Arpine's Heirs v. Harrison
Arpine's Heirs v. Harrison
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court. This suit is brought to recover from the defendants, a tract of land, which the plaintiffs claim as a part ot the succession oi their ancestor. The cause was submitted to a jury in the ; court below, who* under a chaise from the
. The charge of the judge was excepted to by the counsel of the appellees, as having been given contrary to the provisions of the code of practice, by interfering improperly with the facts of the case. We have considered this charge attentively, and are of opinion that it relates to questions of law which would arise out of the facts, according as the jury should find them.
After verdict and judgment, the defendants moved for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence. Affidavits of discovery are frequently made in desperation, and ought to be received under great restrictions. The witnesses must be designated, and a certain and clear knowledge of what they will prove, should be laid before the court, in such a manner as to shew that the testimony expected will be admissible on the pleadings, and pertinent the issue. In the present case, one of the defendants states in his affidavit, for the purpose of procuring a new trial, that he hopes to prove, by the newly discovered witnesses, that Barney, under whom they claim, had fiilfilled
The answer contains a plea of prescription, founded on a possession of 20 years, the plaintiffs being non-residents of the state. The testimony shows that they have only arrived at the age of majority, one of them nine years since, and the other about five; and during the minority, prescription could not legally run against them, neither could it run against the ancestor until the possessor performed the conditions imposed on him, by the act of sale, which he has not done. The evidence of the case does not support this plea.
The merits of the case depend, principally on die act of exchange between the ancestor of
It is, therefore, ordered, adjudged and decreed, that the judgment of the district court be affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ARPINE'S HEIRS v. HARRISON & WIFE
- Status
- Published