Doe ex dem. Wilkerson v. McDougal
Doe ex dem. Wilkerson v. McDougal
Opinion of the Court
This is an. action of ejectment commenced on the eleventh day of March, in the year 1852; and a copy of the declaration and notice was served upon the tenant in possession on the eighteenth day of March in the same year. This was before the adoption of the Code. Consequently, the law which governs such a suit is found in Clay’s Digest of the Laws of Alabama. By this law, the fictitious proceedings in the action of ejectment are abolished.-— Clay’s Dig. p. 320, § 43. In this compilation of our statutes it was prescribed that,-“in all cases where the action of trespass to try titles would, under the present laws, be the proper action, the plaintiff, at his election, shall have either the said action of trespass to try titles, or the action of ejectment; and when the action of ejectment shall be brought, it shall be lawful, and shall be the duty of the jury trying the same, to assess the damages in favor of the real plaintiff, as in actions of trespass to try titles.” — Clay’s Dig. p. 320, §§ 46, 43, 44. The action referred to in these sections of the law as an action of ejectment is that action as at common law, with the fictitious proceedings abolished. That is, the real plaintiff and the real defendant take the places of the fictitious parties, and the action proceeds in other respects as it did before. The form of the pleadings in this case is that adopted at common law. The declaration here pursues the form given in the books of credited authority on matters of pleadings. — 2 Chit. Plead, pp. 877, 878. In such case, at common law or under the English practice modelled on the common law, it is required that the declaration and notice of suit shall be served on the casual ejector. And if the tenant in possession chooses to appear pursuant to the notice and defend, a rule of court is entered, by consent of parties, by which it is ordered that the tenant in possession be made defendant instead of the casual ejector, and receive a declaration in an action of trespass and ejectment for the premises sued for, and plead thereto “not guilty;” and upon the trial of this issue such tenant was required to confess lease, entry and ouster, and insist upon his title only, — 2 Tidd’s Pr. 1203, 1204, et seq.
It may be contended, that as the action was commenced before the expiration of the term, and that the term has failed since action brought, the plaintiff is entitled to recover the damages for detention of the lands and for the rents and profits. Although this seems the extent to which the judgment of the court goes in the case of Jackson, ex dem., v. Davenport, (18 Johns. R. 295,) it does not seem to
But besides, this cause was submitted “by consent,” without argument. No brief has been furnished by the appellant in support of his assignments of error. When this is the case, it will be presumed that the assignments are not insisted on, and this court will not feel bound to consider them. — Shœfer v. Sheppard, June term, 1872; 38 Ala. 318.
Let the judgment of the court below be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DOE, ex dem. WILKERSON v. McDOUGAL
- Status
- Published