Case Name: SHEPPARD versus SALTER
Court: North Carolina Superior Court
Jurisdiction: North Carolina
Decision Date: 1796-09
Citations: 1 Mart. 40
Docket Number: 
Parties: SHEPPARD versus SALTER.
Judges: M’Coy, J. tacente.
Reporter: North Carolina Reports
Volume: 1
Pages: 40–41

Head Matter:
Newbern,
September Term, 1796.
SHEPPARD versus SALTER.
CASE sur assumpsit. The plaintiff went to trial; proved his debt but could not give evidence to repel the plea of the statute limitations: and suffered a nonsuit.
He afterwards offered an affidavit that one of his witnesses, whose testimony he would have been able to prove a re-assumption within three years, was at his counsel's elbow a little before the cause came on, but was out of the court-house at the time he was called.—Whereupon he prayed that the nonsuit be set aside.

Opinion:
The Court
said he ought to have prayed a continuance.
But on his observing that he had thought that by going to trial and satisfying the court, by the testimony of a witness who attended, that he had a good cause of action, and that he failed only on the proof of a re-assumption: the justice of the case being on his side, he would appear entitled to the favour he prayed:
Davit for the plaintiff. Arnett for the defendant.
Stone, J.
Let the nonsuit be set aside, on payments of full costs.
M'Coy, J. tacente.