Case Name: Brown vs. Miller
Court: New York Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1847-09-09
Citations: 1 Barb. 24
Docket Number: 
Parties: Brown vs. Miller.
Judges: 
Reporter: Barbour's Supreme Court Reports
Volume: 1
Pages: 24–24

Head Matter:
Same Term.
Before the same Justice.
Brown vs. Miller.
A reference to ascertain the amount of damages sustained by the plaintiff will not be granted, after a default for want of a plea, upon a mere general affidavit that the inquiry involves the examination of a long account: but the production of a sworn copy of the account on which the suit is brought will be required.
The defendant’s default for want of a plea having been entered, the plaintiff’s attorney, upon a general affidavit that the inquiry involved the examination of a long account, moved, ex parte, for a reference to ascertain the amount of damages.

Opinion:
Edmonds, J.
Cases of this kind have occurred where, the damages could very conveniently have been ascertained by a sheriff's jury, but where the plaintiff's attorney, upon an affidavit like this, has obtained a rule of reference, and very largely and unnecessarily augmented the costs. To guard against such an abusé of the statute, I shall in future exact from the plaintiff's attorney a sworn copy of the account on which the suit is brought; so that the court may judge for itself as to the necessity of a reference.