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Fictitious Action

The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary · Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922

The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary

A suit brought on pretense of a controversy, when no such controversy in truth exists. Such actions have usually been brought on a pretended wager, for the purpose of obtaining the opinion of the court on a point of law. Courts of justice were constituted for the purpose of deciding really existing questions of right between parties; and they are not bound to answer impertinent questions which persons think proper to ask them in the form of an action on a wager.

12 East, 248.

Such an attempt has been held to be a contempt of court; and Lord Hardwicke in such a case committed the parties and their attorneys. Lee temp.

Hardw. 237. See, also, Comb. 425; 1 Coke, 83; 6 Cranch (U. S.) 147, 148.

See, also, "Feigned Action."