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6 Johns. 65

Adams v. Willoughby

New York Supreme Court

Decided May 15, 1810

New York Supreme Court · decided 1810-05-15

THIS was an action of covenant. The declaration . Stated, that on the 11th August, 1806, Josiah Fuller was indebted to the plaintiff in 102 dollars and 29 cents, on the settlement of accounts, with interest to 13 dollars ; and in four notes, all amounting to 88 dollars and 25 cents principal, and 14 dollars and 87 cents interest; also, on an unliquidated account, amounting to 68 dollars and . - 6 cents ; also on a receipt for moneys of Charles Seldon IF Co. for Í25 dollars…

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1810-05-15

How this case has been cited

Cited by 5 later decisions — most recently January 1895

4 state decisions

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Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

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Per Curiam.

¶1The instrument upon which the suit is brought is miserably defective in precision, and it is not easy to apprehend clearly its meaning. The only liquidated sum, at the date of the covenant, was the 102 dollars and 29 cents. The goods were pledged to the plaintiff for moneys owing, and for services thereafter to be performed, but how much was Owing does not appear. All the unliquidated accounts and demands were,, *67iby agreement of the parties, referred to three arbitrators, to be liquidated and ascertained ; and the defendant was to pay such sum as they should adjudge to be due. This is the just construction of the covenant, and as no such reference has been made, nor any effort on the part of the plaintiff to procure it, (for none is shown or averred,) the plaintiff is not entitled to his action for any such demand. The reference and determination of the arbitrators was a condition precedent, which the plaintiff was bound to show had been performed. So far the declaration has failed in stating a cause of action. But the liquidated sum of 102 dollars and 29 cents, the defendant was bound to pay, without such reference, and to that extent the covenant has been broken. And in covenant, if some breaches be well assigned and some not, and there is a demurrer to the whole declaration, the plaintiff shall have judgment for those breaches which are well assigned. (2 Saund. 380. Cro. Jac. 575.)

¶2There were objections made to the form of the declaration ; and it is not, perhaps, well drawn, either in the manner of stating the covenant, or in the assignment of the breach ; but as> these are matters of form, and not of substance, they may be overlooked on a general demurrer.

¶3The declaration, therefore, may be considered as good, so far as it relates to the non-payment of the 102 dollars and 29 cents; and the plaintiff is entitled to judgment for that breach of the covenant.

¶4Judgment accordingly.

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