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9 Ala. 366

Grant v. Cole & Co.

Supreme Court of Alabama

Decided January 15, 1846

Supreme Court of Alabama · decided 1846-01-15

Assumpsit by the defendants, against the plaintiff in error, upon anote for $59 56, and an open account for $109. From a bill of exceptions it appears, that the plaintiff read the note to the jury, and proved by a witness $39 38 of the account, and abandoning all the account over one hundred dollars, offered to prove by his own oath, all the items of the account not proved by the witness.

Relies on King v. Dougherty

Decided 1846-01-15

ORMOND, J.

¶1The statute under which the plaintiff was examined as a witness, provides, “ that in all suits to be commenced upon accounts for a sum not exceeding one hundred *367dollars, the oath of the plaintiff shall be received as evidence of the demand; unless the same shall be controverted by the oath of the defendant.” [Clay’s Dig. 342, § 161.] The objection that the act does not apply where the suit is brought upon a note, as well as an account, cannot be sustained. We can perceive no reason whatever for thus limiting its operation. The suit is not the less upon an account, that the amount of a note is also sought to be recovered in the same action. The statute is remedial, and must receive a construction to effectuate its intent. [Moore v. Hatfield & Smith, 3 Ala. R. 442.]

¶2For the same reason, we think the plaintiff may, upon the trial, abandon all his account over one hundred dollars, and prove that sum by his own oath, if the defendant does not controvert it. It might frequntly happen, that the plaintiff would not know until the trial of the cause, that he could not establish his account by testimony other than his own, and certainly the defendant cannot object, that a part of the account is abandoned. This can be done so as to give a justice of the peace jurisdiction, (King v. Dougherty, 2 Stew. 487,) a much stronger case than the present.

¶3The statute does not require notice to be given of the proof intended to be made, except the notice contained in the declaration, which was afforded in this case.

¶4Let the judgment be affirmed.

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