaintiff his farm in Canterbury, for the term of three years then to come; and in consideration thereof, the defendant, then and there, gave, executed and delivered to the plaintiff his certain writing, in the words and figures following, viz. “April 5th, 1817.

Decided 1821-07-15

Hosmer, Ch. J.

¶1The evidence offered in this case was undoubtedly admissible. The writing recited in the plaintiff’s declaration was a perfect transcript of it; and the allegation that the defendant executed the writing, by his testimony proved to be authentic, was unquestionably supported.

¶2The judge omitted to instruct the jury, that the above-mentioned writing, the only evidence adduced, did not support the promise laid in the plaintiff’s declaration; and in this particular, the proceeding below was manifestly erroneous. The promise averred was incorrect, for two reasons. In the first place, it was an assumpsit implied; and the express contract clearly excluded the implication. Expressum facit cessare tacitum. Secondly, the promise proved was essentially variant from the one alleged. The allegation was of a promise to pay a sum of money “in a reasonable time then to come”; and the proof was of an express engagement to pay the money on the 1st day of April, 1820.

The other Judges were of the same opinion.

¶3New trial to be granted.

/4/conn/130 · .json · Public domain