Case Name: ZENO vs. LOUISIANA INSURANCE COMPANY
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1831-07
Citations: 2 La. 533
Docket Number: 
Parties: ZENO vs. LOUISIANA INSURANCE COMPANY.
Judges: 
Reporter: Louisiana Reports
Volume: 2
Pages: 533–534

Head Matter:
ZENO vs. LOUISIANA INSURANCE COMPANY.
Eastern District,
July 1831.
APPEAL PROM THE COURT OF THE FIRST DISTRICT.
The decree of a foreign court of admiralty is res judicata in regard to the matters decided therein.
The decree of : foreign court of admiralty, is res■ judicata m regard 'to the matters de-
This action was brought to recover of the defendants the value of the schooner Constitution and her cargo, insured by them hence to Yera Cruz, with a warranty by the assured, that the cargo and vessel were American, and that the latter should not force the blockade.- The defendants pleaded non-compliance with the warranty.
It appeared that on entering the harbor of Yera Cruz, the vessel was seized, libelled and condemned, for wanting the documents necessary to establishher neutral character, and the goods,because they were about to be introduced in violation'of the blockade. The defendants offered the record of the condemnation by the admiralty court of Mexico as res judicata on the infraction of the warranty. There was judgment for defendants, and the plaintiff appealed.
Dennis for appellant,
Grymes for appellee.

Opinion:
Martin, J.
delivered-the opinion of the court.
This case was remanded from this court at May term, 1827. — 6 Martin, N. S. 62.
To establish a breach of the clause of warranty, the defendants relied on a sentence of condemnation in the court of admiralty; but the plaintiff shewed that the sentence had not passed in rem judicatam, and had been appealed from.
The district court gave judgment for the defendants, and the plaintiff appealed.
In this court the plaintiff's counsel has urged, that the document relied on by the defendants does not establish rem judicatam; that it ought not to have been received, being but the copy of a copy; that it does hot establish a breach of the clause of warranty.
The sentence of the court of admiralty, it now appears, has passed in rein adjudicatam; the appeal having been deserted, and the sentence affirmed.
The document produced is a copy of the records of the court of admiralty, which rendered the judgment, and of the decree of the court of appeals, transmitted to that court, to 1 . . enable it to carry its judgment into execution. It makes part'of the record of the inferior court on that suit, and is its authority for executing its own judgment.
The sentence affirmed establishes that the condemnation • 'took place for an act which is clear evidence of the breach of warranty.
It is therefore ordered, adjudged, and decreed, that the judgment of the district court be affirmed, with costs.