Case Name: Boyd vs. Weeks
Court: New York Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1843-07
Citations: 5 Hill & Den. 393
Docket Number: 
Parties: Boyd vs. Weeks.
Judges: 
Reporter: Hill's Reports
Volume: 5
Pages: 393–395

Head Matter:
Boyd vs. Weeks.
In assumpsit, any thing which shows that the plaintiff never had any Cause of action, and most matters in discharge showing that the plaintiff had no subsisting cause of action when the suit was commenced, may be given in evidence under the general issue. Per Bronson, J.
Every plea in bar must contain a full answer to the declaration or count to which it is pleaded. Per Bronson, J.
Matter amounting to only a. partial defence may ordinarily, be given in evidence under the general issue. Per Bronson, J.
A full defence arising after the commencement of the action, must be pleaded in bar of its further maintenance, and is not available under the general issue. Accordingly where, in an action by the endorsee against the maker of a promissory note amounting to $66,66, the declaration contained the money counts demanding $200 damages, and the defendant offered to prove, under the general issue, that he paid the note after the commencement of the suit; held, inadmissible, and that the matter should have been specially pleaded.
If the payment be made after issue joined, it must be pleaded puis darrein continuance.
A plea of payment to tire money counts does not render it necessary for the defendant to prove payment of the whole sum mentioned in the declaration; but if evidence be given that he has paid any sum on account of the demand in suit, the onus will devolve upon the plaintiff of showing that his demand exceeds the payment, unless the fact appear in some other way.
Error to the New-York O. P. In the court below Weeks as the endorsee sued Boyd as the maker of a promissory note for $66,66. The declaration contained the money counts demanding $200 damages, and a copy of the note was served with it. Plea, non-assumpsit. On the trial, the defendant oifered to prove that he had paid the note after suit brought. The judge rejected the evidence, on the ground that the defence should have been pleaded. Exception. Verdict and judgment for the plaintiff, and writ of error by the defendant.
J. Holmes, for the plaintiff in error,
said that, under the form of declaring adopted in this case, the matter sought to be given in evidence could not be pleaded, and therefore should have been received under the general issue. At all events, it was proper in mitigation of damages. He cited and commented on 21 Wend. 273; 2 Hill, 124, 194; Holt's N. P. Rep. 6; 10 Barn. & Cress. 676.
E. Sandford, contra,
cited 20 John. R. 414; 15 id. 230; 13 id. 56; Holt's N. P. 6; 4 Barn. & Cress. 390; 4 East, 502; 3 T. R. 186; 3 Johns. R. 229; 2 Hill, 387; 1 Chit. Pl. 585.

Opinion:
By the Court, Bronson, J.
In assumpsit, any thing which shows that the plaintiff never had any cause of action, and most matters in discharge of the action showing that the plaintiff had no subsisting cause of action at the time the suit was commenced, may be given in evidence under the general issue. But when the action was well brought, and the defendant has some matter in discharge arising afterwards, he should plead it specially in bar of the further maintenance of the action. It cannot be given in evidence under the general issue. I speak of cases where the matter set up is a full defence. A partial defence never can be pleaded, because every plea in bar must contain a full answer to the declaration or count to which it is pleaded. Most partial defences may therefore be given in evidence under the general issue. Here the defendant set up what, if true, would constitute a complete bar to the further maintenance of the action, to wit, payment of the whole demand after suit brought; and lie should have pleaded the matter spe daily. If the general issue had been pleaded before the payment, as was stated at the bar, then this matter should have been pleaded puis darrein continuance.
It is said that the matter could not be pleaded, because the defendant could not plead to the note, but must plead to the declaration; and as the declaration demands two hundred dollars damages, a plea that the defendant paid a less sum, to wit, the amount of the note, would only show a partial defence, which camiot be pleaded. But the plea would not be that the defendant paid any particular sum of money, but that he paid the several sums of money in the declaration mentioned. This would not make it necessary for him to prove on the trial that he, paid the whole sum mentioned in the declaration. On showing that he had made any payment on account of the demand in suit, unless it affirmatively appeared that it was only a partial payment, the burden would be thrown on the plaintiff to show that his whole demand had not been satisfied. (New-York Dry Dock Co. v. McIntosh, ante, p. 290.) The substance of the issue is all that the party is required to prove, and that does not very often depend upon dollars and cents. There was no legal difficulty in the way of pleading the defence which was set up on the trial, and as it arose after suit brought, it should have been pleaded,
Judgment affirmed,
See Young v. Rummell, (2 Hill, 478.)
See Kunzler v. Kohaus, (ante, p. 317.)
See Wilmarth v. Babcock, (2 Hill, 194.) Otherwise as to a defence by way cf recoupment. (Van Epps v. Harrison, ante, p, 63; The Mayor, &c. of the City of Albany v. Trowbridge, ante, p. 71; Barber v. Rose, ante,p. 76.)