Stevens v. Lodge
Stevens v. Lodge
Opinion of the Court
— This was a trial of the right of property under the 9th section of the act of 1838, regulating distress for rent. The cause was submitted to the Court on an agreed case. The material facts are as follows:
George Fitzhugh is tenant of certain premises called The Madison Hotel under Lodge the defendant, and was such tenant from the 1st of February, 1837, to the 1st of February, 1842, at an annual rent of 500 dollars. On the 1st of February, 1842, there was a balance of the rent unpaid of 1,128 dollars. In April, 1842, Lodge procured a warrant of
The Circuit Court, upon the above facts, gave judgment that the property in question was subject to the distress.
The plaintiff contends that the goods were not liable to the distress, because they did not belong to the tenant. The common law on the subject is certainly against him. He relies, however, on the 5th, 8th, 9th, and 12th sections of the act regulating distress for rent. R. S. 1838, p. 472. The 5th section has reference only to the landlord’s claim for rent, when his tenant’s goods are taken in execution. The 8th section only provides for the distraining of the tenant’s cattle and stock, and of corn, grass, &c., growing on the premises. Those sections, therefore, cannot affect the case. The 9th section provides for a trial of the right of property distrained, when claimed by a stranger. As there are many cases, not only by the common law, but also by the statute above cited, where a stranger has a right to his property when distrained for rent on the demised premises, it must be presumed that the 8th section was intended to provide for such cases. The 12th section, we think, instead of supporting the plaintiff’s
The plaintiff further contends, that as the defendant had, by the record, notice of the mortgages and made no objection, the goods must be considered to be on the premises with the defendant’s consent. This argument is untenable. The facts relied on are no evidence, in our opinion, that the defendant consented that the goods should be on the premises.
The last point urged by the plaintiff is, that the goods, if liable at all, were liable only for one year’s rent. The plaintiff must be wrong in this. There is nothing in the common law or in the statute, which thus limits the demand for rent. The provision in the statute, that the landlord’s claim, where his tenant’s goods are taken in .execution, shall not exceed one year’s rent, has no application to the case of a distress.
The goods distrained in this c.ase having been found on the demised premises., and not being such as are exempt from distress for rent, either by the common law or by statute, were liable to the warrant of distress.
— The judgment is affirmed with costs.
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