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9 N.H. 106

Stevens v. Gilson

Superior Court of New Hampshire

Decided December 15, 1837

Superior Court of New Hampshire · decided 1837-12-15

Assumpsit. The defendant pleaded the general issue, and paid into court under the common rule $7. When the cause wa.s called to be tried, the plaintiff elected not to take the amount brought into court, in full satisfaction of his demand, and the cause was opened to the jury.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently July 1844

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1837-12-15

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Richardson, C. J.,

¶1delivered the opinion of the court.

¶2It is provided by statute that in certain cases, if it appear *107that the plaintiff had no reasonable expectation of recovering more than thirteen dollars and thirty-three cents, the court may limit the costs. But the court never interferes in these cases unless it in some way clearly appears that the plaintiff had no such reasonable expectation.

¶3It may so appear on the face of the declaration, or by the evidence introduced on the trial. 4 N. H. R. 227, Rumney vs. Elsworth.

¶4But it has been decided, that the court are not to infer that a plaintiff could have had no reasonable expectation of recovering; more than ,⅜ 13.33. merely from the circumstance that the jury have found a less sum. 5 N. H. R. 247. Herrick vs. Fuller ; 6 ditto 59, Ames vs. Cady.

¶5And we are of opinion, that no such inference is to be drawn from the circumstance that the plaintiff has consented to receive in satisfaction of his claim a less sum paid into court under the common rule. There are many cases in which a plaintiff might greatly prefer to take a less sum than he believed to be really due to him, rather than proceed further in the suit ; in a particular manner in cases where the amount in controversy is small. And it would be very hard to deprive the party of his reasonable costs merely because he had been willing to take less than was due to him, in order to be rid of the suit.

¶6Full costs allowed.

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