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8 N.C. 301

White v. . Morris

Supreme Court of North Carolina

Decided June 5, 1821

Supreme Court of North Carolina · decided 1821-06-05

i-From Craven. This was an action of trespass vi et armis, brought by the Plaintiff against the Defendant, for taking and carrying away the horse of the Plaintiff. It was found by the special! verdict, on the trial below, that the title to the horse was in the Plaintiff, butthat he had loaned him to his brother, Paul While, to work during the pleasure of the Plaintiff.

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently December 1999

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1821-06-05

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Tayxor, Chief-Justice,

¶1 delivered the opinion of the Court:

¶2 The Plaintiff, notwithstanding the loan to his brother, had a constructive possessi¿n of the horse when the trespass was committed $ and had a right to the immediate actual possession, if he thought proper to exercise it. This makes the distinction between the cases ; in Ward v. M’Cauley, it was held that the landlord, who had leased the goods for a certain time, could not maintain an action of trespass against the Sheriff for seizing them, because he had parted with the right of possession during the term, and had only a reversionary interest. But whenever the injury is done while the goods are in the actual possession of a servant, carrier, or other bailee, if the owner have the immediate right of possession, the action may be brought in his name. The same principle applies to real property, for if a stranger does a trespass to a lessee at will, which prejudices the land, the lessor may have trespass against him for damage to the land; for the possession of the lessee is his possession — (Co- myns “ Trespass B. 1.”) The very case before us is put in the books, to shew that the owner has the right of present possession. So if a man lend his cattle to J. S, to plough his land, and a stranger takes them away, J. S. may maintain trover or trespass against him — {Bro. Trespass 90.”) The case of Carson v. Noblet was decided on the same distinction, and is directly in point with the one now before us. That was the case of a loan resumable at pleasure, in Which trespass was held to He by the owner, for a taking from the actual posses^ sion of the bailee—(1 Law Rep. 522.) The nonsuit «mat *304 therefore be set aside, and judgment entered" up on the verdict, in favour of the PiaintiiF.

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