Bowrell v. Zigler
Bowrell v. Zigler
Opinion of the Court
This case, so far as my experience is concerned, is somewhat novel in its character. The record shows that a judgment was rendered, by a justice of the peace, in favor of the defendant in certiorari, against the plaintiff, on the 6th June, 1848, and this judgment was rendered on con fession. There is no complaint that this judgment was erroneous, but still it is now sought to reverse it, because, as is claimed, the justice refused to quash certain executions subsequently issued upon it, and enter satisfaction upon the judgment. The errors assigned, are all alleged to have intervened subsequent to the judgment. Eor such error the judgment itself cannot be impeached.
It is, to say the least of it, extremely doubtful whether this plaintiff, admitting that he has been injured as alleged, could have redress by certiorari. The use of this writ in removing cases from a justice of the peace to the court of common pleas, is regulated by statute, and seems to be intended for those cases alone, where there is error in the proceedings and rendition of the judgment. It is used to remove cases from a justice’s court to the court of common pleas, in the same manner that a writ of error is used for removing cases from the court of common pleas to this court. The 61st section of the justice act, provides that if the judgment be affirmed, the case may be remanded to the justice for execution, “ or such court,” that is, .the court' of
But aside from these considerations, what are the pretended grounds of complaint ? The record shows that the judgment was rendered on the 6th day of June, 1848. On the same day execution was issued, and on the 10th day of the month returned not satisfied.
On the 3d of July, 1848, upon the oath of Zigler, the creditor, another execution was issued and delivered to the constable, and was by him returned the same day, indorsed by the constable that the debtor had not sufficient goods and chattels ; that for want thereof he “ took his body and tendered the same at the jail of Butler county, to the person in charge thereof, who said he was authorized by the jailor to receive and confine persons, who refused to receive the same until he should be paid a fee of three dollars, and there being no one present, on behalf of the plaintiff, to pay the same, after waiting a reasonable time,” he left the prisoner at large.
Now the question arises, was this such an imprisonment of the debtor as in law satisfies the debt. This is the principal point in controversy between these parties. We suppose where a creditor causes his debtor to be imprisoned on execution, while the imprisonment continues, it is a satisfaction. Or if the debtor is discharged with the assent of the creditor, it will operate as a satisfaction. But if the debtor escapes, or if he is discharged without the assent of the creditor, there is no satisfaction. In the case now under consideration, there was no assent on the part of the creditor. The constable having the debtor in custody, upon the refusal of the jailor to receive him into the jail, permitted him to go at large. He was never committed to prison. It was an escape.
Upon examination of the whole case, we cannot discover any error in the action of the court of common pleas, and the judgment of that court is affirmed with costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.