Superior Court of Delaware, 1833

Richardson v. Carr

Richardson v. Carr
Superior Court of Delaware · Decided July 5, 1833
1 Del. 142

Counsel

Hamilton, for appellant. Wales, for respondent.

Richardson v. Carr

Opinion of the Court

The Court

charged the jury

That if a cow be found trespassing on another’s property, the owner of the property may impound her, or sue for damages, or drive her out; but in driving her out he must use only necessary violence, or he becomes himself a trespasser and liable in damages to the owner of the cow. If the deft, in this case beat the plff’s. cow and mangled her with dogs as he is charged, he is a trespasser though the cow was in his corn field, and the plff. ought to have damages, to the value of the r v, if her death was occasioned by his *143 act; and, if not, to the amount of the injury. If however, in turning her out of his field, he used only the necessary force, and her death arose from other cause the deft, ought to have a verdict.

Hamilton, for appellant. Wales, for respondent.

Verdict for appellant, defendant below.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.