Case ID: nc_3/html/0278-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Martha Whitehead vs. Clinch’s heirs and executors.
    
    off HS war, a bill in equity. S’ed in Haiifar. court, to whkh íbera ,« drtnui'rw. J - ..o'- Whitehead, the b'isbaixd of the :.r a:-pN'iunt, a^-ld a tract of land to Clinch in 1T3G xud died in 1783» The complainant filed a pc. Hi on far dower, in Us ' sepuior roar? oí bw in ‘1786 or 1787. — .The petition woe heard a&dihe pray-'v-¿t »>nt j'i in or about rGi.v. was put into cr her dower C-fos by a she? iff sod jury, and Las ever since coti-sia.u-c h nosss.-sskso s C’iacli died while this petition was ptnei-t-TIN b-ll is brought to compel bis heirs and executors to a -t lor the nttsne pro tils front the ¿cali, of Jacob Whi:--hr?-5
    Cs.r.iistl for tbs defend?i’V.
    First; without come cquitA:. cid unisone;.*, ss defender, to dcialring tide deeds, their loss, or i/h-rc a die.'-os cry hoes the defor.dar.t is necessary, courts will rot eruertuir; bills to account for mesne profit's, but will kav-j vtiOTM to tbeir remedy el law ; 2 Vera. 519. 3 Aík. 34C. 1 Aik, >24. No such equitable circumstances exist in this caca, r.cr ,»re set forth in the bill. Secondly j this being a case which or;. .„'r»s>ted before our acts of Afeeirnilj’- had made any alterations in-che English common 8? statute W- respecting dower,.it rmistjbe decided entirely by the English law ; therefore, if the defendant 3 writ or petition for dower at law, dies, pending the snii, the druKrues are lest, sail judgment will be given for the dower-2 3-i-. AJ>. late edition, 3u4>, etpassim 592. — And though; thí"c..;¡e‘j n'o vesy numerous, -«hen the plaintiff or de.fench.ai in a suit at l,i >v for damages fos died before its determination, it. !m -always been conceded that the damages, at law were lost, and orpiny heir never given relief. The cace iiom 2 Bro. C. Cha C-20 is entirely different i out the present • there die biU was. first bnught for dower and mesuo profits, io a court Os equity and rot, in a court of lav;. Thirdly : no naesao profits u-vi dh-. nv,;'r; were recoverable si common law in real actions of dov/er k one. on the raiste”;de that they were necessasy to enable the taunt ir. possession io anrwer the ?r«is of the iord.-^ — • Tb-* ou’y 1 aw which altered this pri>; ip le as to writs of dower, it. íh.- ¡.tamil- of Mania, 20 s L S ; and that only gives damages, er rn-nne profits win re the iu.iba.ad died seized of the land. Co. fo;' .53- ¿ L. Ray. 1334, 2 33a. A b. Tide liowar passim. No i a..:- c-ik be produced, whose the widows. whose husbands did a jt Cas *t«3wr* í*r t,L.t‘ Janu of which ski proyvd í!ow?:*, ’•¡•c'.ver -l sacase- profits, cccccot when they are revcm-t» .%«• m Jist very particular. Í3 3 Bro. £h. C. £04, no cArr-ages c. pr^yvjí agaiast a parthae*? ja the haabaná’» life tíme. ¿uubtin,. 3V, n b:il in every osií,:cali? like the presen?, was reveist;.l by dies whole court.
    Corar ftl ícr the pic-fads’.
    
