Case ID: root_1/html/0433-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "By the Court.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Lewis v. Niles.
    Where, in a declaration for slander, some of the counts are insufficient, and there is’a general verdict for the plaintiff and entire damages given, the court will not arrest the verdict.
    ActioN of defamation. Tbe declaration contained several counts for several sets of words, some of wbicb were sufficient and some were insufficient. Tbe defendant plead not guilty generally to tbe whole. Issue to tbe jury.
    Tbe jury found tbe defendant guilty and gave damages.
    Tbe defendant moved in arrest of judgment, that several of tbe counts in tbe declaration were clearly insufficient, and as tbe verdict was general, it did not appear to tbe court but that tbe defendant was found guilty and tbe damages given upon tbe insufficient counts only.
   By the Court.

Tbe motion is insufficient, for it is not to be presumed that tbe jury founded their verdict upon tbe insufficient counts; and as there are several counts in tbe declaration, which are well and sufficiently alleged, it contains substantial grounds to entitle tbe plaintiff to judgment; besides, tbe defendant might have demurred to the insufficient counts. Tbe rule laid down in tbe books, as adopted in Great Britain to tbe contrary in civil actions, appears not to be founded in good reason, although the same rule in criminal actions doth not bold, (for in those if any one of the allega,-tions is sufficient, tbe defendant is bolden) yet tbe reason is tbe same in both civil and criminal prosecutions.