Case Name: LYDIA WATERS v. JONATHAN CRAWFORD
Court: Delaware Court of Common Pleas
Jurisdiction: Delaware
Decision Date: 1818
Citations: 1 Del. Cas. 629
Docket Number: 
Parties: LYDIA WATERS v. JONATHAN CRAWFORD.
Judges: 
Reporter: Delaware Cases
Volume: 1
Pages: 629–630

Head Matter:
LYDIA WATERS v. JONATHAN CRAWFORD.
Court of Common Pleas,
c. 1814-1818.
Clayton’s Notebook, 176.
Clayton for the respondent
moved to dismiss the appeal. An appeal does not lie in cases determined on the report of auditors where the debt and damages do not exceed £5, 2 Del.Laws 1046, c. 250, s. 12. And the amount of the debt and damages cannot be shown by any matter dehors the record to be greater than five pounds, so that, if upon the report of referees judgment be rendered for the defendant or for thé plaintiff and for less than £5 in amount, no appeal lies from the court below: and so it was adjudged in [-] he said.
Ridgely, contra.
The construction of the Act contended for leads to this gross absurdity, that the greater the injury the plaintiff suffers from the report, the less right has he to a remedy. Suppose plaintiff claims $50.00 and recovers £6, he may appeal, but if he recover nothing he cannot. The equitable and fair construction of the exception in this Act is that the amount of the debt and damages claimed must be to a greater amount than £5, and not the amount of debt and damages awarded.
Blank in manuscript.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
There is nothing in this case to distinguish it from those cited by the counsel for the respondent.
Appeal dismissed.