Vulcanite Paving Co. v. Chester Traction Co.
Vulcanite Paving Co. v. Chester Traction Co.
Opinion of the Court
It is argued that, as the affidavit of defense admitted a certain sum to be due, the plaintiff should have proceeded under the Act of May 31, 1893, P. L. 185, and that the Act of July 15, 1897, P. L. 276, was inapplicable. This position is untenable. Where an affidavit of defense, in an action of assumpsit, admits a certain part of the claim to be due, and presents no sufficient defense to another part of the claim, it is regular, under the act of 1897, for the court to grant judgment for the aggregate of both portions, with leave to the plaintiff to proceed for the recovery of the balance of the claim as to which the court shall adjudge the affidavit of defense to be sufficient. Thus, where the plaintiff claims, and prima facie is entitled to, interest on the items of his claim from a certain date, and the affidavit of defense admits some of the items and sets up no sufficient defense to the claim of interest on those items, it is proper for the court to adjudge the affidavit of defense insufficient both as to the aggregate of those items and the interest thereon, and to enter judgment accordingly. Here, the defendant by its affidavit admitted certain items of the claim, aggregating $627-50, but claimed that it was not liable for interest
The judgment is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.