Lamb v. Brown
Lamb v. Brown
Opinion of the Court
This is an action of assumpsit on a premium note given to the Winnesheik Insurance Company on the 8th day of October, 1862, now in bankruptcy. The defendant pleaded that on the 28th day of April, 1868, he was discharged from all debts which, by the terms of the bankrupt act [of 1867 (14 Stat. 517)] were provable against his estate. To this plea there was a replication, that the defendant omitted from the schedules filed with his voluntary petition, the debt described in the declaration, and that neither the plaintiff nor the said Winnesheik Insurance Company had notice of the defendant’s proceeding in bankruptcy, or of his petition for discharge. There was a general demurrer to the replication. It was not alleged in the replication that the omission was willful or fraudulent, and it is not pre tended that the discharge was improperly granted, or that the same is invalid for any of the causes specified in section 29 of the act. The simple question raised is whether a debt, inadvertently omitted from the schedule, with no fraudulent intention on the part of the bankrupt, remains unimpaired by the discharge, provided the creditor has received no notice either of the pend-ency of the proceedings, as required by section 11 of the act, or of the application of the bankrupt for his discharge as required by section 29. The discharge, with the exception of debts created by fraud, defalcation in a public office, or arising under some fiduciary relation, “releases the bankrupt from all debts, claims, liabilities, and demands which were, or might have been proved against his estate.” I think congress intended that a discharge granted in a proceeding either voluntary or involuntary, after an order of adjudication upon a proper petition, and after the service of the usual notices and publication required by law, shall operate as a complete extinguishment of all debts of the bankrupt provable against his estate, with the exceptions named in this act — debts of those whose names have been omitted from the schedules otherwise than fraudulently, and who
Reference
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- LAMB v. BROWN
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