      JLn to tbs remecí y, 2. Yctaon SiS„ 3 Atfco 810, 1 Atk. 534, relate to ráeme proiis ia eoüuaoa caser-s of •.'j.jcíiaení', there equity will not It-aerpcrje unless the case fa. Wte oh equity which the pmíy csrool nu>kc available stkti. Food. 12. it Is sevurthekes tree that clotru- sod aur-oro .-dower s.re pectiSfatly subject of equity ¿«viadicfan, w’ubf-ci, au/ Alegad 3*1 ;■£ equitable ciu-cuííf*;U:LC<.-:-. X For.b. 1¿‘f, fj Vi.c. fa: , 123. Motfoed, 109. 1. Ves. 262. As to the tight, v-í cosii-:1.' sot for a legal one ; fat is he admitted íh".c iLrac.yoi ore gom ; .lew by She death of the deforceor, ¿-.id with cbm i he kval right-. The right ia couesienee remains, and c-qfaty vril recograce it,:■ - noil as in the fonder case. Where";-*- the law is slLw.c L therefore inadequaie to the attahuueut of justice, smúly will ir-oc-rpcse. 1 Foab. 20. Why will equity usbjeci ífc¿ cj-veuior (.:: tin executor to a dnasiar-il committed by the Isj-bi ero cu tur? 3 At!:. ‘¡37, Because the law is defective in rendering justice Uj the party. Why will equity subject i be nipreaepicrivts of a ¿fa-íwuáaaí, deforceor or waster, or decree io.* the eciweccntsumg cí o (fa A plasat'nT? Because law is iaecfaqaie. 'Way give com pousatir.u to the widow, for the detention of be;,- cower, although sfcs has act demanded it ? 2 Fro. Ch. 682. Because it is fast, sad the law has net provided Sorb. Why give account for w:.-2£se profits when the pfaiíuiü: fa.'. ncc uttered? Because ¡.ho low will not. 3. Alb. 226. it were enditas ¡-r» cite cases which are the ¡feveit of íiás principle. I? ocir cuvaafas to asi: if she be sr«it ia cucissiesice entitled ? She fa etui Ad it*;* the satne ro:is¡ ■-., .vid «pon. the same grounds, that a iH.-jiatsi? 1» In cojaenon cane., of ejecw.c;"1:; hecaute he has recovered tísat which Aloagud c ., far, The case cited iVom Buafary, A, c-c.-'-Y: i.ca to Le r-AA: ppou ; it it a chert, ioobe notf, CF.r--lessiy '--h. ijoirt dev, :•«. :-i*r eis'cwBsianees or argumestíi, s*nd b-, cr-ron7y «meorrect l-.i po-are píticular», and therefore there is reason to drubs it In Th Is is certainly incorrect in aayinfr tse widow errsue r nave r.wrsn yrofits but from the time of »!:•- dentad, v.i--.-, C. CK6:A It. is ai so incorrect in sayinsq that as she ha* ’-U" and js pi/csc.sa'.O'.-i, she mav recover the mesar orr-íus. ñr«-, Uaríiay-fc:, in dower are accessorii! and an sop tr.d.ige of the princip; i j Jjgraeni’, like damages in debt, and cantíos b“ recovered in a. Eííqjeiate action. Co. Litt 33. Wo iastanc--. cun be adduced of ? recovciy of damages in a sepa, use : h he cine theu incoaoet i.i these points,- the re*..A. —w •e’x? «■ equally so, lor tUmagre or mesne profits are tv cover?ble in eqooty, though thtj husband did not div seised. 5 i.vii, 403. ?. E. C Ah. 388. it is mor síícu. to say to a disoiue-rr, resist'the just claim of the widow as long as you can, ami irk-' the proñ-s which belong to k~.'} neither hw nor equity wí‘,1 tnr.be you refund them. It dúo be k,AT ?nd equity, it is not very good sense 5 common sense v’hy, the profits equally beiony to her, bum toe death of the li • 1. baud, whether he did not or did die seis.-d, audit is equally a wrong to her to take them iron l-er. Sp/vas of jurisprudence are systems of principies, nc . of cases, anti we oLcíuld try cases by taenu ©?« horet in l'tern., hout in artice. SYír.ciplo íj the magnetic needle which conducts to i!.-, diccovery of L-1 rae forget the temerity of a ncctlisg, and guided by principle gear npon • the wings of the eagle. Why l?r the t'cfoice&r I:v.v> the profits, when the husbacd did not die seV.-d ? Because, say they, these are to answer the demands of the lord. And, I say, when there is no lord, let the poor widow have them rJL he deforceor ought not to return them, to answer demands which cannot h. made.
   Is it to such ; rriilcr: l reasoning au this that the just claim of the widow is to be sacrificed? We laugh at it ■wb<v; no effects follow ; but when we find it is io have the effect it is advanced fet, we cannot refrain from barbón. i!;g a suspi: ion, that the law is nothing but legerdemain.

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