Case Name: Stephen Stevens v. Edward Lloyd
Court: United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1803-06
Citations: 1 Cranch 124
Docket Number: 
Parties: Stephen Stevens v. Edward Lloyd.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 1
Pages: 124–124

Head Matter:
Stephen Stevens v. Edward Lloyd.
In assault and battery, on the plea of not guilty, the plaintiff is not bound to prove that the defendant struck or assaulted him first.
But, on the plea of son assault demesne, the defendant must prove that the plaintiff assaulted him first.

Opinion:
Assault and batteRY. The CouRT instructed the jury that to support the issue on his part, on the plea of not guilty, the plaintiff was not bound to prove that the defendant struck him first or made the*first assault; but that to support the plea of son assault demesne, the defendant must prove that the plaintiff made the first assault.