Case ID: misc_22/html/0585-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Gaynor J.:", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

John B. Hicks, Plaintiff, v. The New Jersey Car Spring & Rubber Co., Defendant.
    (Supreme Court, Kings Special Term,
    February, 1898.)
    Services — Insufficient defence, stating the cause of discharge — Bill of particulars.
    An allegation, that the defendant discharged the plaintiff from its service “ for good and sufficient cause, and particularly for disloyalty to its interests, and for conduct and actions harmful and injurious to its business ”, states no new matter, i. e. facts constituting a defence, and is a mere conclusion of law; but where the plaintiff has treated it as a defence, the defendant may properly be compelled, by an amended answer or by a bill of particulars, "to give the specific facts and the time of their occurrence.
    Action for damages foi breach of a contract of service by a discharge. Motión for a further bill of particulars.
    Wray & Pilsbury, for motion.
    Robert Thorne, opposed.
   Gaynor J.:

The particular facts' constituting a valid cause for the discharge of an employee during the fixed term of service contracted for must be pleaded0as a defence, in an action for damages for breach of the contract, in order to be proved (Linton v. Unexcelled Fire Works Co., 124 N. Y. 533). The defence pleaded here is that the defendant discharged the plaintiff for good and sufficient cause, and particularly for disloyalty to its interests, and for conduct and actions harmful and injurious to its business.” This is no defence. A defence is a statement of' new matter, viz., matter outside of the general issue sufficient to defeat the plaintiff’s cause of action (Code Civ. Pro. see. 500). This is not a statement of new matter, viz., of facts constituting a defence. No facts are pleaded, hut only a conclusion of law. But as the plaintiff is content to consider it a defence, the defendant must either hy an amended answer, or by a hill of particulars, give the specific facts constituting the defence, with the time of their occurrence. "

Motion granted, with $10 costs.