Case ID: hill_1/html/0202-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "\n      By the Court, Cowen, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Hapeman vs. Woolford.
    Where it is intended to hold the defendant to bail in an action for a breach of a promise to marry, the ac etiam clause in the capias ad respondendum is Slifficient if it be in the ordinary form in assumpsit, thus—“ and also, &c. upon promises,” —without adding any thing indicating the particular nature of the promises.
    Motion to set aside an order made by a commissioner, discharging the defendant from custody on filing common bail, and to amend the. ac etiam.
    
    The action was instituted for breach of marriage promise, and a commissioner’s order obtained, on affidavit, to hold the defendant to bail. But the ac etiam was in the ordinary form in assumpsit: “ and also, &c. upon promiseswithout adding, “ to marry.”
    The commissioner’s order to discharge was founded on this omission.
    The defendant had given bail on his arrest; and the present motion was opposed'by his bail.
    
      G. Humphreys, for the motion.
    
      M. T. Reynolds, contra.
   By the Court, Cowen, J.

I do not see why the ac etiam “ on promises” is not sufficient, as comprehending a promise to marry. This is one of the cases excepted by the non-imprisonment act, (1 R. S. 808, 2d ed. § 2,) and therefore stands on the old law of bail. By that, “ no person shall be held to bail on a capias ad respondendum, unless the true cause of action be particularly expressed therein.” (2 id. 270, § 7.) This, however, calls for no more than the old forms of ac etiam; and I am not aware that the one in question) which was the usual form in assumpsit, has ever been held to come short of sufficiently expressing a promise to marry. The statute might be so construed as to require the whole substance of the declara tion; but under the like statute which existed previously, the only way to give it any practicable effect was found to be, by allowing á short intimation, such as may be found in- our books of practice. (Vid. 1 Sell. Pr. Introd. 35. 1 R. L. of 1813, 424, § 14.) Then, as now, an order was necessary to warrant the holding to bail, where the promise intended by the ac etiam was of marriage. The motion is granted; but without costs.

Rule accordingly.