Case Name: Colman I. Keeler against John Adams
Court: New York Supreme Court of Judicature
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1805-05
Citations: 3 Cai. 84
Docket Number: 
Parties: Colman I. Keeler against John Adams.
Judges: Kent, C. J¡ gave no opinion on the point of set-off.
Reporter: Caines' Reports
Volume: 3
Pages: 84–86

Head Matter:
Colman I. Keeler against John Adams.
The court will not order a justice to make a return contrary to what he has sworn to, though there appear a cirtificate from him Impeaching the return, but will leave the party to his action. If a special notice amount to the general issue, it seems unnecessary toreturn it. In a special action on the case for damages, a notice of set-off cannot be given. The court will not ut semb. order a justice to return a special notice, which, if on the record would not vary their judgment.
HOPKINS moved for a rule on a justice, ordering him to amend his.returh by inserting the substance of a notice given at the trial of the causes and the testimony adduced under it.
The affidavits of the defendant and his attorney, set forth, that the action ivas tresspass on the case, for not retimling and misus ing four beds, bedsteads and some furniture, let to the defendant ° for 6 months, to which not guilty was pleaded with a notice, that at the trial, evidence would be given, that the hiring was for twelve mbnths, at the rate of 4 dollars per bed per annum, and that the defendant had paid more to the plaintiff than the rent for six months amounted to, and also, that the plaintiff had, before the expiration of the year, by force, taken away the goods demised, and that the defendant would on the hearing, insist on ° . recovering the balance due him, on the overplus of the rent paid, That proof ivas made of these circumstances, and the jury found a verdict in his favor for three dollars damages and six cents costs, upon which the plaintiff sued out a certiorari., ahd had assigned for error, that the jury gave damages for the defendant, when he claimed none by his plea.
NEW-YORK,
May, 1805.
To these depositions, was annexed a certificate from the justice himself, corroborating their contents.
Emott, contra,
read affidavits made by the plaintiff, his attor-hey and the justice, denying the notice of set-off, but admitting one. of giving in evidence that the hiring was for 6, not 12 months, In that by the justice, the contradiction between his certificate and affidavit, was explained to arise from surprise in the hurry of business, and conceiving the former, which was brought to him ready prepared, to relate to the argument Used by the defendant on the trial
From these Facts, and, the tenor ox the defendants, affidavits, he insisted, that as > be suit below was an action on the case for damages, there could be no set-off, and that the court would not Order a return, contrary to the deposition of the justice, as that would be obliging him to lay himself open to an action.

Opinion:
Per curiam, delivered by
Tompkitts, J.
I am of opinion that the present motion ought not to be granted. The evidence of the notice of set-off. which the defendant alleges to have been given, consists of his own affidavit, that of his counsel and a certificate of the justice. To this is opposed the affidavits of the plaintiff and his counsel, and an affidavit of the justice, stating the notice of special matter given at the trial of the cause, to be different from the one specified in the affidavits on the part of the defendant!
The latter notifce was of such matters as it was competent for the defendant to give in evidence under the general issue, and therefore, a return of it by the justice, in addition to the general issue, would be unnecessary, and immaterial in the final determine ation of the cause.
The weight of evidence before us, is against the allegations of the defendant, since the affidavit of the justice, ought to receive greater credit than his certificate; especially as in the former, he explains the circumstances uhdei' which the latter was obtained, and his inadvertence and misapprehension at the time of giving the latter. We cannot suppose that the justice, if compelled to amend, would return any other notice; than the one to which he has now sworn, and, as I remarked before, the notice amounted to no more than the general issue.
I should not be inclined to grant the defendant's motion, if the affidavits on his part, were uncontradicted by opposite proof. The declaration below was for a tort, to which the defendant properly pleaded not guilty, and, in such an action, evidence of set-off is inadmissible. It cannot, therefore, be important for the defendant to have a return of the notice which he alleges to have been given, as it would not vary the determination of the cause in this court. Let the defendant take nothing by his motion.
Kent, C. J¡ gave no opinion on the point of set-off.