Miller v. McGuire
Miller v. McGuire
Opinion of the Court
“In order to justify the use of force in ejecting a trespasser from defendant’s premises, where he entered peaceably, it should be shown that defendant first requested tbe trespasser to depart and that be refused after being allowed a reasonable time to do so; but where tbe trespasser uses actual force in effecting an entrance, then no request is necessary before forcibly ejecting him.” 5 Corp. Jur. 634, § 29. This text is fully supported by tbe cases. Hannabalson v. Sessions (Iowa) 93 Am. St. Rep. 250, note, 256. In our own case of Motes v. *352 Bates, 74 Ala. 374, 378, this qualification of’ the right to eject is expressly recognized.
The theory of the rule is that the use of force to expel a trespasser who has entered peaceably is presumed to be unnecessary until the trespasser has refused to go upon request. This issue was necessarily comprehended in defendant’s pleas of justification, which affirmed that defendant ejected plaintiff, a trespasser, “using only such force as was necessary to eject her from said hall.’’
Even though answered affirmatively, we think, that plaintiff’s uncommunicated purpose in that regard was not material to the issues of the case, viz. whether any force was necessary for plaintiff’s expulsion, and, if so, how much and of what kind. Moreover, it would seem that her purpose to enter the hall and reiiiain was sufficiently apparent without any direct admission from her. The exclusion of the question was not reversible error.
Plaintiff had testified that she authorized thd justice to write a letter informing defendant that she intended to seek admission on the night in question, and that particular paragraph of the letter was properly admissible, as being in effect a declaration by plaintiff herself. But the letter contains numerous independent observations made by the justice ex mero motu which are irrelevant and flagrantly inadmissible for any purpose, offered, as it .was, as a whole, the letter was properly excluded.
Under, these decisions, we are constrained to hold that the trial court erred in refusing to give at defendant’s request the several charges denying plaintiff’s right to recover for physical injuries or physical suffering caused by the battery complained' of.
Eor this error the judgment must be reversed and the cause remanded for another trial.
Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Miller v. McGuire.
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- 2 cases
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- Published