Case Name: Barbara Nixdorff v. Richard Wells
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1833-11
Citations: 4 Cranch 350
Docket Number: 
Parties: Barbara Nixdorff v. Richard Wells.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 4
Pages: 350–351

Head Matter:
Barbara Nixdorff v. Richard Wells.
To enable a landlord to recover double rent for holding over, the lease must be for a specific term.
A renting at $60 a year, payable monthly, is not for a specific term, and will not authorize a judgment for double rent.
Appeal from a justice of the peace, who gave judgment for $10, being double rent for a month, the tenant having held over after the first year, under a demise at $60 a year, payable monthly.
Mr. Marbury, for the appellee.
No time- for notice to quit is mentioned when the lease will expire by its own limitation. Woodfall, L. & T. 163. A renting at $60 a year, payable monthly, is a renting for one year and no more.
Mr. Redin, contra.
It was a general hiring at $60 a year, not for any limited period. The case of Gordon, in this Court, at the last term, was a specific lease for one year only, and notice to quit was not necessary to recover double rent.

Opinion:
The Court
(nem. con.) was of opinion that the renting was not clearly shown to be for a specific term, but only at the rate of $60 a year, leaving the term uncertain; and that double rent could not be recovered.
Judgment reversed, with costs.