Case ID: dc_2/html/0561-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Cranch, C. J.,", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Alexander Moore, Appellant, v. George S. Hough, Appellee.
    If an entire debt of $250, be settled by the debtor’s giving bis five several promissory notes for $50 each, payable at different times ; each note is within the jurisdiction of a justice of the peace; 'and if all the notes have become payable he may issue his five separate warrants, and render judgment against the debtor in each case.
    Appeal from the judgment of a.justice of the peace in five several cases.
    The appellant, being indebted to the appellee in the sum of $250, gave his five several promissory notes to the appellee, payable at different periods. When they had all become payable he obtained from a justice of the peace five separate warrants, upon which the appellant was arrested, and judgment was rendered against him in each case; from which judgments he appealed to this Court.
    
      Mr. Fendall and Mr. Mason, for the appellant,
    contended that the splitting up the debt in this way, was a fraud upon the law, and that as the notes were all due and payable and constituted but one debt, the justice of the peace had not jurisdiction.
    The words of the Act of 1 March, 1823, giving jurisdiction to the justice are, “ where the real debt and damages do not exceed the sum of fifty dollars.” Here the real debt exceeds that sum, consequently the justice had not jurisdiction of the case.
    
      Mr. Fendall, cited Anon. 1 Vent. 65, and Girling v. Alders, 1 Vent. 73; Clarke v. Andrms, 1 Shower, 11; Girling v. Adías, 2 Keble, 617; Thompson v. Shepherd, 9 Johnson, 262; Gazenove v. Darrell £f Groverman, in this Court at November term, 1823, [ante, 444.]
   But the Court affirmed the judgments.

Cranch, C. J.,

would have looked further into the cases, but the other judges seeming to be clearly against the appellant, he acquiesced,