Case Name: James Hutchings against Charles Cavalier
Court: General Court of Maryland
Jurisdiction: Maryland
Decision Date: 1795-09
Citations: 3 Md. 389
Docket Number: 
Parties: James Hutchings against Charles Cavalier.
Judges: 
Reporter: Maryland reports, being a series of the most important law cases argued and determined in the Provincial Court and Court of Appeals of the then province of Maryland, from the year 1700 [i.e. 1658] down to the [end of 1799]
Volume: 3
Pages: 389–390

Head Matter:
GENERAL COURT,
SEPTEMBER TERM, 1795.
(EASTERN SHORE.)
James Hutchings against Charles Cavalier.
THIS was an appeal from Queen Anne’s county court. The record states that Cavalier, the plaintiif in the county court, brought an action of assumpsit, on a promissory note, against Hutchings, the drawer of the said note, who pleaded non assumpsit, and gave notice that he intended to give in evidence fraud in the sale of a vessel.
At the trial of the cause, the defendant produced a witness to support his defence; after which the plaintiif produced a witness, in order to destroy the weight of the testimony of the defendant’s witness, and proposed to ask the following question: “ What is the general character of the defendant’s witness?” To which the defendant objected, as being an improper question, insist ing that the question ought to he confined to the general character of the witness as to veracity; but the court . , . , . r . . permitted ■ the question to be asked, being of opinion that it was a proper question. The defendant excepted to this opinion, and appealed, to the general court.
Martin (Attorney-General) and Wright, for the appellant.
Tilghman, for the appellee.

Opinion:
The general court affirmed the judgment of the county court. The appellant appealed to the court of appeals, where the cause abated at June term, 1797, by reason of the death of the appellant..