Case Name: Stephen Minot vs. Leonard Sawyer
Court: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Decision Date: 1861-01
Citations: 1 Allen 18
Docket Number: 
Parties: Stephen Minot vs. Leonard Sawyer.
Judges: 
Reporter: Massachusetts Reports
Volume: 83
Pages: 18–18

Head Matter:
Stephen Minot vs. Leonard Sawyer.
Under St. 1859, c. 196, § 32, a judge of the superior court has no authority to report ques tians of law arising in that court for the decision of the supreme court, except after verdict.
Writ of entry to foreclose a mortgage. On a hearing in the superior court, before Wilkinson, J., after default, to ascertain the amount for which conditional judgment should be rendered, certain questions of law arose, which the presiding judge, aftei judgment for the demandant, reserved on a report of the case for the decision of this court.
J. W. Perry, for the demandant.
S. B. Ives, Jr. (H. G. Johnson with him,) for the tenant.

Opinion:
Bigelow, C. J.
This case is not properly before the court. By St. 1859, c. 196, § 32, reenacted in Gen. Sts. c. 115, § 6, the superior court has no authority to report a case for the determination of this court, except after verdict. The object of this limitation on the power to send up cases to this court is to secure a settlement of the facts controverted between the parties by a verdict, so that only the questions of law material to the rights of the parties to the suit may be presented on the report for the determination of this court.
It is important that this regulation of the statute should be strictly observed. Therefore we cannot take cognizance of the questions raised in the present ease. The proper mode of bringing them before this court would be by a bill of exceptions.