Miller v. Jackson

Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Miller v. Jackson, 38 Pa. Super. 477 (1909)
1909 Pa. Super. LEXIS 166
Beaver, Head, Henderson, Morrison, Orlady, Porter, Rice

Miller v. Jackson

Opinion of the Court

Per Curiam,

We are of opinion that all of the questions arising upon this appeal were correctly decided by the learned judge below. All that we feel called upon to add to the clear and satisfactory *483opinion filed by him is a brief discussion of the case of Spring Run Coal Co. v. Tosier, 102 Pa. 342, upon which counsel for appellant principally relies to sustain his contention that the common-law practice of directing the writ of inquiry to the sheriff for the purpose of having damages assessed by a jury to be summoned by him was abrogated by the Act of May 22, 1722. Sm L. 131. A careful examination of that case has convinced us that such conclusion cannot be extracted from it. In the consideration of the direct question involved Justice Trtjnkey had occasion to discuss the mode of assessing damages after judgment by default in a case where a writ of inquiry, or proceeding in the nature thereof, is necessary. The conclusions expressed in his opinion are that in such a case (1) the mode of inquiry prescribed by the statute, is, if demanded by the plaintiff a matter of right; (2) that “the inquiry determines the amount of damages, when in open court, with precisely the same result as a sheriff’s inquisition.” But this was far from deciding that the plaintiff is bound to proceed in the statutory mode. Neither the decision nor the opinion is at all inconsistent with the previous ruling of the Supreme Court in Kohler v. Luckenbaugh, 84 Pa. 258, where it was distinctly declared that the mode pursued in the present case is orderly and regular, notwithstanding the act of 1722.

The order is affirmed at the costs of the appellant.

Reference

Cited By
5 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
Practice, C. P. — Writ of inquiry — Sheriff. 1. The practice of directing a writ of inquiry to the sheriff for the purpose of having damages assessed by a jury to be summoned by him, was not abrogated by the Act of May 22, 1722, sec. 27, 1 Sm. L. 131. 2. Where a deputy sheriff summons a jury under a writ of inquiry, the sheriff may for a good reason revoke the appointment and choose another jury; and it is no reason for setting aside the verdict of such jury because some of the jurors were selected from among the clerks and employees of the courthouse; and this is especially so where the defendant makes no objection to the jury until after he has had a hearing before them, and a verdict has been reached. 3. A defendant cannot appeal from a verdict of a jury of inquiry to the court of common pleas. Appeals — Costs—Paper-hooks—Printing paper-books. 4. The Act of April 15,1907, P. L. 83, imposing the cost of the printing of paper-books upon a losing party, relates only to such cases as arose after its passage. It does not apply to pending cases which are determined after the passage of the act.