Case ID: tenn_34/html/0443-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "McKinney, J.,", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Joel Mayfield vs. Beech & Hunter.
    1. Practice. Verdict without an issue void. The verdict of a jury without an issue to try, is a nullity, and affords no legal authority for a judgment thereon. Thus, in an action of debt upon a bill single, commenced and conducted by the plaintiff under the act of 1811, eh. 114-, § 1 ; the defendants plead in abatement, that the writ was executed upon them while attending a public election, to which the plaintiff replied without exception, traversing the truth thereof, and the defendants rejoined, tendering an issue to the country. A jury was sworn to try the “issues joined,” and thereupon the plaintiff moved to quash the plea in abatement, which ivas done, and the defendants then moved to non. pros, the plaintiff for want of a declaration, which motion was overruled, and thereupon the jury rendered a verdict for the plaintiff, upon which tho court gave judgment. Held, that the jury ought to have been discharged, as no issue remained for them to try, and the verdict was a nullity, as well as the judgment thereon.
    2. Same. Acts of 1794, ch. 1, § 26, and 1811, ch. 114-, § 1. The act of 1811, ch. 114, § 1, authorizing the plaintiff in a suit upon a specialty, note or liquidated account signed by the parties, to conduct his own suit and dispensing with a declaration, creates an exception to the general rule declared by the act of 1794, ch. 1, § 26, and in order to render the proceedings valid under the same, ifc must appear that the case in judgment is within the exception.
    FROM WILLIAMSON.
    This action of debt, upon a bill single, was instituted and conducted under the act of 1811, ch. 114, § 1, in the circuit court of Williamson county, where at the July term, 1854, before Baxter, judge, there was verdict and judgment for the plaintiffs. The defendants moved for a new trial, which the court refused, and one of the defendants appealed in error to this court.
    R. C. EostbR and Coos, for the plaintiff in error.
    JohN Marshall, for the defendant in error.
   McKinney, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

This was an action of debt, in the circuit court of Williamson, brought upon a MU single by Beech & Hunter against Mayfield & Morton. At the July term, 1854, judgment was rendered for the plaintiffs, and. Mayfield alone appealed in error to this court. The irregularity of the proceedings constitutes the ground of error, upon which a reversal of the judgment is sought.

Tbe summons was issued on tbe 4tb of March, 1854, returnable to tbe March term. Erom tbe sheriff’s return it appears, that tbe summons was served on tbe defendant, Mayfield, on tbe day of its issuance, to wit: 4th of March, and on tbe defendant Morton on tbe 6th of March. ..

No declaration was ever filed in tbe cause, for tbe reason, as stated at tbe bar, that the plaintiffs in pursuance of tbe act of 1811, cb. 114, §1, appeared in proper person, and conducted their suit.

No steps whatever were taken in the cause, by either party, at tbe appearance term. At tbe next ensuing term, July term, 1854, an informal and insufficient plea in abatement was filed by tbe defendants jointly, tbe allegation of which is, that tbe “summons was executed on them on tbe 4th day of March, 1854, tbe day of election of sheriff, &c., in tbe county of "Williamson, &c., while they were attending said election.” To this plea the plaintiffs replied without exception; and tbe defendants rejoined, tendering an issue to tbe country.

Tbe record shows, that at tbe same time a jury was empannelled to try tbe “issues joined,” and immediately upon this being done, tbe plaintiffs moved tbe court “to quash the plea in abatement, filed by tbe defendants,” which motion was sustained. Tbe defendants thereupon moved to non pros, tbe plaintiffs for want of a declaration; but tbe court overruled this motion. To tbe action of tbe court upon both motions, the defendants excepted.

Tbe jury then proceeded, as appears from tbe record, to “ find tbe issues joined ” in favor of tbe plaintiffs; and that a balance of tbe debt of $632 55 remained unpaid, and assessed the damages to $19 50. Upon which verdict judgment was entered up for the plaintiffs.

Notwithstanding the great laxity of practice sanctioned by recent legislative enactments, the proceedings in this case cannot be sustained. It was irregular to entertain the motion to strike out the plea in abatement under the circumstances; but even if this were allowable, the jury ought to have been discharged, as there remained no issue, in the cause for them to try. The verdict, therefore, must be regarded as a nullity, and as no authority or foundation for the judgment rendered thereon.

Again: The record does not bring the plaintiffs within the act. of 1811, ch. 114. This act makes an exception to the general rule, declared by the act of 1794, ch. 1, § 26, that every plaintiff or his attorney,” in any suit, in any of the courts of this State, shall file Ms declaration in the clerk’s office within the three first days of the term to which the writ is made returnable, &c., or such suit shall be dismissed.

By the act of 1811 the plaintiff may appear in proper person, and conduct his suit, and if it be founded upon a “specialty, note, or liquidated account, signed by the parties,” a declaration is dispensed with.

This being an exception to the general rule, enough ought to appear from the record to show distinctly that the case is within the exception.

Judgment reversed, and the case remanded.