Southworth v. Resing

California Supreme Court
Southworth v. Resing, 3 Cal. 377 (Cal. 1853)
Heydenfeldt

Southworth v. Resing

Opinion of the Court

Heydenfeldt, Justice,

delivered the opinion of the court. Wells, Justice, concurred.

Upon examining the affidavits in this case, it appears that the salient points in the plaintiff’s affidavit showing cause for the arrest, are sustained by the affidavits of others, who are disinterested witnesses, while they are controverted alone by the affidavit of the defendants.

In trying a motion of this kind, like any other fact, it must be decided by the weight of testimony. To entitle a party to the remedy of arrest, it is not necessary he should show positively the commission of a fraud. It is sufficient if the circumstances detailed will induce, in a reasonable mind, the belief that a fraud was intended to be perpetrated. And as a matter of practice, it is safest to award an arrest, even in cases of doubt, because the defendant is protected against the abuse of the process by the undertaking of the plaintiff, which the law requires to that effect, while on the other hand, frauds are proverbially concocted with so much artfulness and ingenuity as render them at all times difficult to be exposed; and when such a case actually exists, the plaintiff is remediless, without the process of arrest. A different rule would almost, if not certainly, destroy its efficiency as a legal remedy. Under the circumstances shown by the various affidavits in this case, I think the arrest ought to have been permitted to remain. The order vacating it is therefore reversed, and the cause remanded.

Reference

Full Case Name
SOUTHWORTH v. RESING
Cited By
1 case
Status
Published
Syllabus
On a rule to show cause why the arrest of a party ordered by the court on the allegation of fraud should not be vacated, the question of fact involved in it must be decided like any other fact, by the weight of evidence. To entitle a party to the remedy of arrest, it is not necessary that he should show positively the commission of a fraud. It is sufficient if the circumstances detailed would induce a reasonable belief that a fraud was intended. As a matter of practice, it is safest to award an arrest, even in cases of doubt, for the defendant is protected by his bond from abuse by the process; without which process the plaintiff may be remediless.