Case Name: Hopkins v. Simmons
Court: United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1805-07
Citations: 1 Cranch 250
Docket Number: 
Parties: Hopkins v. Simmons.
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: 250–250

Head Matter:
Hopkins v. Simmons.
The opinion of a witness (who has seen the party sign a paper) that another paper is also in the handwriting of the same party is competent evidence, although his opinion is the result of comparison.
Assumpsit. The defendant offered in evidence an account, said to be in the plaintiff’s handwriting; and Robert Ellis, a witness, testified that he saw the plaintiff sign a certain receipt; and that, by comparing the account with the signature to the receipt, he believed the account to be in the plaintiff’s handwriting.
Mr. Key
objected, on the authority of Peake’s Law of Evidence, p. 69, that comparison of hands is no evidence in any case.

Opinion:
But the Court
admitted the evidence.