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54 Miss. 535

Stephen v. Eiseman

Mississippi Supreme Court

Decided April 15, 1877

Mississippi Supreme Court · decided 1877-04-15

Eekok to the Circuit Court of Jefferson County. Hon. Uriah Millsaps, Judge. This writ of replevin, by M. Eiseman against Army Sims, was issued from the Circuit Court, and levied by the sheriff on three bales of cotton, which the officer failed to value, but which Sims retained, giving bond in the penalty of $300, with W. L. Stephen as surety. The declaration did not state the value of the property, but claimed $250 damages for the taking and detention thereof.

Decided 1877-04-15

Chalmebs, J.,

¶1delivered the opinion of the court.

¶2The value of the cotton was not stated either in the affidavit, the sheriff’s return, or the declaration, but was fixed by the ver’diet of the jury at $150. In the absence of any thing showing that the plaintiff had reason to believe, or did actually believe, it to be of greater value, this valuation ousted the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court, or rather demonstrated that it never had jurisdiction, because its jurisdiction only embraces controversies in which the subject-matter exceeds $150 in amount or value. Upon the coming in of the verdict the court below should have dismissed the case, unless motion was made to set aside the verdict by reason of the value having been assessed too low.

¶3We will reverse and remand the case, so that the plaintiff may determine whether he will dismiss and sue in the Justice’s Court, or assume the burden of proving, on a second trial, that the value exceeded $150.

¶4Judgment reversed and cause remanded.

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