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Witherwax v. Averill

6 Cow. 589 Court N.Y. Sup. Ct. English

Contents

Majority

p. 589
Witherwax against Averill.
ALBANY,
Feb. 1827.

Headnote

The plaintiff declared on a judgment rendered in a jus* tice’s court. The defendant pleaded two pleas ; l.nultiel record, and 2. payment.
A pfesofwa? declaration ón a jufl“>sntcómt! is not triable by the record, but by jury; and may be joined with a plea of payment.
J. L. Wendell, for the plaintiff,
moved for a rule that the defendant elect which plea he would abide by.
E. CoiOen, contra.

The ground upon which we compel a defendant to elect between a plea of nul tiel record, and other pleas, is, that their mode of trial is different; one being by the record, the others by jury. No such consequence follows here from retaining both pleas. The existence of a justice’s judgment is not determinable at bar, by the record. It ranks as a specialty. ( 16 John. 233 .) And the plea of nul tiel record, if it be good and capable of trial, in this case, must be tried by a jury.

Motion denied.