Case Name: Walden and Gesner vs. Ursy and Ursy
Court: United States Circuit Court for the District of North Carolina
Jurisdiction: North Carolina
Decision Date: 1793
Citations: 1 Mart. 51
Docket Number: 
Parties: Walden and Gesner vs. Ursy and Ursy.
Judges: Crew, C. J. Doderidge, Jones and Whitlock, Justices, agreed that in this case the sheriff is out of the proviso.
Reporter: North Carolina Reports
Volume: 1
Pages: 51–53

Head Matter:
Walden and Gesner vs. Ursy and Ursy.
Pasch, 1 Car.
Walden and Gesner, sheriffs of Coventry and Lichfield, brought debt against Ursy and Ursy, for £. 7 o 6d. for fees for apprehending T. who was condemned to pay the defendant £. 181, on a writ to them directed out of this court. They pleaded that by 28 El. no sheriff &c. shall take for serving any execution, more than is limited in the statute, viz. 1s. for every 20s. where the sum does not exceed £. 100, and 6d. for every 20s. over and above the said sum of £. 100. The defendant pleaded the proviso in the statute, that this act shall not extend to sees to be taken within any city, &c. and prayed judgment, as it appears by the declaration, that the execution was levied in the city of Conventry.
Germyn for the defendant.
The sheriff ought to have only £. 4 6d. for the whole execution; inasmuch as at common law, he had no fee of common right, and he cannot maintain an action of contract for his fee, and he cited Batho and Salter's case; as the statute is introductio novi juris it ought to be taken strictly—and it may be expounded here both ways.
Crew, C. J. assented:
It is not inconvenient that he should have more fees for £. 100 than £. 199, inasmuch as when the sum is large, he shall be well paid, although he has only 1s. for every 20s. of the first £. 100.

Opinion:
Doderidge, J.
The statute admits of two constructions, therefore it is proper to inquire into its true meaning. The mischief was, that sheriffs used to be slack in doing executions, for there was much danger and no profit; as if the party escaped an action on the case laid against the sheriffs, besides the trouble of conveying and keeping him in prison. Therefore this statute was intended to constitute a medium between the oppression of the suitors and the avarice of the officers. And as the danger is greater where the sum is larger, it would be hard that the fee should be less.