Harris v. Doggett
Harris v. Doggett
Opinion of the Court
Had the declaration in the present case been confined to the fifth count, claiming damages merely for a tort for breaking and entering upon the plaintiff’s close, and concluding “ to the damage of the plaintiff (as he says) in the sum of one hundred dollars,” the police court would have had no jurisdiction of the case, nor would the superior court have taken any on the case being brought there by an appeal. McQuade v. O’Neil, 15 Gray, 52.
But the present case differs very materially from that above stated. The declaration contains four counts for personal torts, as to which a justice of the peace has jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars, and the ad damnum was very properly stated as of that amount, although by so doing the justice would not have his judicial power enlarged in reference to the counts for trespass upon the land of the plaintiff.
Under the somewhat peculiar form of the declaration in this action, adding separately to the various counts the ad damnum
Judgment reversed, and case remitted.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Rufus Harris v. Samuel W. Doggett
- Status
- Published