Case Name: Elizabeth Orrok versus her Husband, Alexander Orrok
Court: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Decision Date: 1805-03
Citations: 1 Will. 255
Docket Number: 
Parties: * Elizabeth Orrok versus her Husband, Alexander Orrok.
Judges: 
Reporter: Massachusetts Reports
Volume: 1
Pages: 255–256

Head Matter:
* Elizabeth Orrok versus her Husband, Alexander Orrok.
Practice. — In a libel for a divorce, if the defendant appears to defend, he mustput in a plea in writing. Execution ordered to issue for alimony decreed to the wife.
This was a libel for a divorce a mensa et thoro, for the cruelty of the husband; praying for alimony out of his personal estate, &c. The husband appeared, by his counsel, to defend ; and the Court directed the counsel to file a plea in the case, saying that, in all these cases, where there is an appearance, if a defence is intended to be made, there must be an answer in writing.
The plea filed was, “ And the said A. O. comes and defends, &c., when, &c., and says the allegations, matters and things in the libel contained are false and groundless, and that there is not any cause of divorce as prayed for ; and therefore he puts himself on trial, &c.”
In this case, a divorce was decreed, and the sum of 1000 dollars allowed as alimony; upon which a question was made whether, under the statute giving the Court jurisdiction in cases of this nature, they should issue execution for the wife against the husband for the sum decreed to her for alimony.
Stackpole for the libellant.
Act March 16,1786. — Stat. 1785, c. 69.

Opinion:
The Court, (jDana, C. J., Strong, Sedgwick, and Thacher, justices,) after some consultation on the subject, were of opinion that they might; and accordingly ordered that the wife should have her execution against the husband for the whole sum immediately.