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44 Vt. 523

Sabin v. Angell

Supreme Court of Vermont

Decided February 15, 1872

Supreme Court of Vermont · decided 1872-02-15

Assumpsit upon an award. Plea, the general issue, and trial by the court, at the December term, 1871, Barrett, J., presiding. The award declared on was given in evidence, and is as follows : “ AWARD. “ We the undersigned, Jonas Lamson, Samuel Stone, and B. F. Hilliard, to whom are submitted all matters in difference between Wm.

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently November 1980

2 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“[a]n award may be good in part and bad in part, if the parts are distinguishable and severable.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including RE Bean Const. v. MIDDLEBURY, ETC.

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1872-02-15

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1The opinion of the court was delivered by

Wheeler, J.

¶2It was not necessary that these arbitrators should follow the rules of law in taking evidence any more than in other matters to make their award good. While governed by their own judgment, without corruption or partiality in their proceedings and decisions, their award should stand. Each party should either be present or have a fair opportunity to be present at all hearings. Both of these parties appear to have had this opportunity. No corruption or partiality as to the item of scveu dollars was shown, therefore the award as to that was binding. If this item was so blended with others in the award as not to be severable, the plaintiff was entitled to judgment on the award as made in respect to it, and the defendant cannot justly complain because the judgment was so much less.

¶3The plaintiff was not entitled to recover the item of fifty dollars if the defendant did not perform the rest of the award. They did not award that sum to the plaintiff otherwise than as a penalty for non-performance of the rest. The parties did not submit how much either should pay the other for non-performance, but only their matters of difference. This penalty was not within the submissson, and the award of it was not good. An award may be good in part and bad in part, if the parts are distinguishable and severable. This part is distinguishable and severable from the rest, and does not vitiate the rest.

¶4The judgment of the county court is affirmed.

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