Watson v. Rollins
Watson v. Rollins
Opinion of the Court
Charge 4 is substantially the same as charge 1, which was given.
“The court charges the jury that the possession of the notes by the defendants is prima facie evidence of the payment of the notes by the defendant.”
Under the authorities this seems to be correct rule of evidence. Potts v. Coleman, 86 Ala. 94-100, 5 South. 780; Hicks v. Meadows, 193 Ala. 246-257, 69 South. 432; A. & M. R. Co. v. Sanford, 36 Ala. 703; McGee v. Pronty, 9 Metc. (Mass.) 547, 43 Am. Dec. 409; Heald v. Davis, 11 Cush. (Mass.) 318, 59 Am. Dec. 147; Weakly v. Bell, 9 Watts (Pa.) 273, 36 Am. Dec. 116; Richardson v. Cambridge, 2 Allen (Mass.) 118, 79 Am. Dec. 767; Erwin v. Shaffer, 9 Ohio St. 43, 72 Am. Dec. 613.
“The defendant pleads and says that this plaintiff is not entitled to recover for the reason that the notes had been paid, fully paid, before the action was commenced. As the court understands the law, when notes are found in the possession of the makers after their maturity, the burden as to payment is shifted to the plaintiff to show payment has not been made. In this case you look to the evidence to ascertain whether or not they have been paid in full”
—and in writing gave this charge:
“The court charges the jury that the possession of the notes by the defendant is presumptive evidence that said notes were paid.”
While there is a technical différenee between presumptive evideñee and prima facie evidence (31 Cyc 1172; 16 Cyc. 1050), when used and applied' to a rule of evidence the two terms seem to be used interchangeably, and to mean practically the same thing. For instance, in 31 Cyc. 1172, under the title, Prima Pacie, we are referred to Presumption, and under that reference again referred to Presumptions of Pact. In 8 Cyc. p. 246, under the title Possession by Maker or Accept-er, the text, based upon the authorities says, “It will be presumed . to have been paid,” while in 3 R. C. D. 1285, under title “Presumption and Burden of Proof ” based upon authorities the text says: “Such possession is prima facie evidence of payment by him.” In Potts v. Coleman, 86 Ala. the opinion on page 100 (5 South. 780) uses the term prima facie,” while the headnote to the same opinion uses “Presumptive Evidence,” and in the case of Potts v. Coleman, 67 Ala. 221, cited as authority by the learned judge in Potts v. Coleman, 86 Ala. 94, 5 South. 780, supra, the circumstance of possession is referred to as a “presumption.” And so we could multiply illustrations and comparisons to demonstrate that, as generally understood, the charge refused had already been substantially and fairly given, and under Acts 1915, p. 815, its refusal will not constitute reversible error.
We find no reversible error in the record, and the judgment is affirmed.
Affirmed.
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