Kline v. Williams
Kline v. Williams
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
This action was brought by the defendant in error, the plaintiff below, to recover possession of certain premises in the city of Atlantic City, leased by her to the defendant Williams for a term extending from the 13th day of June, 1901, to- the 23d day of September of the same year. In and by the lease between the parties, which
It appeared from the evidence submitted by the plaintiff, and it was not denied by the defendants, that, during the term, and about August 15th, the defendant Williams and his family moved out of the premises, and the defendant Welsh and his family, by the permission of Williams, moved in and occupied the same; and that the latter continued.in possession thereof until the commencement of this suit. This was in direct violation of one of the covenants of the lease, and, by the express terms of that instrument, worked a forfeiture, and entitled the plaintiff to re-enter.
It was proper, therefore, for the trial judge to direct the jury to find, by their verdict, that the plaintiff was entitled to recover possession of the premises.
In addition to the evidence already alluded to, the plaintiff offered testimony showing that the rental value of the premises during the period of possession by the defendant Williams was $301. No contradictory evidence being offered on behalf of the defendants, the trial judge charged the jury to assess damages, in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendants, in the amount mentioned for use and occupation. The question of liability for use and occupation was not within the issue raised by the pleadings. By her declaration the plaintiff demanded possession of the locus in quo, alleging that she was wrongfully deprived thereof by the defendants; and this was her whole claim. If she had desired to hold the defendants for the use and occupation of the premises after the forfeiture had been incurred, the statute required that she should make claim therefor in her declaration. Ejectment act, Q-en. Slat., p. 1389, § 45; Supreme Gourl Buie 85. Not having-done this, it was error for the trial judge to direct the jury'
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.