Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1809

Sears v. . West

Sears v. . West
Supreme Court of North Carolina · Decided July 5, 1809 · BY THE COURT.
5 N.C. 291

Sears v. . West

Opinion of the Court

By the Court.

The object of the act of 1798, ch. 19, was to suppress excessive gaming, and also to remove the temptations to idleness and dissipation,” as these contributed to the main vice. The act therefore forbids the use of “ gaming tables,” generally, with a proviso, that it should not extend to billiard tables until the first *293 day of April, then ensuing. The act of 1804, ch. 31, tolerates the use of billiard tables, but imposes a tax upon that use. By that act, every man -«who “ erects and keeps” a billiard table, is made liable to the tax. The Legislature seems to have considered the use of the billiard table as conducive to idleness and dissipation, as well as a mean by which excessive gaming was promoted. We are therefore of opinion that judgment should be entered for the Defendant.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.