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5 Va. 407

Lee v. Chilton

Supreme Court of Virginia

Decided February 7, 1817

Supreme Court of Virginia · decided 1817-02-07

A writ of scire facias was issued from the Clerk’s office of Spottslyvania County, directed to the Sheriff thereof, on the *17th of February 1813, in behalf of John Chilton against M’Carty Fitz-hugh and Henry Lee, jr. as special Bail for Henry Bee, sen’r. The Sheriff’s return was, “The within-named M’Carty Fitz-hugh and Henry Lee, jr. are not inhabitants of my bailiwick, and are not found within the same.” An alias writ of scire facias was issued, and directed in like…

Decided 1817-02-07

¶1February 7th, 1817. JUDGE ROANE pronounced the Court’s opinion.

¶2The Court is of opinion that the Judgment of the County Court is erroneous in this; that, at the time the defendants had leave to withdraw their pleas, as having been improvidently pleaded, they had the right to surrender their principal; two writs of Scire facias not having been then returned nihil against them ; that the permission given to the Sheriff to amend his returns could not, by relation to the time, when those returns were made, deprive them of the benefit of two several writs returned nihil; for, until such writs were severally issued, and so returned, with a proper interval between each, they had a right to make such surrender. The Judgment of the Superior Court of Law, affirming that of the County Court, is therefore erroneous, and reversed with costs; and this Court proceeding, &o. the Judgment of the County Court is also reversed, with Costs, as far back as the order permitting the Sheriff to amend his return; which Order is also reversed so far as it permits an amendment of the return on the second writ of scire facias; and the said last mentioned Writ, with the return thereon, is quashed, and the cause remanded to the rules to be farther proceeded in.

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