Butler v. Benton
Butler v. Benton
Opinion of the Court
• Joseph H. Benton and David W. Simmons sued out a writ of replevin to recover the possession of two bales of cotton, ginned and packed, and 6,000 pounds seed cotton, said to be wrongfully detained by John E. Butler. The sheriff valued the property at $300. Butler gave a forthcoming bond, with sufficient security, and retained the cotton. Judgment was rendered for the plaintiff in replevin by default, and there was a writ of inquiry. The jury found that the two bales of cotton were worth $120, the seed cotton $180, and assessed the damages for the detention at $20. Upon this verdict the following judgment was rendered:
So much of art. 7, above, as is applicable is as follows: * * * “ if the property be in possession of the losing party, the execution shall command the sheriff to take the property in controversy, if the same may be had, and deliver the same to the successful party, and, if not to be had, that he make the value thereof, together with the damages and costs, of the goods and chattels, lands and tenements of the party and his sureties, against whom the judgment is rendered; or the successful party may have his distringas to compel the delivery of the property, together with & fieri facias for the damages and costs.”
The clerk would be authorized to issue only the process authorized by this statute, and, if he should issue executions not so authorized, they would be illegal, and the party would have his remedy. To hold the judgment in this case erroneous demands too nice a criticism upon the language
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John E. Butler v. Joseph H. Benton
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- JUDGMENT NOT ERRONEOUS BECAUSE EXPRESSED IN TTNSKIDLEtTL language. — The unskillful use of language and tautology in an effort to conform to law, in the entry óf a judgment on a verdict in replevin, where there is a substantial compliance with the statute, requiring a nice criticism upon the language employed to pronounce it erroneous, will not render a judgment erroneous.