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9 Wend. 35

Reynolds v. Moore

New York Supreme Court

Decided May 15, 1832

New York Supreme Court · decided 1832-05-15

Error from the Orange common pleas. Reynolds sued Moore in trespass for taking a yoke of cattle. Moore justified the taking as collector of a school district, under a warrant issued by trustees for levying of a school district tax. The district was formed in March, 1828, from four districts; two in Walkill and two in Crawford; the record of its formation particularly described the lands of several persons as included within its bounds.

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently September 1858

2 state decisions

Relies on Savacool v. Boughton

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1832-05-15

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¶1*36By the Court,

Sutherland, J.

¶2The new district was a district defacto. It had organized, chosen its officers, levied a tax, and a warrant had been issued for its collection. The trustees who issued the warrant were officers defacto, and the warrant was regular upon the face of it. This is sufficient to protect the officer. Whether all the forms prescribed by the statute in organizing the district, or in its subsequent proceedings, had been complied with, is not a matter to be inquired into between these parties. This is fully established by the cases of Savacool v. Bonghton, 5 Wend. 170; Wilcox v. Smith, 5 id. 231; and McCoy v. Curtice, ante, p. 17, and the authorities there referred to. The fallacy of the plaintiff’s argument, I apprehend, is this: He supposes that the evidence offered by him would have established the fact that there was no such district as the one in question ; whereas, in truth, it would only have shewn an irregularity or informality in the organization of the district; that there was such a district formed and duly recorded, was proved.

¶3The defendant was entitled to double costs. He is an officer within the meaning of the statute. 2 R. S. 617, § 24.

¶4Judgment affirmed.

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