Case Name: THOMAS v. JAMESSON
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1802-04
Citations: 23 F. Cas. 952
Docket Number: 
Parties: THOMAS v. JAMESSON.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Cases
Volume: 23
Pages: 952–952

Head Matter:
Case No. 13,900.
THOMAS v. JAMESSON.
[1 Cranch, C. C. 91.]
Circuit Court, District of Columbia.
April Term, 1802.
Slavery — Slave as Witxess.
A slave cannot be a witness if a free white man be a party.
Assault and battery. The plaintiff was a man of color. The defendant, a free white man, offered his slave as a witness under the act of assembly (Rev. Code, 289, § 3; Old Acts Assem. p. 284).

Opinion:
THE COURT
refused to permit the slave to be sworn. See Act Jan. 21,1801, § 4 [Laws Va. 1800-01, p. 38].