Case Name: SNYDER VS. CROTHERS
Court: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Decision Date: 1874-11-02
Citations: 1 Walk. 39
Docket Number: No. 242
Parties: SNYDER VS. CROTHERS.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases decided by the supreme court of pennsylvania which have been omitted from the regular reports
Volume: 1
Pages: 39–39

Head Matter:
SNYDER VS. CROTHERS.
Under the act of April 8th, 1868, the statement of a lien claimant’s claim must be verified by affidavit.
Error to Common Pleas of Clarion County, No. 242, October Term, 1874. Snyder built an oil tank for defendant and filed a statement of his claim, which, however, was not verified by affidavit. Crothers took a rule to quash the lion for this reason. The rule was made absolute and Snyder took this writ of error. A. M. Brown and Thos. S. Wilson, Esqs., for plaintiff argued that the provision of the act is merely directory. Donahoo vs. Scott, 2 Jones 45 ; Calhoun vs. Mahon, 2 Harris 56 ; Lybrandtvs. Eberly, 12 Casey 347 ; Howell vs. Phila., 2 Wright 471; Dame’s Appeal, 12 Sm. 417; MeClintock vs. Rush, 13 Smith 203 ; Mohawk vs. Hudson R. R. Co., 19 Wend. 142.
W. S. Corbitt, Esq., Contra.

Opinion:
On November 2, 1874, the judgment was affirmed in the following opinion :
Per Curiam.
It is made the duty of the lien claimant by the act of April 8th, 1868, P. Laws 753, to file a statement of his claim or demand verified by affidavit.
Clearly the affidavit is as essential to comply with the law, as the statement itself, unless waived by the subsequent conduct of the defendant. But of such a waiver there is no evidence. The plea expressly sets up the want of the affidavit as a special defense. The question before us is not upon the sufficiency of the affidavit of defense, but of the statement as the means of protecting the lien. We cannot, therefore, raise a constructive waiver out of the affidavit of defence, when the party has already expressly pleaded the defect. Judgment affirmed.