Case Name: Steele et Ux. at the suit of Tennent
Court: New York Supreme Court of Judicature
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1803-05
Citations: 1 Cai. 68
Docket Number: 
Parties: Steele et Ux. at the suit of Tennent.
Judges: 
Reporter: Caines' Reports
Volume: 1
Pages: 100–101

Head Matter:
Steele et Ux. at the suit of Tennent.
Steele, and Fuller, his bail, at the suit of Tennent, assignee of the Sheriff of Washington.
Attorney on being retained for a defendant, should examine state of proceedings; though it is but fair practise for plaintiff’s attorney to disclose them; for want of doing so in a suit against bail, default and subsequent proceedings in original suit set aside on terms.
The original suit was trespass guare clausum fregit, in which Steele and his wife had been held to bail under the statute.
On the return of the writ the plaintiff obtained an assignment of the bail bond, upon which he issued process, filed his declaration on the first of October, 1802, and entered a default the eleventh of November; on the 17th the partner of the plaintiff’s attorney received, when in his office, notice of the retainer of an attorney on behalf of the defendants in the bail bond suit, but no information was then given of any default having been entered. In January following final judgment was signed.
On the 8th of March, 1803, the attorney for the defendants in the bail bond suit; was served with a notice of executing a writ of inquiry in the original suit; a declaration also in the same suit was then delivered, which the plaintiff’s attorney swore was merely to apprize the defendant of the nature of the demand; but the attorney of the defendant swore it was served absolutely, not on any condition, and that he did not know of the entry of the default in the bail bond suit, or that any declaration had been filed; that acting under that impression he did not attend the execution of the writ of inquiry, or apply to the court, last term.
On these facts the defendant now moved that the default and interlocutory judgment in the original action, and all the proceedings in the bail bond suit, be set aside, and the defendants in the original cause let in to plead
а) 31st March, 1801, c. 102, s. 3.
Under s. 16 of c. 90, of 31st March, 1801,

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
The court are of opinion the defendant's attorney was in default. He ought to have seen that the proceedings '"in the suit on the bail bond ["69] were regular. He should have called after the default and tendered costs. We do not say that the not disclosing the entry of the default in the suit against the bail amounts to a surprise, but it would have been rather more candid to have mentioned that circumstance. Let the judgment on the bail bond stand as security, and the costs on that remain also. The default and subsequent proceedings in the original suit to be set aside on payment of the costs of entering the judgment, under the statute, and executing the writ of inquiry. The defendant to plead instanter to the declaration filed, take short notice of trial, and pay the costs of this application.
Livingston, J.
I think the costs on the bail bond ought to be paid.
Motion as to original suit. setting aside default ana proceedings on
Granted,