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8 Tex. 372

Camp v. Gainer

Texas Supreme Court

Decided July 1, 1852

Texas Supreme Court · decided 1852-07-01

Error from Harrison. The defendant in error filed his petition in the District Court of Harrison county, alleging that he. obtained a judgment against t lie plaintiff in error in that court, at the Fall Term thereof, 18-14, for the sum of six hundred and forty-eight 89-100 dollars, which judgment remained unsatisfied, praying that a scire jacios issue t,o the defendant therein, who resided in the county of Upshur, to show cause why execution should not issue, ole.

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently October 1950

3 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1852-07-01

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Wheeler, J.

¶1It is objected to the judgment, 1st. That the scire facias describes a judgment as having been rendered in Upshur county, the word “ said ” in the recital of the writ referring, it is insisted, to the last antecedent, which is Upshur.

¶22d. That tlie judgment is erroneously entered for tlie debt and interest.

¶3As a general rule, an equivocal expression in pleading is to be construed against tlie party using it; yet when tlie opposite party has pleaded over, that, it is said, is an admission that the expression is to be taken in that sense which will support the previous pleading. And even in an indictment the word “said” will not be referred to the last antecedent, where the sense requires that it should be referred to some prior antecedent. (1 Chit. PL, 238-9.) Wo think in the present case it. is to be referred to the venue rather than to the address of the writ, the former indicating the county in which tlie judgment was of record, and tiie latter that in which the defendant resided.

¶4Moreover, the defendant was advised by tlie petition for the writ in what county the judgment was rendered which it was proposed to revive. If there was a variance between the petition and writ of which he would have taken advantage', he should not have demurred'generally, but should have taken liis objection specially, so as that the plaintiff might have been afforded an opportunity to amend.

¶52. The remaining objection is well taken. It is erroneous [374] to enter judgment for debt or damages on a scire facias; the judgment should be simply that the plaintiff have execution, <fcc.

¶6The judgment must therefore be reversed, and such judgment be here rendered as the court below ought to have rendered.

¶7Ordered accordingly.

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