Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

7 Ind. 519

Fisher v. Prewitt

Indiana Supreme Court

Decided May 31, 1856

Indiana Supreme Court · decided 1856-05-31

<p>The Courts of Common Pleas have no jurisdiction in civil actions where the amount involved is 1,000 dollars or upwards.</p>

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently November 1862

1 state decisions

Relies on Brown v. McQueen · Thurman v. Hammond

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1856-05-31

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

Per Curiam.

¶1Suit by Prewitt against Fisher, commenced May 11, 1853, in the Shelby Common Pleas, to recover 1,000 dollars in damages for an alleged trespass. Answer, the general denial. Trial by the Court, and judgment for the plaintiff for 400 dollars.

¶2Fisher appeals, and denies the jurisdiction of the Court of Common Pleas, because the damages claimed were 1,000 dollars.

¶3By the Common Pleas act, it is admitted that that Court had jurisdiction; but subsequently to the passage of that act, the Circuit Court act was passed, which gave the latter Court original exclusive jurisdiction in all cases of “one thousand dollars or upwards.” This provision of the latter act, being utterly repugnant to the provision of the Common Pleas act, giving that Court jurisdiction in cases where the amount was 1,000 dollars, repealed said provision of the Common Pleas act. We think the Common Pleas had no jurisdiction. Brown v. McQueen, 6 Blackf. 208. And see 5 Blackf. 66, 67, 86 and 168.—Also, Spencer v. The State, 5 Ind. R. 41, and Simington v. The State, id. 479.

J. Harrison, for the appellant.M. M. Ray, for the appellee.

¶4The judgment below is reversed, and the cause remanded to be dismissed.

Stuart, J., dissented.
/7/ind/519 · .json · Public domain