Case Name: ROBBINS against EAKIN
Court: New Jersey Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Decision Date: 1811-02
Citations: 3 N.J.L. 746
Docket Number: 
Parties: ROBBINS against EAKIN.
Judges: 
Reporter: New Jersey Law Reports
Volume: 3
Pages: 314–314

Head Matter:
ROBBINS against EAKIN.
ON OEETIOBABI.
Defendant without a set-off, can recover no sum except costs.
The action below was brought by Robbins against Eakin, for violating an agreement. To this charge, Eakin plead not guilty; no offset was set up before [546] the justice; yet on the trial by jury, Eakin, the defendant, recovered $10, for which sum the justice rendered [*] judgment against the plaintiff, who brought this certiorari to reverse the judgment.
Neale, for the plaintiff.

Opinion:
By the Court.
To enable a defendant to recover a sum of money against the plaintiff, there must be a set-off. The issue on the pleadings below, was, that the defendant had broken his agreement with the plaintiff. If he had, the plaintiff was entitled to damages; if he had not, the defendant ought to have judgment for his costs; but he could not recover a sum of money against the plaintiff.
Judgment reversed.