action on the case

Defined in 7 dictionaries — Case Law, Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914), Black's (1910), Black's (1891), Burrill (1850)

Definitions from Case Law

From 65 U.S. 407 - Adler v. Fenton · 1860Most cited · 116 citing opinions

To enable the plaintiffs to sustain an action on the case like the present, it must be shown that the defendants have done some wrong, that is, have violated some right of theirs, and that damage has resulted as a direct and proximate consequence from the commission of that wrong.

The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary

Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922

See "Case."

Ballentine's Law Dictionary

James A. Ballentine · 1916

A common-law remedy for injury consequentially resulting to the person, property or reputation, from the commission of a tort, in cases where trespass will not lie. Same as “Trespass on the Case,” and “Case.” See 18 Johns. (N. Y.) 257, 9 Am. Dec. 210.

Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia

John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914

This v remedy given by the common law, but it appears to have existed only in a limited form and to a certain extent until the statute of Westminster 2d. In its most comprehensive signification it includes assumpsit as well as an action in form ex delicto; at pr when it is mentioned it is usually understood to mean an action in form ex delicto. It is founded on the common law or upon acts of Parliament, and lies generally to recover damages for torts not committed with force, actual or implied; or having been occasioned by force where the matter aft* was not tangible, or the injury was not immediate but consequential; or where the interest in the property was only in reversion, in all of which cases trespass is not sustainable; 1 Chit PI. 132. See Case; Assumpsit.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

A species of personal action of very extensive application, otherwise called "trespass on the case," or simply "case," from the circumstance of the plaintiff's whole case or cause of complaint being set forth at length in the original writ by which formerly it was always commenced. 3 Bl. Comm. 122. Mobile L. Ins. Co. v. Randall, 74 Ala. 170; Cramer v. Fry (C. Ct) 68 Fed. 201; Sharp v. Curtiss, 15 Conn. 526; Wallace V. Wilmington & N. R. Co., 8 Houst (Del.) 529, 18 Atl. 818.

A Dictionary of Law

Henry Campbell Black · 1891

A species of personal action of very extensive application, otherwise called “trespass on the case,” or simply “case,” from the circumstance of the plaintiffs whole case or cause of complaint being set forth at length in the original writ by which formerly it was always commenced. 3 Bl. Comm. 122.

A New Law Dictionary and Glossary

Alexander M. Burrill · 1850

[L. Lat. actio super casum.] In practice. A species of personal action of very extensive application, otherwise called trespass on the case, or simply case, from the circumstance of the plaintiff's whole case or cause of complaint being set forth at length in the original writ by which formerly it was always commenced. 3 Bl. Com. 122. See Cau, Trespass on the case. ACTION OF ABSTRACTED MUL-