Case Name: Sarah S. Keiler v. John Lessford and Wife
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1819-12
Citations: 2 Cranch 190
Docket Number: 
Parties: Sarah S. Keiler v. John Lessford and Wife.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 2
Pages: 190–190

Head Matter:
Sarah S. Keiler v. John Lessford and Wife.
Words, charging the, plaintiff, a single-woman, with incontinence, are not actionable , without an allegation of special damage.
This was- an action for words spoken by the defendant’s wife,, charging the plaintiff with gross incontinence. The jury found a., verdict for the plaintiff with 130 dollars damages.
Mr. Key, for the defendants,
moved in arrest of judgment, contending that the words were not actionable per se in this, country, as the plaintiff could not be liable to punishment, nor even to ecclesiastical censure, for fornication.
Mr. Jones, for the plaintiff,
cited 3 Bl. Com. 123, 124;; 6 Bac.. Ab. 221; Medhurst v. Balam, 1 Roll, Ab. 35, 1. 20, and Ann-Davis's case, 4 Co. 16, 17.

Opinion:
The Court
having taken time to consider, arrested the judgment, at October term, 1822, because the words were not actionable without special damages.